By Gloria Glyer
Photography courtesy of Il Fornaio

Wine and people watching are the specialties of the house.

When Il Fornaio opened its doors in 1993, it was hailed as a destination eatery, with an upscale and sophisticated setting designed to inspire diners to greatness in work or—perhaps—in romance.

That continues to this day. The restaurant offers an ambiance that is hard to match, with its lofty ceilings and attractive dining area, plus an open-for-all-to-see-and-be-seen bar. (One of our lunchers suggested we sit at the bar and people watch. Instead, we were seated in one of Il Fornaio’s private dining rooms, which easily could accommodate 12.)

Il Fornaio has a weekly specials menu from which we ordered a stuffed pizza called piadina, along with the cannelloni and the skirt steak. The cannelloni al quattro formaggi—made with mozzarella, ricotta, provolone and Parmesan—was my favorite. The pasta was tender, the combination of cheeses perfect without one overpowering the others, and the dish was served piping hot, the cheeses melting invitingly over the noodles and the light meat ragu. On my next visit to Il Fornaio, I’ll order the cannelloni plus a mixed-greens salad with balsamic vinaigrette. That’s it, plus maybe the bread pudding if it’s still on the menu.

The skirt steak, called manzo all modenese, was a top vote getter with our group. Marinated in balsamic vinegar, garlic and rosemary, then grilled over mesquite, the tender pieces of beef were flavorful, tender and the perfect complement to the roasted rosemary potatoes and the barely sautéed fresh spinach.

On the other hand, the piadina—pizza dough stuffed with grilled eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, basil and smoked mozzarella, then grilled—was lacking in flavor. We dissected the layers in search of cheese, but there was little to be found. Would more mozzarella have saved it? Probably not.

From the regular menu’s antipasti list, we ordered crostini di polenta (crispy polenta squares), calamaretti fritti (fried baby squid) and polpettine al granchio (crab cakes). We opted for one salad: grilled portobello mushroom with Belgian endive, frisée, carrots, red-wine vinaigrette and imported truffled cheese. We rounded out our order with housemade lobster ravioli, pork osso buco, scaloppine val gardena (thinly sliced veal with wine sauce) and the daily special: halibut.

Whenever I see polenta on a restaurant’s menu, I order it—and like it. Each of the six crispy polenta and provolone squares came with a different topping: mushrooms and truffle oil; Italian sausage; grilled peppers; thinly sliced Italian ham; sautéed zucchini; and Gorgonzola. I would have skipped the toppings and enjoyed the polenta squares plain and simple. The calamari were all right, but the crab cakes had too much filler, and their accompanying lobster sauce was overpowering. The highlight of the crab cakes was a crispy, deep-fried basil sprig.

Likewise, an oversized sprig of fresh basil was an attractive addition to the grilled portobello mushroom salad, but the truffled cheese diminished its flavor. The lobster ravioli were very tender, but I would have preferred a light cream sauce to the lobster sauce and shrimp topping. The halibut was delicate and perfectly cooked.

For dessert, we ordered budino di pane (bread pudding); affogato al caffe (vanilla gelato topped with espresso); rosina al cioccolato (chocolate mousse, raspberries and triple sec-soaked cake); tiramisu; zabaglione (an Italian custard flavored with Marsala wine); crema al doppio gusto (fennel custard); and crespelle con vaniglia (crêpes filled with apples and grappa pastry cream). The affogato was light and delicious, and the bread pudding, made with figs and Granny Smith apples, had a lovely texture: It was not as heavy as most bread puddings, and the fig-apple combination was sweet without being overpowering.

Diva by Diva

Joan Leineke consulted with our server about wines before settling on a Luna Pinot Grigio and a Michele Chiarlo 1995 Reserve Barolo. Both were appropriate, but the Barolo was especially fine. (Michele Chiarlo also provides Il Fornaio’s house red: a Barbera d’Asti.) Leineke liked the tender ravioli and the skirt steak, calling it “delish,â€Â' but thought the piadina was boring.

Paulette Bruce-Miller feels that Il Fornaio is one of Sacramento’s most beautiful restaurants but “real short on the quality of the food.â€Â' Her top choices: the skirt steak and the affogato. Gayla Mace appreciated the beautiful setting and the service. She praised the halibut’s deft preparation and the desserts, especially the bread pudding.

Peg Tomlinson-Poswall also is a fan of Il Fornaio’s ambiance: “A beautiful restaurant,â€Â' she raved. “I have always wanted to live here.â€Â' Her favorite dishes were the cannelloni for its tender pasta and good cheeses, the skirt steak and the bread pudding. Bernice Hagen liked the wine, the “charmingâ€Â' wait staff and the veal scaloppine.



For the rest of this story pick up a copy of Sacramento magazine's April issue.