Donato Enoteca
By
Carol & Joe Davis
Dining Detectives
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There
is no better way to spend the afternoon than to enjoy lunch while
dining al fresco in a lovely setting on a warm summer day. Downtown
Redwood City has seen a renaissance over the past decade and has
turned into an upscale dining and shopping area. Executive Chef
Donato Scotti, who grew up in Bergamo Italy and
trained at the Instituto Alberghiero di San Pellegrino Culinary
School, was thrilled to open his own restaurant Donato
Enoteca in 2009 to honor his Italian heritage using fresh
locally sourced ingredients, as well as products imported from
Italy. The decor is charming with contemporary flair and an open
kitchen. You have the option of three dining rooms and a lovely
patio with umbrellas.
Our
sunny Saturday afternoon lunch started with some sparkling water
and a basket of Warm Bread with tasty olive and herb spread. Our
favorite Antipasti was the Calamaretti E Fagiola
which was grilled fresh Monterey Bay Calamari with "bianchi
di Spagna" beans and mache lettuce. This is the perfect way
to enjoy fresh calamari.
The
Fritto Di Carciofi E Gamberetti which was Crispy
Organic Artichokes, rock shrimp and spicy parsley sauce was great
as finger food, light and spicy and just perfect to dip. We must
return for the Insalata Gamberi which was Grilled
Prawns with mache salad, grilled organic tomatoes and zucchini.
It had a lovely presentation and was quite popular with other
diners.
Our
Pasta Course was next. We loved the Agnolotti Del Plin
which was House made small Ravioli "del plin" made with
three meats, sausage, veal and beef topped with meat, tomato and
onion sauce. It was served al dente, was fresh and healthy and
we loved their fresh grated parmesan cheese.
The
Pizza was also terrific! We loved the Pizza Marinara from
their Wood Burning Oven made with tomato, roasted garlic, capers,
olives, and anchovies. It is Donato's personal favorite and the
thin crust and anchovies made it perfect for us as well!
The
Entrees were both fabulous. The Branzino E Zucchine,
Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bass filet with zucchini trifoliate,
garlic thyme sauce and new potatoes had a very pleasing smoky
essence from the grill. Our second entree was the Filetto
Di Maiale Alle Verze which was a delectable Misami pork
tenderloin wrapped in guanciale bacon served with braised cabbage,
marinated olives and fingerling potatoes. It was tender, pink
in the middle and so juicy....just amazing! We also loved the
side dish Organic Asparagus with butter and garlic.
The
Wine list features Italian Wines mostly from small production
wineries. There are 35 wines by the glass as well as some Rare
Vintages ranging from $100-$3500 per bottle. You can order by
the glass, small 5 oz, large 8 oz, Caraffa 16 oz, or bottle. We
were pleased that our sever Giaccomo understood our tastes in
wine and made excellent suggestions which allowed us to explore
some new selections. We enjoyed the 2010 Sardegna Canayli
Vermentino , 2008 Muller-Thurgau Aristos Alto Adige , 2008 Piemonte
Areneis Bruno Giacosa Roero , 2006 Lombardia Mazzolino Noir Pinot
Noir and the S Lazzaro Sangiovese/ Montepulciano.
The
Desserts we chose were perfect! The Panna Cotta
made with organic lemon and drizzled blood orange sauce was like
heaven. The Semifreddo alle Nicciolele E Caffe
was a unique Hazelnut and Chocolate semifreddo with espresso sauce.
Both were amazing and truly complimented one another. A Double
Espresso allowed us to linger and enjoy the great weather.
Donato
Enoteca Italian Restaurant is as good as it gets! The
cuisine was fabulous, the service was superior and either dining
indoor or outdoor is quite lovely. We look forward to returning.
Donato
Enoteca
1041 Middlefield Rd
Redwood City, CA 94063
650-701-1000
www.DonatoEnoteca.com
