Cuisine:

• Italian
• Others
• Californian
• American

Piacere Ristorante Description:
Upscale Italian restaurant offering tapas and four types of risotto, as well as standard Italian fare. Their entire menu is available for takeout.
They also do catering, and (as a pleasant surprise) actually show several prix fixe banquet menus (with prices) on their web site. Their site also has some nice pictures of the restaurant interior.
Piacere's large, sleek dining room is awash with stylish tones of olive, taupe and dark wood, but avoids austerity thanks to the marble-edged fireplace, upholstered booths and zones that have been created within the space. Seafood fares well on the menu---the oysters are a good way to start the meal, accompanied by the vinegary tartness of a well-executed mignonette. The mussels, served in an iron skillet and flavored simply with sea salt and clarified butter, arrive with less liquid than expected of a mussel dish, but are flavorful enough, and nicely cooked. Pastas do not always arrive so well prepared---the house-made ricotta gnocchi's truffle-infused, herb-enhanced goodness is marred by its overcooking, and the rich, intense flavors of a wild boar ragoût would have been all the more impressive if served with al dente pappardelle. With its sidewalk alfresco seating, Piacere makes a good option for lunch---memorable sandwiches include the roast lamb with minted goat cheese, arugula and olive tapenade. On the lounge menu, standouts include the grilled oysters with chili butter and shallots. An impressive cellar of California and Italian wines, including the renowned Super Tuscans, will delight connoisseurs.


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