Wine Dine & Deal

Share |

E-Mail Article Printer-Friendly

Il Davide

Il Davide
901 A Street          
San Rafael

(415) 454-8080
www.ildavide.net
Italian Cuisine
Lunch Tues.-Sat.
Dinner Tues.-Sun.
Entrées (dinner): $16-$25

Full bar, excellent wine list

“When you walk in, you can feel the energy,” says David Haydon, executive chef and general manager of San Rafael’s longstanding Il Davide. Since returning from a 6-year hiatus, he’s been working with the staff to improve the food, atmosphere and service—with great results.

The restaurant now offers prix fixe lunch and weeknight dinner menus, at $10 and $30, respectively, aside from its many a la carte choices. You can enjoy them in its well lit, bi-level dining room or on its sidewalk patio during warmer weather, or sit at the full bar and have a cocktail or something off the extensive wine list.

We started off with the gamberi pancetta appetizer, which is fresh jumbo prawns wrapped in thin-sliced pancetta over a polenta cake with a rich, savory cayenne-spiced beurre blanc sauce, which has a building heat and is also great for bread-dipping. It was paired with a 2007 Loaker Muller Thurgau from Alto Adige, a crisp Italian white. Next was the house made tortelloni stuffed with porcini mushrooms and black truffles, with a black truffle cream reduction sauce and large mushroom slices—an earthy delight that went very well with the 2007 Capital Corsara Ripasso (a smooth Italian red with elements of mocha).

For salads, we had the insalata alla Cesare, which had chopped romaine, shaved parmesan, garlic croutons and a lemon/garlic/anchovy dressing that paired well with the Trentadue Viognier/Marsanne Rhone-style blend. We also had the insalata barbabietole e rucola, with thin-sliced roasted golden beets fanned out to line the bottom of the plate, then topped with cubed red roasted beets that were marinated in balsamic vinegar and a touch of honey, crumbled gorgonzola, walnuts and arugula dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette—a fun dish with a lot of flavor, color and texture play going on. It was paired with the Robert Hall Rhone de Robles, a tasty Syrah/Grenache blend.

Entrées included the d’agnelo arrosto (roasted lamb) with a black currant demi glaze, scalloped potatoes and sautéed chard and vegetables. The bone-in lamb was served medium rare, while the whole, sweet currant berries added a soft edge. The dish literally danced with the peppery, meaty, smoky Edmeades Zinfandel it was paired with—OK not really literally, but in my mind it did.

A lush Frank Family Chardonnay (buttery nose with minerals and pear) lent a tender citrus edge to the fresh, thick salmone al finocchio (poached salmon), which was served in a flavorful saffron broth with fennel salad and fresh herbs.

Dessert was “chocolate three ways,” which consisted of a dark chocolate sauce, a triple chocolate brownie and white chocolate gelato. Topped with caramelized sugar and a crisp wafer with a hint of sea salt, and paired with a Sandeman 10-year-old tawny port, it was a delightful end to a memeorable culinary experience.