NEIGHBORHOOD NUGGET
Ristobar offers casual, authentic, sophisticated Italian fare
Two years ago, I wrote that Emporio Rulli on Chestnut was a good place to go for a hot drink and a decadent dessert on a chilly winter evening. Now I can say that in its new incarnation as Ristobar, it’s a great place to stop by any evening. You’ll find the perfect pairings of wine and cheese or a complete meal and yes, still plenty of “dolce” too. Owner, Gary Rulli, known nationally as one of America’s best pastry chefs, has teamed up with head chef Angelo Auriana, who was born in Bergamo, Italy and studied with some of Italy’s finest talent, to create Ristobar.
In Italy, ristobars are casual neighborhood cafes where friends and family gather to converse, eat and drink. Rulli’s Chestnut Street version offers rustic Italian fare with a sophisticated twist, along with an exceptional selection of Italian wine and beer.
Ristobar is one of the best places in the city to sample authentic salumi (Italian cured meats) and Italian cheeses. Try the salame Toscano, a coarsely ground salami cured with red wine and spices prepared as it is in the mountains of Italy; or the prosciutto di San Daniele DOP from a brined and cured pig’s leg that is sweet, dark and aged more than 16 months. Cheeses range from a smooth, creamy, slightly tangy Camilla di Capra from Piemonte; an Emilia Romagna with hints of peppercorn; or a robiola tre latti, soft, and milky. And that’s just to name a few!
The dinner menu is divided into salad and crudo (raw dishes); soups and vegetables; pasta and grains; pizza; and fish, poultry, and meat. The puntarelle salad is a spicy blend of chicory, burrata cheese and bell peppers with an anchovy dressing, and there are marinated sardines with tiny tomatoes and a salsa verde. Soups and veggies are hearty and flavorful, including the zuppa di verdura (broccoli, Romanesco and Yukon gold potato soup) and oven-roasted beets with melted fontina cheese. Pasta and grains include gnocchi with a Gorganzola dolce latte; cavatelli (small pasta with a rolled edge) with a yellow pepper puree, crawfish, and crustacean sauce; and risotto with radicchio, prosecco, and crescenza cheese.
Many people come to Ristobar just for the pizza. And unlike everything else on the menu, these pies are named for San Francisco: there’s the Lombard with tomato sauce, fior di latte cheese, oregano, and basil; the Market Street topped with smoked mozzarella, escarole, Calabrian chili, and herbs; and the Valencia with ricotta, goat cheese, Asiago, pear, and watercress. Those in search of meat, fish or fowl can try the gamberoni, sea bass-wrapped prawns; the polpettine, lamb meatballs, raisins, almonds, and zucchini sauce; or the classic osso buco, slow-braised veal shank with a puree of celery root and veal stock.
Last but definitely not least are the desserts. There are too many to describe, but suffice it to say whether your tastes range from bread pudding to gelato, you won’t be disappointed. My personal favorite is the trilogia al chioccolato, the perfect threesome of a gianduia chocolate bar, Venetian hot chocolate, and cocoa nib meringues, but I’d settle for a sampling of handmade cookies and a cappuccino.
In Italy, ristobars are casual neighborhood cafes where friends and family gather to converse, eat and drink. Rulli’s Chestnut Street version offers rustic Italian fare with a sophisticated twist, along with an exceptional selection of Italian wine and beer.
Ristobar is one of the best places in the city to sample authentic salumi (Italian cured meats) and Italian cheeses. Try the salame Toscano, a coarsely ground salami cured with red wine and spices prepared as it is in the mountains of Italy; or the prosciutto di San Daniele DOP from a brined and cured pig’s leg that is sweet, dark and aged more than 16 months. Cheeses range from a smooth, creamy, slightly tangy Camilla di Capra from Piemonte; an Emilia Romagna with hints of peppercorn; or a robiola tre latti, soft, and milky. And that’s just to name a few!
The dinner menu is divided into salad and crudo (raw dishes); soups and vegetables; pasta and grains; pizza; and fish, poultry, and meat. The puntarelle salad is a spicy blend of chicory, burrata cheese and bell peppers with an anchovy dressing, and there are marinated sardines with tiny tomatoes and a salsa verde. Soups and veggies are hearty and flavorful, including the zuppa di verdura (broccoli, Romanesco and Yukon gold potato soup) and oven-roasted beets with melted fontina cheese. Pasta and grains include gnocchi with a Gorganzola dolce latte; cavatelli (small pasta with a rolled edge) with a yellow pepper puree, crawfish, and crustacean sauce; and risotto with radicchio, prosecco, and crescenza cheese.
Many people come to Ristobar just for the pizza. And unlike everything else on the menu, these pies are named for San Francisco: there’s the Lombard with tomato sauce, fior di latte cheese, oregano, and basil; the Market Street topped with smoked mozzarella, escarole, Calabrian chili, and herbs; and the Valencia with ricotta, goat cheese, Asiago, pear, and watercress. Those in search of meat, fish or fowl can try the gamberoni, sea bass-wrapped prawns; the polpettine, lamb meatballs, raisins, almonds, and zucchini sauce; or the classic osso buco, slow-braised veal shank with a puree of celery root and veal stock.
Last but definitely not least are the desserts. There are too many to describe, but suffice it to say whether your tastes range from bread pudding to gelato, you won’t be disappointed. My personal favorite is the trilogia al chioccolato, the perfect threesome of a gianduia chocolate bar, Venetian hot chocolate, and cocoa nib meringues, but I’d settle for a sampling of handmade cookies and a cappuccino.
Ristobar: 2300 Chestnut Street (at Scott); Monday–Thursday 5:30–10 p.m., Friday 5:30–11 p.m., Saturday noon–11 p.m., Sunday noon–9 p.m.; 415-923-6464, www.ristobarsf.com
