We
met the owner while having lunch shortly after arriving. Two gentlemen were speaking in Italian at the
next table so my significant other, who’s Italian, went over to their table to
introduce himself and ask what places we should visit while in San Jose. The gentlemen were overjoyed to meet a fellow
Italian. Turns out his Mom is from the same
village, what a small world! The older
gentleman was visiting from Italy, the other owned a restaurant and told us we
should drop by for dinner one night.
The
day before returning home we decided to partake in some Italian cuisine. Ristorante Fratello is a large restaurant able
to accommodate large groups. The menu is
quite diverse and they use fresh ingredients based on what is in season. The cooking style is more traditional. Having grown up with Italians, many of the
dishes reminded me of dinners at friends’ place and their Nonna’s cooking.
Everyone was warm and welcoming. As
soon as we walked in the owner recognized us and came over. They showed us to a nice large booth. Water arrived then shortly afterwards some “Polenta con Salsiccia”. As a child
I wasn’t crazy about polenta because of the texture so it’s not something I would
order, but this one was by far the best one I’ve ever had. It was soft and silky with a fragrant and
flavourful tomato sauce with fresh basil and mild Italian sausage crumbled over
it. The meat was tender and the
combination of the creamy polenta and the tomato sauce was perfectly balance
with the well seasoned sausage. It opened
up our appetites. I’ve never had polenta
like this, it’s better than mashed potatoes.
I would make this at home for the kids.
We
had some drinks and poured over the menu.
Everything sounded so good we couldn’t decide. The waitress made some suggestions and told
us the specials of the day which made it all the more difficult to choose.
Appetizers
are a great way to start. We ordered the “Calamari Fritti” and the “Caprese”
salad. The calamari were lightly
battered and fried accompanied by a mild sauce.
They were crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. The caprese salad was completely different
from what you get when you order it in Ottawa.
It was also substantially larger.
They make it with burrata which I love.
It’s an Italian
cheese made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella,
while the inside contains stracciatella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft
texture. Add some fresh basil, vine-ripened
tomatoes, a generous drench of extra virgin olive oil with a splash of aged
balsamic and it was to die for. Can you
believe my Italian significant other had never had burrata? I asked him if he was sure he was
Italian. Lol
We needed to take another break,
I was stuffed. For the mains he ordered his
favourite, “Spaghetti alla Carbonara” made with smoked cured pork cheek,
freshly cracked black pepper, garlic, egg and pecorino cheese. Me being the carnivore, I had to
have the “Pappardelle Vitello” or pasta with veal ragu, sage, asparagus,
porcini mushrooms, caciocavallo cheese (can you tell I also love
cheese???) and a drizzle of black truffle
oil. Sadly I don’t think our main
courses got the attention they deserved.
Due to limit real estate in our bellies, we weren’t able to fully appreciate
them. Both dishes were delicious. I think four of
us could have easily shared the two plates and been perfectly contented. Again the ingredients they use are not
typical. The pork cheek was
delicious. The meat melted in your
mouth. My veal ragu was rich and thick
with just the right amount of spice. Not often that I say there was too much
meat on my plate. I couldn’t finish it!
I wasn't sure how we were going to roll out of the booth. Not
surprisingly, the owner insisted on bringing over some after dinner drinks and
we couldn’t leave without trying dessert.
I felt like I was going to explode, but when the waitress mentioned fresh
pistachio gelato….I surrendered. It was great and the perfect way to cleanse the palate. Ok, now it was time to go.
The food was amazing and
beautifully placed on the plates.
Everything was fresh and prepared with care. Portions were very generous. I would consider this a fine dining
establishment. Prices are moderate to
high, but very reasonable when you factor in the quality, uniqueness of
ingredients and level of service. If
ever in San Jose, make an effort to visit Ristorante Fratello. But go an empty stomach!
Ciao!
Carm the Foodie
No comments:
Post a Comment