Taste of Italy-Rediscovering Hillcrest’s oldest Italian kitchen
1013 University Ave. 92103 (Hillcrest) (619) 688-0333
Prices: Appetizers, $4.95 to $14.95; sandwiches, pizzas and entrées, $10.95 to $23.95
By Frank Sabatini Jr. | SDUN Food Critic
I used to duck into Taste of Italy with dangerous regularity for torpedo sandwiches, which I’d request doused in homemade Italian dressing. The herby vinaigrette exceeded my back-East standards for “sub oil,” with its punchy, semi-sweet tang that jived impeccably with the crusty rolls, fresh cold cuts and right measures of garnish. But in an effort to protect the waistline, I kicked the habit cold turkey.
Returning for the first time in a decade last week, it became evident that my addiction to the sandwiches had caused me to overlook a plethora of mom-and-pop-style Italian dishes: Veal picatta, house-made ravioli and caprese pizza. So, visiting with a friend, who estimated his own last meal at Taste of Italy had been
pre-21st century, we embarked on a multi-course meal (no torpedo sandwiches involved) that began with whole button cap mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, lemon and garlic. Served fancifully with dustings of parsley and shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, the dish is soothing and straightforward.
Bruschetta di Pomodoro doubles as a bread course, with elongated wedges of Italian baguette sheathed in baked mozzarella and Romano cheeses. Tomatoes, basil and garlic are also embedded, imparting teasing flavors that aren’t quite as robust as stand-alone bruschetta.
Learning that the kitchen makes its sheet pasta in-house, we opted for a split order of lasagna Bolognese and cheese ravioli. Meatballs and sausage are also made on the premises, so we took advantage of them as well. The meal tasted as good as it smelled, a classic alchemy of medium-bodied tomato sauce and meat fats seeping into creamy ricotta. The sausage link was particularly memorable, given its healthy dose of cracked fennel and a heat factor stemming from something more than red chili flakes, perhaps cayenne or jalapeños.
“There are a couple of secrets to that,” said general manager Andy Yaldo as I pressed him for the ingredients in the aforementioned Italian dressing.
“A touch of pesto,” he revealed.
Veal piccata is among Taste of Italy’s signature entrées. The meat is properly pounded, soaked in milk and draped in an excellent lemon-caper sauce that’s creamier than most. In this rendition, the sauce clings lovingly to the veal medallions as well as the accompanying spaghetti. Fresh, par-cooked veggies kissed with whispers of garlic complete the dish.
Other top sellers include seafood cannelloni with fresh salmon, scallops, clams and jumbo shrimp in vodka cream sauce; classic eggplant Parmesan and chicken marsala. The offerings extend to nearly 40 different pasta dishes, sandwiches of every Italian-American stripe and more than a dozen specialty pizzas, all constructed with homemade dough.
Knowing full well we’d tote home doggie bags, we crammed the table further with a caprese pizza. Yaldo suggested thin crust over regular to allow the flavors of the prosciutto, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and balsamic to emerge. He steered us right.
Augmenting our pig fest was a steal on Sycamore Lane Napa Cabernet at $3 a glass. It’s available at this price on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The wine presented sturdy fruit and balanced tannins, perfect for saucy dishes spiked with freshly grated Romano that comes straight from the wheels.
