A few entries ago, I mentioned a couple I met at Meritage Martini Oyster Bar & Grille who were very excited to learn that I planned to dine at one of their favorite local restaurants, Mamma Tanino's, and they encouraged me to mention their names to the hostess/co-owner/chef's-wife, Kimberley. So, after my first day of wine touring on the shuttle, I headed to dinner early, eager for some hearty Italian comfort food and maybe some more people-watching.
I was mostly SOL on the people watching; it seems that Sonoma doesn't head out to dinner until at least 7, so if there's not a bar in the restaurant, you're guaranteed a pretty quiet dining experience at 5:30 pm. I was greeted by Kimberley, mentioned that Laura and Chris said "Hi", and her immediate response was, "Oh, how nice! Did you meet them at the racetrack?" Hmm. What to say? My mind raced through some sassy, inappropriate comebacks - Do I look like a betting woman? - and I settled on a confused look as I said, "There's a horse track in Sonoma?" We were both, I think, relieved when Kim explained that there's an Audi Race Driver Training facility nearby, and that Laura and Chris run it. Still, I thought to myself, "Do I look like an auto race driver?" And I suppose maybe she can just tell that I have a lead foot.
You can read Chef's background and training on their website, so I'll simply say that he's Sicilian, as is the paternal side of my family, impeccably credentialed, and makes the best bucatini I've ever had. Such a tough pasta to cook perfectly al dente - long like spaghetti, but a hollow tube like macaroni. And the sauce - perfectly balanced, not too overpowering, and incredibly tasty. Even the portion was just right, not so overwhelming that I didn't have room for dessert.
And the best part about this restaurant is that it really is a local family dining spot and in almost every way reminded me of my family's local Italian family restaurant, The Sicilian (no longer in business). It's nestled in a shopping strip next to the Sonoma Market, so perhaps most tourists don't even notice it or consider that it might be worth visiting. Kimberley greeted all the guests who came in as I dined, and she seemed to have long-standing relationships with each of her customers. She took time to chat with me (since it was a bit slow to start), and was very interested in my family, my trip, and how I liked the food. The most charming part of our conversation was when she insisted that I travel to Italy and explained that she and Chef were starting to plan a touring business to give guests culinary tours of Italy. I said, Put me on the list! And she agreed and also said that I should call them if I planned a trip otherwise because "we have so many contacts in Italy." I felt like a long-time customer, and would make it a habit of dining here if I were actually a local. And while I kinda missed finishing my meal with a small scoop of spumoni ice cream in a little metal dish, I was very satisfied with the creamy, fluffy zabaglione freddo and wouldn't have traded it, even for nostalgia.
I was mostly SOL on the people watching; it seems that Sonoma doesn't head out to dinner until at least 7, so if there's not a bar in the restaurant, you're guaranteed a pretty quiet dining experience at 5:30 pm. I was greeted by Kimberley, mentioned that Laura and Chris said "Hi", and her immediate response was, "Oh, how nice! Did you meet them at the racetrack?" Hmm. What to say? My mind raced through some sassy, inappropriate comebacks - Do I look like a betting woman? - and I settled on a confused look as I said, "There's a horse track in Sonoma?" We were both, I think, relieved when Kim explained that there's an Audi Race Driver Training facility nearby, and that Laura and Chris run it. Still, I thought to myself, "Do I look like an auto race driver?" And I suppose maybe she can just tell that I have a lead foot.
You can read Chef's background and training on their website, so I'll simply say that he's Sicilian, as is the paternal side of my family, impeccably credentialed, and makes the best bucatini I've ever had. Such a tough pasta to cook perfectly al dente - long like spaghetti, but a hollow tube like macaroni. And the sauce - perfectly balanced, not too overpowering, and incredibly tasty. Even the portion was just right, not so overwhelming that I didn't have room for dessert.
And the best part about this restaurant is that it really is a local family dining spot and in almost every way reminded me of my family's local Italian family restaurant, The Sicilian (no longer in business). It's nestled in a shopping strip next to the Sonoma Market, so perhaps most tourists don't even notice it or consider that it might be worth visiting. Kimberley greeted all the guests who came in as I dined, and she seemed to have long-standing relationships with each of her customers. She took time to chat with me (since it was a bit slow to start), and was very interested in my family, my trip, and how I liked the food. The most charming part of our conversation was when she insisted that I travel to Italy and explained that she and Chef were starting to plan a touring business to give guests culinary tours of Italy. I said, Put me on the list! And she agreed and also said that I should call them if I planned a trip otherwise because "we have so many contacts in Italy." I felt like a long-time customer, and would make it a habit of dining here if I were actually a local. And while I kinda missed finishing my meal with a small scoop of spumoni ice cream in a little metal dish, I was very satisfied with the creamy, fluffy zabaglione freddo and wouldn't have traded it, even for nostalgia.
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| Bucatini Amatriciana - with pancetta, onion, chili flakes, tomato sauce, and a generous side bowl of Parmigiano Reggiano that would greatly please my cheese-loving father. |
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| Zabaglione Freddo with fresh berries |
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