April 09, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Innovative Italian

by Dale F. Bentson

Across the street from the Menlo Park Caltrain station I sat in Gambardella's sipping Sangiovese, listening to Frank Sinatra, and watching passengers hurriedly depart the 6:41 p.m. train with their thick briefcases and overstuffed shopping bags.

As the pace slowed and twilight gave way to evening, lighted trees began to twinkle in the courtyard and my reverie shifted from observer to hungry man.

At Gambardella's, handsome stone and wood decor highlighted with oversized windows offered respite from the hubbub of daily life.

Chef/owner Andy Gambardella has been cooking in the area for three decades. He opened the original Gambardella's in Menlo Park in 1986. After 15 years he pulled up stakes and moved to Burlingame. Two years later he happily reopened last November in the new Menlo Square building.

Both his mother and grandmother inspired his love of Italian food but Gambardella had ideas for improving those traditional recipes. The Funghi Miste ($8.95) -- a deftly sautéed mélange of shiitake, yellow chanterelles, black trumpet mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and garlic whisked in white truffle oil -- is one such successful innovation.

Fried squid is a prized delicacy along Italy's Adriatic Coast. On the West Coast you can often find squid on the menu. At Gambardella's, the Calamari Fritti ($8.95) was tender and fresh and served with a sweet red pepper sauce, decidedly more Californian than Italian.

Gambardella puts an interesting twist on the Mozzarella Fresca ($6.95). Buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto are wrapped in romaine, grilled, then drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Flavorsome and light, it was one of my favorite antipasti. Another favorite was the Polenta Fritta ($8.95), a mixture of sautéed porcini mushrooms and roasted red peppers. The dish had been showered in a light cream sauce -- just enough to tie the flavors, yet not too rich.

The Pasta di Fagioli ($5.95) was also a star starter. Fagioli are fat white beans prevalent in Mediterranean cooking. These beans were served with pasta in an aromatic tomato garlic broth. I soaked up the last drops with the house made focaccia. Less successful was the Melanzane Ripieno ($6.95), slices of eggplant stuffed with fontina cheese and sautéed in butter and garlic. Unfortunately, someone in the kitchen got carried away and sprinkled too much chopped parsley on the eggplant, leaving a bitter aftertaste.

The restaurant offered a half dozen individual sized pizzas from the wood burning oven. I was tempted, but heard the restaurant offers an unusual dessert pizza so I opted to wait. Instead, I ordered one of the four specials available each evening. Pappardelle ($16.95), the broadest of the long Italian noodles, was intertwined with tender shards of lamb and peas. The presentation reminded me of a ragout with its abundance of meat and rich tomato sauce made with carrots, herbs, garlic and onion. The lamb had been slow cooked for five hours then shredded and folded into the sauce.

Another daily special worth noting was the Rack of Veal ($27.95), marinated, cut into chops and grilled. A balsamic reduction was drizzled onto the tender meat after grilling. The dish was completed with soft plump pillows of house made tortellini stuffed with Romano, ricotta and parmesan cheeses. All filled pastas -- tortellini, ravioli and gnocchi -- are house made.

One of the best chicken dishes I have had in years was the Petto di Pollo Alla Fiorentino ($14.95). The tender chicken breast had been dredged in egg and quickly sautéed. The flattened breast was then stuffed with spinach and cast asea in a sauce of lemon, butter and garlic. Fragrant and flavorful, it is a dish I will try again.

Linguine Alla Torinese ($11.95), tossed with olive oil, garlic, roasted pine nuts, parsley and gorgonzola cheese, suffered from too much parsley which overwhelmed even the pungency of the blue cheese. A better option was the house made Ravioli special ($11.95), stuffed with luscious ricotta, pecorino, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and served with sweet red and yellow pear tomatoes.

There are good Italian desserts but I have never had one that prompted me to make a special trip to a restaurant -- until now. Pizza di Mele con Gelato ($12.95) was not an idea imported from Italy but was devised by Andy Gambardella here in Menlo Park. In the wood-burning stove, thin pizza dough was covered and baked with sliced apples and cinnamon. Just before serving powdered sugar and a scoop of vanilla gelato were added. The result was a heavenly pie with crunchy crust, sweet cinnamon spiced apples and cool velvety ice cream. In my book, an almost unbeatable taste combination.

Interestingly, Andy Gambardella told me that the signature dish of the restaurant is the Cioccolato Fango ($8.95), a chocolate soufflé made with imported Italian chocolate. The soufflé was rich and had that distinctive slight bitter edge characteristic of fine European baking chocolates. The soufflé was bathed in a creamy zabaglione sauce.

The Zabaglione Semmifreddo ($6.95) was a silky smooth combination of egg yolks, sugar and Marsala whipped and beaten over a double boiler until soft mounds formed. The chilled dessert accompanied a bowl of fresh strawberries.

Service was good, at times almost too attentive. One waiter in particular was almost a nuisance with his frequent interruptions and habit of snatching away our plates practically before we were finished. Generally though, the staff was helpful, knowledgeable and friendly.

Gambardella's offers a dozen and a half wines by the glass in addition to the attractive wine list that is well balanced between California and Italian wines. The 2001 Marchesi di Barolo Barbera is a great buy at $20. Chianti Classico, Machiavelli, 2000 is more robust and pairs nicely with meat and pasta at $34. The 1998 Chianti Riserva (the highest classification) from Castello di Nipozzano was full-bodied but not overly tannic at $38. Corkage fee is $10 should you choose to bring something special.

When Andy Gambardella started cooking three decades ago most Italian restaurants survived by serving the tried and true. The evolution into a more expansive insightful cuisine has been a fortunate turn of fate for both chef and his happy clientele.

Gambardella's Reservations: yes Credit cards: yes Parking: beneath building Alcohol: full bar Children: high chairs Outdoor dining: porch Party and banquet facilities: semi private room Take out: yes Catering: no Noise level: moderate Bathroom cleanliness: excellent

Gambardella's: 1165 Merrill St. Menlo Park, (650) 323-6730 hours: Lunch Monday - Friday 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Dinner Sunday -- Thursday 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Friday -- Saturday 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Capsule Across from the busy Menlo Park Caltrain station Gambardella's offers a richly textured menu of antipasti, salads, pizza, meats, fish and desserts. Mozzarella Fresca, Polenta Fritta, Pollo Alla Fiorentino are outstanding. The desserts are heavenly with the apple pizza (Pizza di Mele) worth the trip alone. The straightforward wine list is a handsome compilation of Italian and California wines.

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