By Elaine M. Rowland
Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone — did you do right by your sweetums? Take him or her to a nice place for dinner? Well, if you fumbled that big romantic evening, here’s a tip for next year: Vaso Azzurro.
In fact, don’t wait for next year, because it sounds like you have some making up to do.
While Vaso Azzurro may not be the only terra cotta-washed, sponged-textured Italian/Mediterranean restaurant on Castro, it has the intimate, cozy ambience that, together with friendly, helpful service, makes you feel welcome and appreciated. It’s easy to relax and enjoy dinner here, among the warm-colored walls, blue vases (the restaurant’s namesake), and flickering lanterns and votives.
Some restaurants have great bread; others, great dip. This one offers a delicious, warm, hearty focaccia with a nicely blended accompaniment. While Vaso Azzurro’s dip hasn’t the fiery abundance of garlic that Don Giovanni’s features, this one is more complex, blending a mild olive oil with a splash of balsamic, a dab of crushed garlic, and a blend of herby bits that add just the right je ne c’est qua (which is French for “I don’t know what all is in it”).
Expecting a continuation of the mild olive oil, I was surprised when the carpaccio di manzo ($6.95) used a very strongly flavored olive oil. The paper-thin slices of raw filet mignon and arugula were overpowered by it, and only the Dijon mustard and diced onion seemed to cut through it.
The calamari fritti ($7.95) appetizer was more subtle. Lightly breaded and fried, these springy squid rings were served with a spicy marinara. If the sauce was runnier than my compatriot liked, the flavor was delicious.
When I dined at Vaso Azzurro, the soups of the day included minestrone and lentil, and the daily special frequently involved a halibut. I didn’t try the halibut, but the lentil zuppa ($4.50) was very good. A savory puree, it went down so quickly I forgot to offer a taste to my friend until I got to the bottom of the bowl. And damned if he didn’t take that very last spoonful.
I would definitely recommend the insalata trevisana, a sprightly mix of fresh spinach, arugula, gorgonzola, caramelized walnuts, some radicchio for color, and a stalk of bitter endive, ($6.95) which added a wonderfully pungent counterpoint to the sweet nuts.
The restaurant’s near-eponymous dish, fettuccini Azzurro, is pasta tossed with shellfish in a creamy white wine-saffron sauce. It’s a good-sized dish, with al dente pasta, firm scallops and fresh mussels. The only downsides were the small, slightly overcooked shrimp and the oil that pooled at the bottom. A glass of Esperto 2004 pinot grigio ($8), much fuller-bodied than the usual PG, was a good complement.
I quite liked the pollo pala piemontese ($13.95), chicken “tender loin” with artichoke hearts sauteed with French Brie and sherry. I don’t know where the tenderloin is on a chicken (I suspect it’s breast meat), but it’s not very large, so if you have a big appetite, this entree with its small dollop of whipped potatoes and julienned vegetables might leave you hungry.
The veal shank special ($19.95) was the manly choice of the evening: a large cut of veal slow-cooked until tender and very flavorful. If you’re used to veal cooked with strong spices or in a heavy tomato sauce, you should know that despite the long cooking time and mellowing of flavors, osso bucco still has a strong taste. If you’re not accustomed to veal (or don’t like it), it may taste gamey.
My husband and I loved the ravioli con spinaci ($10.95), medium-sized pillows of spinach pasta stuffed with ricotta. They were served with a creamy marinara that didn’t overpower the spinach or cheese.
If you saved room for one of the desserts, I recommend the Frutti di bosco Zabaglione ($4.50), the best of the three I tried. This is a bowl of strawberries and smallish blueberries swimming in a lush cream sauce that (also) uses Marsala, a fortified Italian wine. I liked it better than the rococo frozen cake ($4.95) with (they don’t call it rococo for nothing) chocolate cream, cherries, and chocolate sauce. It’s over-the-top sweet, but my main complaint was the dry cake.
The tiramisu ($4.95), layered espresso-soaked sponge cake fingers with mascarpone cheese, was good, but sweeter than usual and heavy on the cream.
In addition to the list of mostly Italian and Californian wines, Vaso Azzurro mixes up a few specialty drinks ($6.50). The “Aperitivo” blends Seagram’s gin, Romana Sambuca, and angostura bitters into what may sound like an alarming mix, but if you like licorice, I recommend it. Of course there’s also juice ($2), Italian coffees such as espresso ($2), and American ($2) and Italian ($2.50) sodas.
Dining at Vaso Azzurro was a very pleasant experience and a good value for the money. There were no mix-ups in orders; the staff was friendly and prompt, and if you just can’t wait for someone to check on you, there’s even a tabletop paging system so you can call for help. Though it makes a nice place for a romantic evening out, the staff gave an equally warm welcome to parents with babies and children (instead of recoiling in horror). A word to the wise: Hang on to your fork. I managed to send mine away with three successive plates and had to keep asking for another.
Vaso Azzurro
108 Castro Street, Mountain View
(650) 940-1717
www.vasoazzurro.com
Hours:
Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Monday-Sunday 4:30 to 10 p.m.
(There’s some question as to whether they’ll continue to be open on Saturday for lunch, so call to confirm.)
