- Drinks - Grape and Grain, San Mateo
- Dinner - Stella Alpina Osteria, Burlingame
- Dessert - Delizie, San Carlos
We started at Grape & Grain in San Mateo on a laid back Sunday evening. Most people were braving the crowds at the mall, trying to get their holiday shopping done, we were chilling at this really neat bar. Bar doesnt sufficiently describe it though, it is part lounge, part bar, with loads of character. They have a great collection of beers, and wines, and the olive and cheese platter we ordered were the perfect complement to the drinks we ordered. Its an ideal hangout for drinks after work, or to grab a few drinks before dinner.
Our drinks order:
Stillwater 'Existent' Dark Saison - Baltimore
Stone 'Cali-Belgique' Belgian Style IPA - San Diego
Handley Gewurztraminer - Andersen Valley, CA
On to Stella Alpina -- I was told their white truffle gnocchi was legendary. The gnocchi was everything I was told, and more. Yummy pillows stuffed with white truffles served with crispy sage in brown butter -- only thing I would have added is perhaps some parsley for freshness, but other than that the dish was perfect! The added bonus, it comes as an appetizer size portion allowing you to enjoy another dish for your entree.
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| Stella Alpina (Entrees - Clockwise from Top Left: Scottadito di Agnello, Filetto alla "Monferrina", Fish Piccata, Roasted Heirloom Tomato Risotto with Scallops Bottom Row - L to R: White Truffle Gnocchi, Apple Tart with Ice Cream, Creme Brulee) |
Our entrees were fantastic too. From the fish, to the risotto and the meats, everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The only complaint was that the vegetables served with the meats could have been steamed better.
As you can see above, dinner was a bit of a production, so we decided to order dessert at the same place. We ordered the apple tart, creme brulee and an affogato. Personally, I am not a fan of apple pie, but this tart came out on a flaky crisp crust, with perfectly baked apples. The creme brulee was good too, the sugar caramelized to perfection. My personal favorite, the affogato, with caramel ice cream was an absolute treat. The espresso, was excellent and added a lot to the affogato.
Bottom Line:
Price - $$
Ambience - Classy
Ambience - Classy
Vegetarian Friendly - Yes
Success Measure:
FAIL: Unfortunately, we were unable to keep to our goal of spending under $50 per person, in part because we ended up getting a few drinks. Lesson learned!
