One thing I noticed while walking through this area is that the restaurant barkers (if that's what you call them) definitely aren't shy. They call from their doorsteps or behind their podiums for you to join them for a meal. They encourage you to try their restaraunt whether or not it's even mealtime. They're friendly and flirtatious, using just about every method to get you into the door. Normally, that'd feel so forced and too much like a used car salesperson but somehow in this quaint, quasi-European area of SF, it's charming.
My BFF and I tried out a place called Figaro Ristorante located right in the heart of North Beach on Columbus Avenue. Not only was it recommended by the looping infomercial on the hotel tv, but it was also pointed out while we were on a SF City Tour (more about that in another review). I figured it couldn't hurt to give it a try, despite all the money they must've poured into good PR.
We went in a bit after the lunch rush ended and before the dinner crowd even began to have an inkling about where they'd like to dine. This made lunch a very pleasant experience because there was only a handful of people in the restaurant. Even if it were crowded, I don't think we'd feel rushed. I noticed that people in SF really take food seriously. When they're out, they're out to enjoy everything - the atmosphere, the company, the food, the drink - and never seem to be in a rush to leave. They savor their meals. I could totally get with that.
To start we ordered bruschetta and just about died because it was so good. Who would've thought that tomatoes and some seasoning could taste so delicious on a toasted crostini? It was definitely a good choice. I also have to mention that the complimentary bread with vinegar and olive oil came to us still warm and very fresh. Yum!
For lunch we stuck with their lunch specials. We got the spaghetti mista and panino prosciutto. At first I was skeptical of the spaghetti. I like mine with tons of tomato sauce, but this looked very dry. One of my biggest pet peeves is not having enough sauce (whether it's in pasta or dressing for a salad). However, this spaghetti really didn't need to be loaded with the red stuff. The spaghetti pomodoro tasted fresh and was very light. It wasn't too overpowering where you felt like you'd need to take a cat nap after eating it. I suppose this is the European way, is it not?
The panino porchetta was melt-in-your-mouth good. The meat was salted just right so that all the flavor just tingled your tastebuds. The bread was lightly toasted and still warm to touch. It was served with tomato and provolone cheese. Both dishes came with a salad of mixed greens and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Everything was light and refreshing. To top off our meal, we had an ice tea and diet coke.
Figaro was a great place to kick back and relax, watch the foot traffic going by and take in the beautiful SF day. Interestingly enough, the staff all seemed to be Italian as they conversed to one another in their native tongue. I'm not sure if they're all from Italy or if they were Italian American, but I really liked the authenticity of it all. It made the experience unique and it felt as if we'd stepped into a small Italian villa for a quick bite to eat.
Total cost for this delish Italian meal (tax included): $28.70.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment