By Gloria Glyer

At Osteria Fasulo, the insalata della casa is more than just a house salad. It arrives in a presentation basket—called a frico—made of Parmesan. With that kind of flourish, the Dining Diva lunchers had a clue as to what to anticipate at this establishment, located a bit west of downtown Davis.

An osteria is a family-run restaurant. Here, owners Leonardo and Mina Fasulo seek to present the foods, flavors and feel of Italia. And according to the members of our group who recently have traveled in Italy, they succeed.

We sat outdoors beneath shade trees, a casual spot to enjoy Osteria Fasulo’s elegant food. Server Ali Lera, a UC Davis graduate, took our wine order. Diva Bernice Hagen decided on an Italian sparkler, Prosecco Ruggen Valdobbiave NV, followed by a Pinot Grigio/Sauvignon blend by Bartani. Hagen called the Prosecco a “fun wine—very light, sparkling. It was very good for a light lunch.”

From the menu, we ordered animelle al formaggio tratufato e miele (sweetbreads with truffled cheese and honey); carpaccio alla Leonardo (thinly sliced filet mignon stuffed with Maine lobster); panino di verdure grigliate (grilled-vegetable sandwich); cannelloni alla pescatora (housemade pasta filled with seafood); scaloppine di pollo (sautéed chicken with tomato sauce), plus the daily specials: potato gnocchi with truffled butter sauce; ahi, served on a bed of braised fennel; heirloom-tomato salad with mozzarella and basil; and white-bean soup with truffle oil.

Not being a devotee of sweetbreads, I always take a bite and listen to other comments to find out if I should be thrilled or not. I needed no help with Osteria Fasulo’s version. The generous serving of sweetbreads, which had been deep-fried and topped with a sprinkling of fried leeks, was innovative and satisfying.

It was a warm day, but the white-bean soup was flavorful and attractive, with swirls of truffle oil giving the soup dimension and color contrast.

Gnocchi, which is as much fun to say as to devour, has as many interpretations as there are Italian cooks. Don’t miss the ones at Fasulo. The potato dumplings had been handled with care and, I suspect, with little kneading, and were delicately fried and dressed with browned truffle butter. Light as air? Just about, which is a challenge given the dish’s heavy ingredients. Cannelloni, filled with seafood and topped with béchamel sauce, arrived in a gratin dish and sported a slightly crusty topping. This would be good with the house salad.

The chicken scaloppini was tender but was served with slightly more tomato sauce than necessary. I would have swirled a crust of bread in the sauce, but there was none. Did we miss it? Or is bread not served at lunch?

Fennel, which makes its way into many of the dishes here, almost became the star when served with the ahi. Small chunks of sautéed fennel added crunch and flavor that enhanced the mild fish. The perfectly prepared ahi was finished with lemon juice and olive oil—a simple dish, really, when you look at the ingredients.

That is how all of the food appeared to us: nothing overpowering, just the right amount of an unexpected ingredient to make a mild dish sing.

And this was even before the desserts, which are made in-house. The chocolate crème brûlée topped with caramelized bananas was perfect—too good, in fact, to share. We also ordered the housemade crêpes filled with berries and lemon cream—another winner. The tiramisu was just all right, but the fresh strawberries were refreshing.

Adam Walsworth reigns as executive chef, with Mike Redfearn as assistant chef. Both are self-trained; you get the feeling they are always learning and are appreciative of comments. Owner Leonardo Fasulo helped bus our table when our server was busy. The place is informal, so it seemed all right to fill our own water and wine glasses, but it would have been better to have someone else on hand.

The Divas Speak

The Divas gave enthusiastic reviews to the gnocchi, sweetbreads, tomato salad, cannelloni and chocolate crème brûlée. Paulette Bruce-Miller especially enjoyed the setting, commenting: “This is how outdoor dining should be: peaceful and shared with good people. No one wanted to leave. About the food, nothing was too heavy, allowing the true flavor of the food to come through.”
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This article appears in the October 2005 issue of Sacramento Magazine.