Pleasanton/Danville

Larry L. wrote:
> >I'd prefer something Continetal/Italian. I've been told that Maestro's in
> >Pleasanton may fit the bill.  Any comments/suggestions out there?
> [...]
> Just last night I had to go to downtown Pleasanton on an errand.  I
> hadn't been downtown there for some time.  Door to door restaurants,
> about half of them Italian, it seems.  I don't know anything about
> them.  Michael, can you comment?

Certainly.  Downtown Pleasanton (and we are celebrating our centennial today, by the way -- Main Street will be having a parade later this morning, I believe) is having a serious restaurant renaissance.

In the Italian/Continental department, first we have Strizzi's, which has been around the longest of the nouveau set.  Californian with an Italian theme, e.g., baked rosemary chicken (the best chicken I have ever eaten, by the way), various fancy pastas, fresh fish, a few traditional Italian dishes.

And two possibly-affilliated relative newcomers, Bruno's and Nicole and Giovanni's   I have eaten at Bruno's only once -- the back room is a glassed-in greenhouse sort of space that is simply fabulous at sunset; food and service were very nice.  I think I had a filet mignon with brandy and shallot sauce, and a really nice salad -- possibly with goat cheese and nuts.  Desserts were super as I recall as well. On the second time that we tried to eat there [some months ago], there was a sign on the door that explained there was a problem with the floor, which was being repaired, and we were "invited to enjoy dinner at their friends at Nicole and Giovanni across the street" or something similar.

N & G is also California-influenced Italian -- a smallish dining room with raised banquettes around the perimeter, wall-size small-town Italy murals, some self-consciously _trompe l'oeil_, a staff of local youth who have been taught the basics of Continental service, and a reasonable menu.  Some dishes I remember include the duck in blackberry sauce, a polenta main course, and a very nice piece of salmon.

The newcomer is Pasta's Cafe [sic], which took over the space of the totally execrable Bellina's.  I haven't been yet.  They seem to go for white walls, indirect light, and white faux-wrought-iron sidewalk cafe furniture. If it is run by the Bellina's people it will be hopeless; otherwise it might be a nice hangout in the summer.

There is a Cafe Cozzolino just off Main St., in an old house formerly occupied by Buon Mangiare.  Cozzolino is a chain; not recommended.

Also off main street are Casanova (a very fancy place I haven't been to yet) and La Rochelle (which despite its name is -- or has been -- more Italian than French).

Frankly, I would recommend any of these (except Cafe Cozzolino, and Pasta's which I haven't tried yet) significantly higher than Maestro's. I have had a couple of good meals there, but it seems to have consistently snooty service, a sort of boring, suburban menu with too many fried things on it, and to top it off they totally screwed up a take-out order about a year ago, and I have not seen any reason to go back, with several excellent Italian places downtown.  Maestro is not at all in the same class as Bridges.