Cuisine:

• Italian

Amarena Description:
This charming trattoria on Russian Hill is a hidden gem, with high ceilings, dark wood floors and dappled gold walls. While the menu offers mostly traditional dishes, it includes a number of dressed-up stand-outs like hand-cut spinach gnocchi in a perfectly pungent Gorgonzola sauce with slices of earthy shiitake mushrooms. The tagliolini con osso buco, which resembles a veal shank mountain covered in a snow of fresh strings of pasta and porcini cream sauce; and the pappardelle verdi all' anatra, thick spinach ribbons with duck meat in a brandy sauce, are both rich, rustic and satisfying. For entrées, we enjoy the grigliata mista of red snapper, salmon and jumbo prawns over a bed of lumpy, homemade mashed potatoes and steamed spinach. Calamari ripieni---baked squid filled with shrimp and crab meat in a white wine sauce---is the star starter. For dessert try the chocolate salume, a disk of chocolate decadence surrounded by apricot and strawberry gelée. Service is friendly and relaxed and suits the mood. The wine list features 20-plus Italian reds and a small selection of Italian whites and California varietals by the bottle, along with 10 to 15 choices by the glass.


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