Here's something you might be interested in.
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen — Movie commentary
Blurt — Music's inside track
Booze News — San Diego spirits
Classical Music — Immortal beauty
Classifieds — Free and easy
Cover Stories — Front-page features
Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast! — Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories — Local news & stories
Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives — Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams — Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters — Our inbox
Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news
News Ticker — News & politics
Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry — The old and the new
Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers
Reading — The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT — Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats — Places of worship
Special Issues — The best of
Street Style — San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater — On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week — Daily event picks
A sure bet at Il Fornaio
Coronado fixture continues to deliver
Delicious special item, artichoke soufflé with shaved Grana Padano and tomato coulis
The view from our table on the patio at Il Fornaio in Coronado
Il Fornaio in Coronado is one of those “sure-bet” restaurants. You know the view looking out over the water toward the San Diego skyline will be stunning, and the umami-rich, fine Italian fare is always served with a side of contentment.
When I want to unwind with David, we go early to score a seat on the patio and watch the expansive blue water ripple before us. For all of 2014, Il Fornaio is presenting Festa Regionale: each month, a special menu features a different region of Italy, culminating in December, with a “Best of Festa” menu.
The staff is usually quiet and professional, but on one of my recent visits, our server was more of a nuisance than an informative aide. It wasn’t that he was rude, far from it. It was that he was obsequious to the point of distracting and, by the main course, downright irritating. On more than one occasion, he appeared to ask how we liked our dishes before we’d had a chance to taste them. I get that he was green — he mentioned starting college and how many “months” he’d been in the industry; I don’t fault him for his inexperience, it’s not like we’re born with our social skills. But I couldn't help but wonder why someone hadn’t told him it’s off-putting for a server to remain standing awkwardly at the table after the diners have said they’re doing great, thanks. Or to repeat, over and over, just how delighted he is that we’re enjoying ourselves, without giving us a moment to actually enjoy ourselves.
Meatball, mushroom, and polenta dish
That particular early evening (we arrived before 6 to ensure the availability of a choice table), the highlighted region was Puglia, the heel portion of Italy’s stylish boot, known for its olive oil, artichoke, tomato and mushroom-centric cuisine. From the regional menu, we selected an artichoke soufflé with shaved Grana Padano and tomato coulis, a mouth-watering marinara that well-represents all of Il Fornaio’s many tasty sauces.
We also ordered the wild boar meatballs, a savory, earthy dish with mushrooms and creamy polenta. Both appetizers were so lip-smacking, we joked about ordering another of each and calling it a meal.
Veal Scallopine, 10/10 would order again
For our main course, we ordered off the regular menu. I often do pasta here, and decided to try something different and order from the meat part of the menu. I got the Scaloppine, thinly pounded veal sautéed with fresh sliced baby artichokes and lemon. The dish was perfect, save for all that cauliflower (I’m more of a broccoli girl). The meat was tender, and the sauce had just the right amount of lemon to be refreshing and complimentary but not tart or overwhelming.
David's lamb chops failed to elicit any moans from him
David ordered the lamb chops. He said they weren’t his favorite, he’d have liked more flavor, and he most likely won’t order that again. I didn't taste the lamb, as I was quite happy with the dish in front of me.
So, though we were stuck with a not-very-helpful, obviously-forcing-his-smiles hoverer, we still had a great meal, as was to be expected. Well, I did. David had great appetizers. And a lovely view. And, of course, an exceptional date.
Here's something you might be interested in.
A sure bet at Il Fornaio
Coronado fixture continues to deliver
A sure bet at Il Fornaio
Coronado fixture continues to deliver
Delicious special item, artichoke soufflé with shaved Grana Padano and tomato coulis
The view from our table on the patio at Il Fornaio in Coronado
Il Fornaio in Coronado is one of those “sure-bet” restaurants. You know the view looking out over the water toward the San Diego skyline will be stunning, and the umami-rich, fine Italian fare is always served with a side of contentment.
When I want to unwind with David, we go early to score a seat on the patio and watch the expansive blue water ripple before us. For all of 2014, Il Fornaio is presenting Festa Regionale: each month, a special menu features a different region of Italy, culminating in December, with a “Best of Festa” menu.
The staff is usually quiet and professional, but on one of my recent visits, our server was more of a nuisance than an informative aide. It wasn’t that he was rude, far from it. It was that he was obsequious to the point of distracting and, by the main course, downright irritating. On more than one occasion, he appeared to ask how we liked our dishes before we’d had a chance to taste them. I get that he was green — he mentioned starting college and how many “months” he’d been in the industry; I don’t fault him for his inexperience, it’s not like we’re born with our social skills. But I couldn't help but wonder why someone hadn’t told him it’s off-putting for a server to remain standing awkwardly at the table after the diners have said they’re doing great, thanks. Or to repeat, over and over, just how delighted he is that we’re enjoying ourselves, without giving us a moment to actually enjoy ourselves.
Meatball, mushroom, and polenta dish
That particular early evening (we arrived before 6 to ensure the availability of a choice table), the highlighted region was Puglia, the heel portion of Italy’s stylish boot, known for its olive oil, artichoke, tomato and mushroom-centric cuisine. From the regional menu, we selected an artichoke soufflé with shaved Grana Padano and tomato coulis, a mouth-watering marinara that well-represents all of Il Fornaio’s many tasty sauces.
We also ordered the wild boar meatballs, a savory, earthy dish with mushrooms and creamy polenta. Both appetizers were so lip-smacking, we joked about ordering another of each and calling it a meal.
Veal Scallopine, 10/10 would order again
For our main course, we ordered off the regular menu. I often do pasta here, and decided to try something different and order from the meat part of the menu. I got the Scaloppine, thinly pounded veal sautéed with fresh sliced baby artichokes and lemon. The dish was perfect, save for all that cauliflower (I’m more of a broccoli girl). The meat was tender, and the sauce had just the right amount of lemon to be refreshing and complimentary but not tart or overwhelming.
David's lamb chops failed to elicit any moans from him
David ordered the lamb chops. He said they weren’t his favorite, he’d have liked more flavor, and he most likely won’t order that again. I didn't taste the lamb, as I was quite happy with the dish in front of me.
So, though we were stuck with a not-very-helpful, obviously-forcing-his-smiles hoverer, we still had a great meal, as was to be expected. Well, I did. David had great appetizers. And a lovely view. And, of course, an exceptional date.
Comments