Dine Downtown at Il Fornaio

Il Fornaio (or as I affectionately call it, Il Fo) is a staple on Capitol Mall. I’ve always been a big fan of their happy hour. If you haven’t been, they serve complimentary appetizers from 5 – 7 pm on weekdays – not a bad way to wind down a day. They’re also consistently spectacular in my book when it comes to service and food, and that’s why I love this spot.

So, when I had the chance to preview the Dine Downtown menu, I was thrilled. I’m a bit regimented when it comes to Dine Downtown and I have a few rules to make life easier.

Rule #1 – Use the buddy system. I like to eat in teams. No, I’m not a competitive eater. But, Il Fornaio like most Dine Downtown restaurants offer so many different menu options, that it’s hard to pick just one. If you bring an eating buddy you have a chance to sample several dishes.
Rule #2 – Don’t spoil your dinner. If you want to enjoy your entire 3-course meal, eat light that day and save the calories for dinner. It’s so worth it.
Rule #3 – Work out in the morning. As a good follow –up to #2, the last thing you’ll want to do is run a few miles after you’ve savored every last bite of a gourmet meal. Plus, you won’t have a guilty conscience after a few glasses of wine and, of course, dessert.
Rule #4 – Show your thanks. The $30 prix fixe menus does not include gratuity and is well under the actual value of the meal. So show your gratitude and leave a tip.

So enough with the rules. Let’s get down to business. Il Fornaio’s Dine Downtown menu is spectacular and focuses on dishes from the Lombardia region of Italy. I’m a carnivore so I immediately zoomed in on the Ossobuco, which is a braised veal shank. The dish was a serious steal paired with two other courses and priced at $30. While I had already placed my order, I was dying to hear from someone in the know what were the best choices on the menu. Assistant General Manager Dan Raymond, was game and he recommended the Polenta, Cansonce and Ossobuco. I had a sigh of relief when I realized that husband Mark (aka my fave eating buddy) and I had these dishes covered between the two of us. And if I do say so myself, Dan has impeccable taste. Those three dishes were both of our favorites.

Butternut Squash Soup at Il Fornaio

So, here’s a run down of my Dine Downtown picks for the evening. I started with the Butternut Squash Soup. Unlike most versions, this soup was not cream based and gets most of its flavor from the veggies and stock. It was still hearty and satisfying start to the meal. I ordered the Gnocchi as my pasta course and while it did not photograph well, it was divine. The rich, velvety pillows of dough were layered with a light spinach flavor and a dusting of cheese. The walnuts added a nice crunch and contrast to the soft textures.

Ossobuco at Il Fornaio

The star of my meal was, of course, the Ossobuco, hands down. The braised veal shank was so tender and savory. It was nestled in a bed of saffron risotto, which could have been a meal in itself. The dish felt complicated but homey and rustic at the same time.  I had one of those moments with the first bite where I had to take a moment to close my eyes so I could savor my first bite. (I’m drooling a bit just thinking about it all over again). This is definitely a carnivore’s meal.

Spumoni at Il Fornaio

Although the Dine Downtown menu includes Torta Sbrisolona, Dan recommended the Spumoni. Since he was right on the money with the other menu items, Spumoni it was. Every other time I’ve had spumoni, it’s been ho hum. But this, this is not your average variety. The gelato comes from  the Latest Scoop in San Francisco and is comprised of a mix of the traditional pistachio, strawberry and chocolate PLUS hazelnut gelato. Black cherries and crush hazelnuts are swirled into each piece for an ethereal combination. My eating buddy declared that he would consider coming back just for the gelato. I tend to agree with him. (If you want to know more about Mark’s Dine Downtown experience, check out his side of the story on SacFoodClub.com.)

We had a chance to catch up with Chef Bruno Amato at Il Fornaio for the inside scoop on his Dine Downtown menu.

If you’re dining with Il Fornaio during Dine Downtown, don’t forget to get your Festa Regionale passport stamped for Lombardia. Dine Downtown week counts as the first of six monthly regional menus featured at the restaurant.  If you  collect all 6 stamps, you’ll be eligible for a chance to win a trip to Italy by June. If you win and don’t want your trip, I’ll be happy to go in your place.

The Downtown Lowdown Dine Downtown, Dining, Events, Italian