Tony’s of North Beach
288 Golf Course Dr. West
Rohnert Park
(707) 586-0777
Italian Cuisine
Lunch and dinner daily
Entrées: $12-$38
Full bar, good wine list
Tony Gemignani is all about pizza. Yes, his newest full-service restaurant at the Graton Resort and Casino offers a full Italian menu (from appetizers and salads to pizza, pasta, meats, burgers, sandwiches, calzones and more)—but if you’re into pizza at all, it’s a must order. He’s a multiple-winning World Pizza Champion and was even named the official U.S. ambassador of Neapolitan pizza by the city of Naples—a title only given to three people worldwide. He’s also appeared on TV many times (a regular on the Food Network) and is proprietor of the International School of Pizza, where he certifies chefs from around the world.
There’s more, but you get the idea.
The restaurant itself has a very large dining area, with high ceilings and a center, sculptured bar with lots of stools and some well-camouflaged, large-screen TVs perched above (not distracting to the main dining area; you must seek them out). There’s leather seating throughout and large windows facing toward both the casino’s interior and exterior (which includes a huge, covered patio for dining).
We started with a meatball gigante (literally the size of a softball) with sea salted, fresh burrata melted on top. It was easy to share, held together well and was hot and flavorful with an excellent tomato sauce. Next up was arugula and pancetta salad with thin-sliced red onions and fresh mozzarella with shaved Parmesan and balsamic reduction. It was beautifully presented, savory and delicious.
It was really hard to choose a pizza: There are nine categories (including gluten-free), each offering several topping combinations. Our excellent server, Kate, told us Gemignani imports artisan flours from Italy and uses different types for different pizza styles (there are both thick and thin crusts in various forms) and assured us we couldn’t go wrong. The “Artichoke Joe” (from the “Classic Italian and American” category) won our interest and was topped with, yes, artichokes, along with fresh garlic, sautéed spinach, crema d’Parmigiano, provolone, artichoke cream and cracked black pepper. It was served with a fresh lemon wedge in the center. We were completely impressed with its looks, perfectly flavored and textured (golden brown) thin crust and excellent blend of flavors. Seriously, wow. I want to go back and order a bunch of different kinds so I can test them all. (Good thing he also runs Slice House in the casino’s Marketplace, which offers several eateries surrounding a central seating area, or I’d be really, really full).
Dessert was a large, lovely and dense slice of mud pie topped with lots of hot fudge, with a cookie crust, caramel and whipped cream. Perfect!
