Firenze Trattoria Review (Encinitas Restaurants)

Pricing:

Expensive but delicious.  Everything here is $18+ dollars.  Expect a mild heart attack when you see the tab.  

Distance:

At the corner of Encinitas Blvd and Manchester Ave.  A close 5-10 minute drive for most Encinitas residents.

Thoughts:

I've been dining at Firenze for many years and it has consistently been one of my favorite Italian restaurants.  The food is always top-notch and the service outstanding.  You really feel like you're getting a dinning experience here.  Like the waiters serve you and actually have intelligent things to say about the menu items.

All this, however, does come with a hefty price tag.  It's not cheap.  The lasagna (which is absolutely superb) costs $24.  You do get a substantial amount of food.  It's rare that I'm ever hungry enough to take down an entire entree by my lonesome.  But still, there are other places around town that you could say have equally good food for slightly less.

To me, the price tag is worthwhile.  I walk out feeling like I got my money's worth because I had a nice experience and my stomach is full of delicious pasta.  In my book this is more worthwhile than going to a place where you practically have to beg to have your water glass refilled and then the server expects a 20% tip.

Gregorio's Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)

Pricing:
$10-17 for most of the pasta dishes.  They do serve steak and seafood which runs between $25-30.

Distance:
Right off of Carlsbad Village Drive in, what I consider, the thick of "Downtown Carlsbad."  About a 15-20 minute drive for most Encinitas residents.

Thoughts:
I love Gregorio's Fettuccine Alfredo.  It's a dish I don't normally go for when dining at Italian restaurants because the flavor dosen't compensate for the arteries I'm clogging.  At Gregorio's I make an exception.  It's totally worth it.  Their other food is also quite tasty.  I've yet to order a dish here I didn't thoroughly enjoy.  It's just that when I do order other things it's... not Fettuccine Alfredo.

Laid back, comfortable and delicious, Gregorio's is definitely worth making a trip to Carlsbad.  It's located in a fun area with lots of shopping.  So it you get there early enough there are things to do before and after eating (to walk off the tub of pasta you just consumed).  A perfect date spot or fun family outing.

Bucca di Beppo Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)

Pricing:

It terms of sheer quantity for your dollar, the only place that can really beat Bucca is probably Costco.  Everything costs between $15-22 but almost every plate is large enough to feed at least two extremely hungry hippos.

Distance:

In the Forum shopping center in hybrid Encinitas/Carlsbad.  About a 10 minute drive for most Encinitas residents.

Thoughts:

Bucca di Beppo is not your romantic dinner for two restaurant.  With trashy Italian decor every which way, this is definitely one of those large party event places.  It's fun, usually loud, and you can feed an army for comparatively low cost.

Quality was definitely sacrificed a bit for quantity.  The food here can best be described as average.  It's satisfying to eat and by no means bad tasting but nothing really stands out about it.  In my opinion, this is actually what makes this place a good kid restaurant.  All the food is straight forward.  The tomato sauce is just tomato sauce.  No fancy spices that might make the little ones turn up their nose.

Overall, an excellent choice for family outings or birthdays.  Plus the decorations make it worth frequenting at least once.  You know, just to say that you've done it.

Tommy V's Urban Kitchen and Bar Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)

Pricing:
This is one of those places where the appetizers will get ya.  At $9-12 for snackage, it costs almost as much as their entrees which run in the $12-18.


Distance:
Nestled in the La Costa part of Carlsbad which means that there's no quick way to get there.  From the freeway it takes 20 minutes to get there because you have to drive on Palomar Airport Road for awhile.  Even if you opt for a non-freeway route it will still take about 20 minutes to drive to from Encinitas because it's impossible to hit every light green.  Trust me, I've tried.


Thoughts:
I was actually kind of pleasantly surprised by this place.  I admit, I approached it with a skeptical eyebrow raised.  It's in a newly developed commercial area in La Costa that seems to want to give off an "urban trendy" vibe.  I'm extremely wary of trendy restaurants because it usually just means below average food for a higher than average price.

Part of my theory rang true with Tommy V's.  The prices are slightly higher than they probably really should be.  Especially considering that the portions are, well, average.  However, the food is quite good.  Though this is not a strictly Italian restaurant, they do offer quite a few Italian dishes.  The lasagna that I had was better than a lot of Italian-only places I've tried.

I will also give Tommy V's points for having some interesting dishes.  I find it refreshing to have a choice of both classic food options and options with a little bit of a "spin" on them (such as a salad with duck on top).

I also wasn't at all disappointed with their appetizers even though they were a bit on the expensive side.  With a large portion of this restaurant devoted to an enormous bar counter, you can tell it caters to an after-work crowd.

So I will admit that Tommy V's didn't entirely fall into the trendy trap.  And despite the dubious "urban kitchen" title (I mean, what the heck does that even mean?) the food is tasty.  Definitely worth a shot if you want to try and mix up your regular restaurant rotation list.

Buon Appetito Review (San Diego Restaurants)

Pricing:

This place is a hole-in-the-wall but it ain't cheap.  Most of the dishes are $12-18.  Throw in a few glasses of wine, appetizer and one of their fantastic desserts and it will make quite a dent in your bank account.

Distance:

In the Little Italy portion of downtown San Diego.  It's on India Street.  From Encinitas it takes about 20-30 minutes to drive there traffic permitting.

Thoughts:

I love eating in the Little Italy area of San Diego.  It's just so much fun.  There are a ton of really good places to eat but Buon Appetito definitely is one of the better ones.

Be warned that if you choose to dine here it will not be a quick in-and-out experience.  There's almost always a wait around dinner time due to the limited seating.  You can't call ahead.  The only way to put your name down on their list is to do so in person.  The seating host(ess) will call you when it's your turn so you can wander around a bit and go get a coffee.  If they call you up and your whole party is not present, they won't seat you.  So just be mentally prepared to wait.

That aside, the food is fantastic.  It's good Italian food as opposed to "chain restaurant" Italian food.  There's more of an emphasis on flavor rather than quantity.  I've tried a variety of items on their menu from soup to fish to pasta and I've yet to be disappointed.

Though people get a little dressed up to go here, the atmosphere is still fun and relaxed.  Many of the waiters seem to be imported straight from Italy which adds to the dining experience.  Italians consider it very rude to rush someone's eating.  So despite the large number of people trying to get into the place, you never feel rushed out once you're seated.

Pappalecco Review (San Diego Restaurants)

Pricing:
More bistro than restaurant, Pappalecco has a little of everything.  Your panini and pizza is going to be $8-10.  And, of course, you have to get the gelato which is about $3-6 (depending on the size you get).


Distance:
A downtown San Diego restaurant.  It's on State Street.  You take the Front Street exit off the freeway from the 5.  Not technically on the Little Italy restaurant row but very close.  Takes about 25 minutes to get there.


Thoughts:
I have been to Italy several times.  Every time I've gone I get heavily involved with gelato (Italian ice cream for those that don't know).  Every time I come back to the States I go on a mad, frantic quest to find good gelato in order to feed my addiction.  For years, this was a futile quest.  But that was until I discovered Papalecco.

The owners are from Italy and many of the servers barely speak English.  They make their gelato from scratch here every day and good lord is it good.  Since Pappalecco is more bistro style rather than restaurant, it's a great place to just pop in and pick up some gelato to eat as you wander around Little Italy.

Oh, and they have food there too, by the way.  Pappalecco opens up in the afternoon and stays open late.  Their pizza is very Italian.  Quite frankly, I think Americans win in the pizza department.  But the other dishes they serve are fantastic.  Though this is an Italian establishment, their menu consists more of salads and sandwiches rather than pasta. All of their panini have fresh ingredients and are drizzled with liberal amounts of olive oil and vinaigrette.

The seating is very limited but if you can find a table it's a great place to just lounge around on a warm afternoon/evening to talk and drink coffee or wine.

Trattoria I Trulli Review (Encinitas Restaurants)

Pricing:

Most of the entrees range about $15-22.  The appetizers are $8-10.  If you want to get wine it's going to be about $8 a glass or $28 for the bottle.  They don't have a very expensive corking fee here, so it's actually worth it to bring your own bottle.

Distance:

An Encinitas restaurant.  Right on the Highway 101.  5-10 minutes away if you're a local Encinitas resident.

Thoughts:

A fun restaurant with a relaxed date night environment.  Trattoria I Trulli could best be described as a “hole in the wall” dining experience with limited seating (make a reservation early!) but seemingly endless amounts of good food selections.  The menu covers the basic lasagna/fettuccini alfredo/chicken parmesan type options for the unadventurous souls.  But tossed in with these tried and true dishes are some really nice choices for the more discerning pallet.

Though slightly more pricey than an evening at Bucca di Beppo or Borelli’s, Trulli definitely compensates in flavor and overall food quality.  You’ll leave this charming little establishment feeling satisfied from a good meal; not stuffed from consuming daunting heaps of mediocre pasta.