“For me, opening Donato Enoteca is a dream. It’s so gratifying to be able to create the kind of restaurant that honors my heritage and welcomes guests to my doors like they are part of my own family,” says Executive Chef Donato Scotti. “I want this to be a place where people will become regular guests and fall in love with the cooking, atmosphere and sense of Italian hospitality.”
Discovering Donato's is the kind of experience I yearn for when trying a new restaurant. My husband and I went to lunch at Donato's on a Friday in suburban downtown Redwood City, just a couple of blocks away from the Century movie theater and a few steps from City Hall. We came for the food, but the clean, inviting decor and friendly service immediately put us at ease.
We shared a fresh mozzarella di bufala salad, which veered nicely from the description on the menu. With three types of tomatoes colored vibrant red, golden yellow, and watermelon pink, delicate, crisp coins of cucumber and a refreshing olive oil dressing with tiny ribbons of basil bursting with flavor, the star of the salad shone brightly. I'd never had such soft, fresh mozzarella before, so tender and sparkling white, like a pillow of goodness inviting me into its creamy embrace. It definitely earned a place in my palate as insalate perfetto.
Brad and I each ordered fresh pasta dishes, something to warm and nourish us on this chilly, damp day. He ordered tagliatelle bolognese, a rich and hearty dish dripping with juicy flavor, just right for an Italian take on a meat and potatoes meal. He ate quickly and efficiently, sopping up the red-orange juices with bread from the basket, not leaving a single morsel of meat or pasta. Sometimes it amazes me how quickly Brad can inhale a meal, but this time I could empathize, and maybe I would eat that way too if no one was looking.
I chose the spaghetti carbonara, a dish not on the regular printed menu but one highly recommended on Yelp for its perfectly simple combination of pasta, guanciale (crispy pig's cheek bits) and sauce made from egg yolk and cheese. I admit the idea of pig's cheek sounded a bit off-putting, but one bite and I'm a convert for life. So much more flavorful than the usual bacon, the guanciale definitely made this dish one I can't forget, one I have to have again, and one that makes me want to go to Italy.
We finished off our delicious lunch with a shared tiramisu. It was creamy, lovely, and soothing, its layers holding different flavors and textures. Even though we weren't really hungry at this point, we always make room for this kind of dessert.
There's so much more to explore on the menu: squid ink pasta with calamari, pizza margherita, and chocolate hazelnut cake. Donato's definitely deserves its spot on the Michelin Guide 2010 recommended list. We'll be back for more.
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