Cooking
I've eaten at Americano three times in the past couple of months, and each time it was better than the last. Located on the ground floor of the Hotel Vitale, it's main architectural feature is a large patio that runs the length of the restaurant and faces the bay. With heat lamps, plenty of tables, chairs and even couches, it's one of my favorite outdoor dining spaces in San Francisco (Foreign Cinema is the other).
The menu has something for everybody, with plenty of appetizers for sharing or light meals, pasta, Italian entrees and even a hamburger. While I've enjoyed the fish and hearty steak entrees, it's been the pizza, pasta and appetizers that have made me a fan.
Their take on the Margherita pizza, the pizza fresca, $15 is puffy and crisp and not overburdened with toppings. It has that melting quality I love when sauce, cheese and crust all meld together.
My favorite dishes are the appetizers, $7 each or 3 for $18. The luscious tonno conserva is so rich and delicate it will wipe away any memory of domestic canned tuna. Also notable are the arancini and the artichoke and brussels sprouts fritti. None of the fried bites are greasy or heavy.
It's hard for me not to order pasta, especially when it is homemade. Chef Kory Stewart makes fantastic stuffed pasta, supple and soft, simple yet with very high quality ingredients. You can get his pasta in smaller or larger portions. If you want to try several dishes I won't blame you for ordering the small portion, but if you're like me, you will be sad when it's gone. His pastas are often dressed simply with just a bit of olive oil or butter and topped with a bit of herbs or vegetables. The version with fava beans and Meyer lemon was a wonderful expression of late spring.
While I've enjoyed several desserts the one not to miss is the Mocha Custard $5. Served in an espresso cup it is is rich and creamy and the happiest marriage of chocolate and coffee.
Americano Restaurant & Bar
8 Mission Street @ Embaracadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 278-3777
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Cooking
Americano Restaurant Review
I've eaten at Americano three times in the past couple of months, and each time it was better than the last. Located on the ground floor of the Hotel Vitale, it's main architectural feature is a large patio that runs the length of the restaurant and faces the bay. With heat lamps, plenty of tables, chairs and even couches, it's one of my favorite outdoor dining spaces in San Francisco (Foreign Cinema is the other).
The menu has something for everybody, with plenty of appetizers for sharing or light meals, pasta, Italian entrees and even a hamburger. While I've enjoyed the fish and hearty steak entrees, it's been the pizza, pasta and appetizers that have made me a fan.
Their take on the Margherita pizza, the pizza fresca, $15 is puffy and crisp and not overburdened with toppings. It has that melting quality I love when sauce, cheese and crust all meld together.
My favorite dishes are the appetizers, $7 each or 3 for $18. The luscious tonno conserva is so rich and delicate it will wipe away any memory of domestic canned tuna. Also notable are the arancini and the artichoke and brussels sprouts fritti. None of the fried bites are greasy or heavy.
It's hard for me not to order pasta, especially when it is homemade. Chef Kory Stewart makes fantastic stuffed pasta, supple and soft, simple yet with very high quality ingredients. You can get his pasta in smaller or larger portions. If you want to try several dishes I won't blame you for ordering the small portion, but if you're like me, you will be sad when it's gone. His pastas are often dressed simply with just a bit of olive oil or butter and topped with a bit of herbs or vegetables. The version with fava beans and Meyer lemon was a wonderful expression of late spring.
While I've enjoyed several desserts the one not to miss is the Mocha Custard $5. Served in an espresso cup it is is rich and creamy and the happiest marriage of chocolate and coffee.
Americano Restaurant & Bar
8 Mission Street @ Embaracadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 278-3777
- Canteen: Restaurant Review
You've got to admire a chef like Dennis Leary who goes from working in a prestigious and elegant restaurant to taking over a diner with only four booths for four and a counter. Eating at Canteen is always a treat because even though it looks like...
- La Ciccia: Restaurant
Late last year I got a chance to eat at La Ciccia restaurant in Noe Valley. La Ciccia is the only restaurant I know of that specializes in the food of Sardinia. I like to think I know a bit about Italian food, having lived and studied in Italy but when...
- Medjool:restaurant Review Closed
In the Mission district of San Francisco there is no shortage of good places to eat. Valencia street between 16th and 22nd in particular, is a culinary corridor. You can choose from Indian, Nuevo Latino, Italian, Vietnamese, Spanish, Mexican, American,...
- The Helmand Restaurant Review
My first apartment in San Francisco was in North Beach, on Telegraph Hill. I thought I would be eating a lot of Italian food but what I discovered was that North Beach was a neighborhood in transition. New restaurants were opening up, not necessarily...
- Italian Cooking
I am not particularly picky when it comes to food. I just like to eat good. Tasting different foods from different countries is a pleasure for me. I like Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Spanish and many other cuisines. However, my favorite is Italian cooking....