Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #15: Piccino Cafe

Why is it that it seems we need to travel to the far ends of the earth for a worthwhile getaway? Cannes, Dubai, Indonesia…and let’s face it, even Tahoe feels like a trek ‘round the world on a holiday weekend. Has our “happy place” become almost unattainable due to crazy logistics involved? Not anymore. I found my new getaway, that I can actually…wait for it…. “get” to. What a concept. Comfortably tucked away into the folds of a quiet street, Piccino Café truly feels like the oasis we’ve all been waiting for. This recently inhabited spot by Piccino meshes the sleek, refreshing design of a new space that invigorates you just being there, with the comfortable neighborhood feel that makes you want to kick off your shoes and stay a while. Can I rent this out by the week, please? Many thanks to Chelsea for planning this latest rendition of Where-To-Wednesday on 5/9 that myself, Becky, Elizabeth, Tara and Lindsey enjoyed. So…did the food live up a retreat-worthy feast? Read on and find out which way Piccino topped the 0/10 scale. In the interim, I’ll keep searching for the complimentary robe and slippers in this place…

Ambiance 9: Let’s play a little game of mad libs. A perfect Saturday night is (adjective) because you’re going to (noun: place). Some of you are dreaming of breaking in new heels and an exciting night hitting the town…some of you are salivating over that bottle of 1999 Georges Letour Cabernet Sauvignon you’ve been you’ve been waiting tirelessly to crack open and savor on a night at home (or is that just me?) Decisions, decisions. And yet…now you really don’t have to make one. Piccino seems to have it all. Kicking a modern feel into this place, its sleek wooden edges adorning the walls, symmetrical ceiling beams and contemporary steel custom chairs pulled up to the counter tops that line the open kitchen, remind you that you are indeed out on the town. Heels? Check. But then…just as you whip around to order a martini, Piccino throws a curve ball. You notice that with the soft candlelight glowing across the room, the wood paneling actually gives the allusion of an old farmhouse. The wild flowers placed on each table embrace a soft, rustic feel and as you begin to ease into your seat to curl up with a bottle of red, all at once you have to remind yourself that you are most definitely not on your couch. The best of both worlds, Piccino flawlessly combines an exciting atmosphere with a relaxing vibe…giving you the perfect excuse to stay up well past your bedtime…even on a school night, sans the headache in the morning from those damn Martinis that went down way to easy at the dance club. Win/Win people.

Wine 7.5: Change is good…sometimes. I mean it did bring about our new life master: Miss Siri thanks to the new iPhone, the Hybrid car, and most recently the announcement from Obama to recognize gay marriage – finally people! Okay, I’m definitely getting ahead of myself but you can see solid instances of good coming from change. We started off our meal with a bottle of the Caravaglio Salina Malvasia, from Sicily, which was divine. Soft and floral with hints of white peach, the Malvasia was both a perfect match to the array of dishes we ordered, as well as standing on it’s own two feet. After a few bottles of the Malvasia, trying to branch out a bit and try a few of the other vino offerings, we asked for a few recommendations. When the descriptions fell short and head scratching started, we should have known to stick with a good thing. Instead, in spite of our gut instincts, which were now put to bed thanks to the first few bottles, we changed it up and jumped on the red train. Our selection, unfortunately, was lacking in several ways – one being that it was a little young and needed more time in the bottle. The other reasons, I don’t remember because I didn’t even bother to write them down…or even the name of the bottle. I know…I’m not giving you very solid clues as to this elusive “red” to avoid, but hey, at least you have a lead on a winning white!

Food 9: I gather from the name “Piccino,” that the original restaurant was cozy and small, with a matching “piccino” sized menu. Things have changed. Piccino is no longer the tiny establishment it was, expanding out to an impressive-sized restaurant. The menu, however, seems to have retained the charming bite-sized list of offerings, heavily focused on the array of pizzas available. But don’t fret, there is plenty of food to go around…just grab quickly!

- Broccoli Di Ciccio: A refreshing start to the meal with a lemony zest, the consistency of this dish was a winning combination. Mixed with almond gremolata for crunchy goodness, along with soft farro, the combination of different textures and finishes left us wanting more!

- Fava Falafel: I'll be honest. I'm not a big fan of falafel. I try to be. I order it each time with the confidence of knowing...this could be it. This could be the one for me. And finally, it happened. I fell in love with a Falafel. Deep fried with a slightly spicy outer layer and filled with soft fava beans, this dish was delicious. A refreshing cucumber yogurt or hot and spicy calabrian chili dipping sauce options were perfect pairings to the Falafel.

- Beets: The pickled vegetable of the day. And...I wish it would have been the pickled vegetable of yesterday. Or never. Don't get me wrong, I like beets and these were good, but they were a bit plain. Mixed with herbs - primarily Rosemary - and spices, they held a tangy, slightly bitter taste that felt reserved for a "eat your vegetables" command for 8 year olds. Skip!

- Wild Arugula Salad: Trickery...this salad will make you believe that Summer is around the corner. Freshing in every way and holding another winning combo of flavors, this is a refreshing way to kick off a meal. The peppery arugula paired with sweet, delicious strawberries and mint (are we sure Summer will not be making an appearance in San Francisco this year), and topped with crunch, toasted hazelnuts - this salad will send you home with ideas to recreate this starter. Hint to my husband: Thursday dinner spoiler alert.

- Pork & Beef Polpette: That's right. Piccino doesn't mess around. Pork AND beef, people. The best of both worlds. Juicy and delicious, as soon as you sink your teeth in to it, you're introduced to a world of flavor. Peppered with heavy garlic, parsley, crushed tomatoes and parmesan, this dish is a must-order.

- Baked Semolina Gnocchi: Not your average gnocchi. If you go in expecting the usual stuff, you’ll be scratching your head when the dish arrives. “I don’t think we ordered soup. Or this stew. Or…what is this?” It’s gnocchi, dollface. Not your normal small bite-sized, cookie-cutter gnocchi. Instead, this gnocchi is a large and flat (I’ll be honest, I thought it was the halibut at first…whoops), and playing in a pool of parmesan broth, mixed with peas, carrots and basil pesto. Very interesting textures…soft consistency with a touch of garlic and heartiness to the delicate nature of the consistency, it was an interesting and pleasant surprise.

- Halibut: Ah…here you are, Hal. Served on a bed of barley tabbouleh and radish, sitting atop smashed avocado and topped with meyer lemon, this dish has a winning consistency and perfect finish. It starts with a zesty zing of citrus that matches well with the delicate halibut, and fishes with the heartiness that the avocado and tabbouleh add to the mix.

 - Margherita Pizza: Simple yet satisfying. A rather thin crust pizza, topped with tomato sauce, oregano and patches of mozzarella. Very good, although a few more throw-downs of mozzarella on that pizza would have been nice. “Siri, reminder – more mozzarella!”

 - Pisello Pizza: Now we’re getting somewhere. If you’re going to go somewhere known for their pizzas, you might as well expand out of your comfort zone, right? Check. Topped with English peas (for the record, NOT a normal “topping” offered from Pizza Hut and the likes), buffalo mozzarella, pea tendrils (no, the peas alone were NOT enough), and herb pesto, this pizza packed a hearty punch. Delicious combination of flavors, textures and the end result was a wonderful new favorite dish.

 - Salsiccia Pizza: You just FEEL Italian saying this, right? Can you guess what it is made of? Guess…I’ll wait. If you said salsa….you lose. If you said sausage…you win. Plus you’re smarter than those salsa guessers. Topped with house made sausage (how do these people find the time?), mozzarella and red onion, this one was also a satisfying choice. Full of robust flavor, the Salsiccia pizza was a great combination of spices from the sausage and onion, with the mozzarella adding the mellow yet satisfying flavor, to keep the overall taste from being too spicy. Overall: delic.   

Dessert: I would normally go into this long, drawn-out explanation of how full we were…and yet we ordered dessert, but by now, you know this is a standard. No matter how full we are, we WILL order dessert like it is a far-reaching goal we have been working at attaining for years. So rather than bore you with chatter…let’s get on with it.

 - Zeppole: No…not what sounds like a French pronunciation to “ze pole” they will need to use to push your tush out of Piccino with after you eat this…although now I do believe in that second meaning. Zeppole is a delicious dessert consisting of fried ricotta donuts sitting on top of drizzled chocolate sauce, nestled next to small candied orange peels. These warm nuggets of goodness embrace the sweet, delicate tastes of ginger, cinnamon and sugar, which meets it’s match with the velvety chocolate sauce and rich cardamom cream anglaise sauce to dip in. Yes Sinatra, we’re in heaven.

-   Chocolate Pudding Cake: With advertising succeeding once again, my mind can’t help but wander to Bill Crosby and a room full of smiling children whenever “pudding” is mentioned. But this…ain’t no child’s play. Rose geranium cream sits atop warm, yet surprisingly delicate, chocolate cake, creating a light, airy dessert…or so you think. For just when you wish there was more to it, you spy the dark chocolate pistachio bark lying next to it. “Siri – we have a winner!”

 - Lemon Crostata: I typically view any dessert not containing chocolate as a main ingredient, as a waste. I’m just being honest. This one, I’ll admit I wasn’t excited about ordering. It seemed to light, to boring, to wasteful. Why not just a second round of water? But oh how I love a good surprise. The lemon crostata was surprisingly rich, with a zesty zing packed into every bite of this intensely, savory dessert, whose taste was magnified even further with a tasty sauce poured onto it. Topped with bruleed meringue whose light, airy consistency paired perfect with the rich tart, and a beautiful candito di limone added as a finishing touch, this dessert was a delicious delight.

- Affogato: Finding it’s way into more and more restaurants in the bay area, I’m realizing that I won’t need to travel too far the next time I’m craving Italy. Affogato is a simple yet perfect end to the meal. Atop jivara milk chocolate ice cream, the espresso gives you the little kick you need to savor the last bites of the meal before you return to reality.

Price 8: At a little over $70 a person, it may be a little steep. On the other hand, we ARE on a retreat here, remember? And for three pizzas, meatballs, delicious (white) vino, and even affogato to top off your night among other things – you get the goods of Italy delivered right to your mouth…for much cheaper than a ticket to Italy. And a free new song compliments of me: when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s a’Pisello! I know, you’ll be singing it all night.

Noise Level 9: Contrary to its name, Piccino is actually a fairly large restaurant. With several tables laid out across the room, all with ample room to allow you to talk without hearing or bumping elbows with the non-related table next to you, you can actually devote all of your energy to conversing with those in your party. What a concept. Siri – take note.  

Service 9: This may be the only time I ever count this as a positive, but that night – I had no idea who our waiter was. We had so many people helping us – pizza recommendations, topping off our glasses, taking our orders, delivering our food, giving us samples, and even – wait for it…this is a big one – not just taking our picture, but asking if we would like our picture taken. Gasp. I’ve found my happy spot.

All About The Area:  I’m not sure whether to relish in the unnatural silence found in this area of the Dogpatch District…or run for the hills. But as I stood there debating, whilst trying for the former in an effort to proceed and find this restaurant, I believe I saw a tumbleweed roll past me. At the corner of “nowhere” and “you’re lost,” this area will have you scratching your head. “Siri – WHERE THE HELL AM I?” There are some cute wine bars in the area as well as restaurants, but you’re going to be hard pressed to find them if you just decide to wander. No noise seems to carry, and I don’t remember passing a soul on the street…so bring your phone or other GPS device, and plan ahead. Or…make it a one-stop shop. Piccino is right next door to a wine shop and a clothing company. Come to think of it, with wine and clothes within reach…who needs directions anyhow?

Overall Grade: 8.6

Our delicious white wine

Broccoli Di Ciccio

Fava Falafel

Beets

Wild Arugula Salad

Pork & Beef Polpette

Baked Semolina Gnocchi

Halibut

Margherita Pizza

Salsiccia Pizza

Pisello Pizza

Zeppole

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Lemon Crostata



Affogato

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #11: Zero Zero

Zero Zero, you master of disguise, you. I thought I knew you, though we met only once. A cold, blustery San Francisco afternoon you welcomed me through your doors to entice me with your sizzling pizza and sandwiches. A lunch fare that left me satisfied, yet a bit unimpressed. How was I to know you had so much more to offer? Growing up in the Midwest, pizzerias were a’ plenty. We grew up with the likes of Chuckie Cheese and Major Magic, only to graduate on towards the “adult” pizzerias years later, serving up – yes, you guessed it - pizza. Offering exactly what steered you towards their piping hot oven in the first place, and nothing more. Perhaps they were honest, perhaps they were lacking, perhaps we just didn’t know what more we could have. Enter Zero Zero. For when the sun sets, the ambiance here kicks up a notch, the menu changes, dinner is served and pizza ain’t the only dish on there. Like Super Man exiting the phone booth, Fiona finding true love’s kiss (do I watch too much TV?), Zero Zero waves bah-bye to it’s former lunch facade, and embraces the tantalizing dishes and buzzing atmosphere that dinner will embrace. Many thanks to Joce who chose this latest adventure of Where-To-Wednesday, that myself, Elizabeth, Chelsea and our newest Where-To-Wednesday gal Neva enjoyed! So…what saucy little extras did Zero Zero serve up? Did Neva enjoy her cameo enough to keep a reoccurring role on the W2W crew? You, my friend, will just have to read on to find out. 0/10 scale as always…the magic happens at 10.

Ambiance 8: As dusk settles outside the doors of Zero Zero, the lights dim inside and soft overhead lights delicately glimmer across the restaurant. The bar in the front is highlighted by a perimeter of “up lighting” illuminating the wall lined with bottles behind the bar. If alcohol wasn’t already attractive..it is now. Set into the bar itself are individual lights, casting a soft glow onto patrons and their drinks, as they sit at the bar awaiting their tables. I can imagine a worse place to wait… The restaurant is set up in a bit of a loft style, so the bar area in all of its wondrous illumination, is viewable from all areas of the restaurant. If you’re sitting upstairs and feeling left out, there’s a mini-bar up there too. Don’t fret. The lighting, the bar…it all had a bit of 1920’s feel to it. Minus the wine on tap. Hello revolution. 21^st century…we have arrived.

Wine 7.5: Red? White? What’s a girl to choose? Oh come on. You know us well enough by now to know that’s a trick question. Why both of course. After sipping on a few glasses of the wine on tap (how do I get this in my apartment?) we settled on a Saintsbury Chardonnay and a Cannonau Grenache. The Chardonnay was crispy, a little tangy but smooth. Not my favorite type of Chardonnay (love the buttery ones) but still pretty good. The Grenache I didn’t try but…the bottle was drunk so I am under the assumption it was agreeable. Not a ton of wines by the glass here – about 10 per white/red that span only Italy and California. So, if you’ve got a favorite..y0u may want to bring it along as your plus one.

Food 8.5: Like too many magazine articles I get sucked into, the start of the meal quickly pulled me in with it’s robust and unique apps. And then…I got lost, somewhere where they direct me to page 276 to finish. The main course...dare I say it, since they hang their hat on their pizzas? Eh. A little forgetful. It could be that the apps set the bar too high. And if that’s the case, the desserts were all for doing chin-ups, because we ended up right where we started. Phew. Article complete.

- Brussel Sprouts: If only they served these at Chuckie Cheese…  Whoever doesn’t like Brussel Sprouts, I challenge you. Take a bite of these puppies. Sweet marries salty, as sugary Asian pear meets refreshing lemon zest and rolls around with pancetta, kicking it into your mouth with a hint of chili. Fried to perfection these are delicious with the perfect combination of fresh and savory. Mmmmmm.
- Aranchini Balls: Stuffed with taleggio cheese and black garlic aioli, these warm, delicious treats hold a meaty cheese that packs a punch. Smothered with garlicky goodness, these salty garlic balls would have Chef himself singing a new verse. Did I mention we were close to South Park? Buh-dum-chi. Where’s my drum?
 - Broccoli Di Ciccio: Seriously? Where was this broccoli when I was growing up? Mixed with toasted garlic and lemon…this dish got a kick with the Calabrian chili.
 - Meatballs: Hearty and savory, these pork and veal meatballs are covered in a gravy-esk tomato sauce. Delish!
 - Cavatelli: Good mix of textures with the soft butter beans, crunchy broccoli, and chewy pasta. Yes, a little chewy. If it weren’t for it’s buddies beans and broccoli, this pasta would be a sad loner.
 - Margherita Pizza: Baked with a thin crust, this pizza held a tomato-based sauce with dollops of buffalo mozzarella peppered throughout. Pretty good. Not spectacular like the brussel sprouts (I feel this is the only time in my life I will ever type this sentence) but good.
 - Townsend Pizza: Head into this with a glass of water. Salt, salt and more salt. This pizza was very rich and salty, with potatoes, sopressata, and lots of mozzarella. Very thick, rich and heavy it could have used more of a contrast with ingredients. Or a scheduled nap.

Now..we could have stopped here.Easily. Not because the meal was heading downhill, but because we couldn’t even finish the dishes. Which is a Where-To-Wednesday first. Leftovers? Unheard of. Watch out Guinness Book..here we come. So when the dessert menus came, we almost passed. Almost. Thankfully, the glutton within all of us could not be dissuaded. On to dessert we went. But it’s not just a normal menu. No. This dessert course requires an interactive menu. You don’t just sit back and point, you check off lots of little boxes on a pretty piece of paper that ultimately dictates just what delectable dessert concoction you are about to enjoy. From ice cream flavors, to bases of cake for your ice cream to sit on, to toppings and syrups and more toppings…oh my!....this unique take on dessert gives you the power to make your own dessert!
 - Where-To-Wednesday Dessert: That’s right. We made it our own. Simple vanilla soft serve ice cream is piled high, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt…our combination, frankly, rocked.  

Price 7.5: To get our fill of the main food groups we heart the most: pizza, pasta and vino…we ponied up $62 big ones. Pretty average for our outings..although with four people it seems a little high. In which case…have another glass of vino and fuggetaboutit.

Noise Level 8: You can easily hear your party both next to you and across the table, which is…both good and bad. I love being able to hear just as much as the next person. Probably moreso, because I’m that person who you’ll find nodding and smiling, hoping you don’t ask an open-ended question because I haven’t heard a damn thing you’ve said. All that aside, I think the reason the noise level is much lower is because the tables are spaced apart more than you find at other restaurants. It could be that we’ve become so accustomed to the European close-vicinity style seating that San Francisco has been slowly evolving to. It could be that the opposite evokes a sense of standard suburban chain-style eateries in us now, that we’ve moved so far away from. It could also be that this subtly is lost on everyone but me. In which case, I’ll end my rant, and you can disregard. But..if you feel what I feel, pepper in some fun and chuckle to yourself as you’re eatin’ good in the neighborhood; because when you’re here, you’re family. Okay, now I’m seriously done with this. Sit, eat, and listen away with your uninterrupted hearing.

Service 8: You know when you’re ready to order, and you look around for your server only to realize that you’ve only seen them for so brief a second that you can’t seem to recall what they looked like? Didn’t happen here. But you know when they’re stationed at your table, in full-force borderline stalker mode awaiting your final dish decision with a constant flickering of their pen? Riiiight, not here either. This was your average, good, service. Damn you service. There will be no fun  installment of “seriously” in this posting. Bar Agricole servers…need a place to grab dinner with free training?

All About The Area: Oh SOMA, our dear friend, we find ourselves here again. You’re pocketed neighborhoods can make us nervous with each corner we turn, but excited when it’s a good one. This part of SOMA is definitely a go-to. Next door to it’s neighbors Lulu and Oola, there are additional dinner choices amongst this street filled with modern little lofts and bustling companies like Twitter. Lofts, Twitter, and dinner…how can you go wrong?

Overall Grade: 7.9

So…next stop? Glad you asked…it’s Neva’s pick! See, that’s how we treat our newcomers. Arms wide open, and full of pressure. Many thanks to Elizabeth for bringing Neva into the world of  Where-To-Wednesday! We love new additions to the group, so if you’re interested just contact any of us to join. Prefer to vicariously travel via armchair to these destinations and voice your opinion? No problem. Read, laugh, comment and leave your mark without ever leaving your house.

Fried Brussel Sprouts

Taleggio Stuffed Arancini

Broccoli Di Ciccio

Pork and Veal Meatballs...yes, we didn't wait for the picture to scarf these down

Cavatelli

Margherita Pizza

Townsend Pizza

Where-To-Wednesday Dessert! (aka vanilla soft serve ice cream with olive oil and sea salt)