R is for Romeo Cucina

I’m 50 percent Italian so I grew up eating authentic Italian food: Spaghetti and meatballs, homemade sauce from Nonna’s tomatoes canned every Labor Day, homemade sausage and lasagna, and Cioppino on Christmas Eve. I thought it was real Italian food until as a Naval Submarine Officer I stayed a few months on a small island, La Maddalena, in Italy. My family’s food, although delicious, is very Americanized. To celebrate moving here 7 years ago my 100 percent Italian cousin Joe Spadafore, took us to for the first time and we loved it. Its food like we had in Italy, From the wood fired pizza to the homemade pastas we have not had a bad meal there.

This week we went for lunch. Before they take your order they bring warm rustic bread.  It is served with an olive tapenade --a crushed olive spread that is wonderfully salty with a nice round finish like fresh olives.

I ordered the Chicken Impanato, a breaded chicken breast which was crispy and delicate, not heavily breaded, topped with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arrugala which was a great compliment with its peppery, leafy flavor.

Spadafores never order off the menu, instead they get daily special recommendations like the Filet Mignon which comes in a brown port wine reduction sauce from heaven and is served with asparagus. That is Susan and Emma’s favorite too which starts to get pricy. Why can’t that kid eat pizza like every other kid?

They also have the best  lobster ravioli I have ever had.  Chunks of lobster are sautéed in a white wine and cream sauce and then wrapped in pasta that is prepared fresh  and served with more of the white sauce on top.  The sauce is very delicate so as not to overcome the lobster which is very tender. 

Finally I have to mention the Osso Bucco. One Christmas Eve we ran out of time, and with some effort, convinced my parents to eat out. Romeo Cucina did not disappoint. Dad even got his Cioppino. I had Osso Bucco, my favorite Italian dish, and one they don’t always have on the menu. It’s slow-roasted veal shank and is truly a spectacle.  The meat stands up on the plate at least 2-3 inches, and comes with a red-wine reduction sauce and is seasoned with pepper and rosemary.  The veal falls off the bone and nearly melts in your mouth.  Insert applause!

In “La Mad” we saw them take our pizzas out of the hole in the wall that was the oven.  “Pepperoni” meant it came with bell peppers not the spicy American sausage everyone loves produced by Hormel.  Chicago has its pizza, New York has its pizza and I love them all, but Italian Pizza is a whole different food--and the kind of pizza you get at Romeo Cucina. It’s not 70-percent bread. The crust is thin and chewy. We ordered the Pizza La Capricciosa, which is prosciutto and artichoke hearts (something they would combine in Italy).  Molto Bene!

If there was ever a place I would like my own booth at, it’s Romeo Cucina, I guess I’d better get back to work to make that happen. Romeo Cucina is in the Greenfield Shopping Center in Rancho Niguel.