Point Loma welcomes a new and delicioso authentic Italian pasta oasis, Cesarina. Owned and operated by restaurateurs Niccolò Angius, Giuseppe Scognamiglio and Giuseppe Capasso, the Italian trattoria embodies the atmosphere and cooking of legendary Italian “nonnas,” often referred to as the best cooks in the world. Named after Niccolò’s wife, Cesarina, the 2,700-square-foot space located at 4161 Voltaire St., features indoor and outdoor seating for all-day dining. An open-air ‘Pastificio’ – an onsite pasta-making station – compliments an 18-foot wine bar, featuring local and international wine and beer selections. Coffee and non-alcoholic beverages are also served. The Italian trio met in the United States and quickly realized their dreams of owning their own business. Niccolò and Cesarina, veterans of the restaurant industry, made and sold their fresh, handmade pasta at Farmer’s Markets in Ocean Beach and La Jolla. The eatery’s namesake, pastry chef and “muse from which I got the name and the values for inspiring others,” became the driving force behind the logical, brick-and-mortar, trattoria/French bistro offshoot. The team added executive chef Patrick Money, formerly of The Smoking Goat, to showcase a regionally-diverse Italian cuisine with create-your-own pasta dishes and signature chef-driven specialties for breakfast – an American theme with an Italian twist – lunch and dinner. Touting a “big passion for food,” the trio declare themselves “lucky to be Italian,” representing a “strong food culture.”
Antipasto’s, soups, salads, veggies, fish, meat and meatless entrees sidle eggless, pasta made with semolina flour, water, and a dash of turmeric to add “nutritional value and coloring.”
Ten different pasta shapes include fettuccine, penne, spaghetti, pappardelle, bucatini, and rigatoni as well as stuffed pastas and gnocchi sardi. Thirteen topping sauces include pomodoro fresco fresh, Bolognese, puttanesca, pesto alla Genovese, zio Alfredo, funghi, Amatriciana fresh, and Norma fresh. Diners can mix and match as they so choose. According to Angius, guests are privy to watch the “magic” of creating pasta to “show the process behind the kitchen because homemade quality starts from a good product that they can see.
“Our pasta is handmade daily in the “pastificio,” Angius said. “We use only Italian flours and add a special ingredient to every shape – love!”
Chef selection pastas include colored pastas in cocoa-powdered, spinach and activated-charcoal flavors. Sixty percent of the menu focuses on pasta and the team uses “only what mother nature gave us.” “Because we care about taste, ingredients are always fresh,” said Angius. “We also believe that taste comes from long cooking, so even a simple tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, basil, onions, salt, pepper and EVVO is cooked for almost six hours. “And every desert – we have 10 on a rolling cart – is made in-house,” he said. “If you order our Tiramisu, our lady fingers are made in the house. We don’t buy anything.” Angius noted that although being away from home is “tough,” the residents of Point Loma have made the team feel like family. “Our neighbors have welcomed us, making us feel like a part of a warm, cozy neighborhood,” concluded Angius. “We love Point Loma. We’re excited to bring our delicious Italian food to the residents and tourists of Point Loma.” Cesarina 4161 Voltaire St.
8 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily
cesarinarestaurant.com, 619-226-6222