Cuisine:

• Italian

Bice Ristorante Description:
Originally a quaint trattoria created in 1926 by proprietress Beatrice "Bice" Ruggeri, Bice may have outposts across the globe, but San Diego's branch is an original gem. Milano chef Mario Cassineri helms the kitchen with creative flair while managing partner Rinaldo Colantoni knows the business well, having opened and managed many other Bice restaurants. The sprawling cheese and salumi bar is eye-catching; try the various Italian formaggio served with chestnut, cranberry and mille fleurs honey, a sweet tomato jam and Mediterranean olives. The menu begins with antipasto like fava bean and fennel salad with pears, tender Castelluccio lentils with Chino beets and crumbled goat cheese, and a trio of tartares (ahi, salmon and sea bass). But it is the pasta---handmade, al dente---that transfixes: gnocchi speckled with Asiago and pesto, orecchiette holding nuggets of hot Italian sausage and broccoli rabe, plump ravioli hiding a treasure trove of braised beef, veal and spinach in a subtle mushroom and Marsala sauce. Next, the branzino appears whole on a cedar wood plank---a good example of Cassineri's skill---the delicate white fish infused with smoky flavor and elevated with a fresh herb truffle emulsion. Desserts may include a chocolate lava cake and almond panna cotta with strawberry sauce. The knowledgeable waitstaff is both intuitive and relaxed. Cassineri does a daily prix-fixe for $40 including wine pairings.


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