I have been to several wonderful restaurants in San Diego over the years. I have never been to a more romantic, cozy place as Opercaffe.
It is small and quaint inside. It made me feel like I was in Italy.
What better way to start off an Italian dinner than with a glass of Cabernet.
It goes wonderfully with some homemade bread. It was wonderful dipped in olive oil (Italian butter!). However, it was fantastic dipped in their homemade marinara sauce.
One of the main reasons I was excited to try Opercaffe was because they had arancini on their menu. They are called Gli Arancini on the menu.
The rice ball was stuffed with mozzarella cheese. It was lightly breaded and then deep fried. It came with a side of the homemade marinara sauce.
Their sauce was amazing. it had a ton of minced garlic in it and the flavor really came through. The rice ball had a great crunch on the outside and a soft cheesy center. It tasted great with and without the sauce. It was also perfect to share.
They had a homemade minestrone soup on the menu that I had to try. I love soups. The broth was creamy. I could taste the basil they had mixed in. It was loaded with fresh vegetables. It was the perfect starter pairing with the arancini.
For my main dish I ordered the Capesante E Gnocchi. Their homemade gnocchi were stuffed with asiago cheese. They were sautéed in a butter garlic sauce, mixed with jumbo sea scallops.
The scallops were cooked perfectly. They were tender and soft with a subtle sweet taste. They married well with the butter and garlic they were cooked in.
The gnocchi were the true stars of this dish. I have never had gnocchi that were stuffed with anything. The cheese added more than a salty taste; it added another subtle layer of flavor to the potato gnocchi.
When those cheesy delights were combined with the butter garlic sauce the flavor was elevated yet again. The dish became slightly rich, but not at all overpowering. After several bites the saltiness went away and all I could taste was the savory hints of the butter.
I was enjoying myself so much at Operacaffe that I did not want to leave. So what better way to continue the evening than with dessert. They had a large selection of homemade Italian treats. I was able to see them in their case.
I knew I had to go with the fresh cannoli. There were several on the plate which made them perfect for sharing.
The shell of the cannoli was crunchy with a hint of cinnamon. The cannoli cream was the perfect consistency with a few chocolate chips mixed in. The sweetness was the best way to end the meal.
Opercaffe offered up one of the best Italian meals I have had in a long time. I would highly recommend them. They are not a very big restaurant so I would suggest you make a reservation.
Visit the website at http://operacaffe.com/ to see all they have to offer.
Enjoy!
T
