There’s a Lot to Taste at Taste of Italy

Not sure why, but Rancho San Diego sure seems to have a lot of restaurants in shopping and strip malls. The high cost of standalone buildings probably has something to do with it, but most of the places we’ve dined in the area have been very good.

Add Taste of Italy to that list. It’s in the Rancho San Diego Towne Center on Jamacha Boulevard, near the Applebee’s and some other chains, Taste of Italy is part of a chain as well -- a local one with other Tastes in Hillcrest, Eastlake and Del Mar, plus Etna and Vesuvio in San Diego.

They must keep a lot of food purveyors in business, because the menu at Rancho San Diego is absolutely huge, with all the Italian specialties you’d expect from pasta to pizza, chicken to veal, hot and cold sandwiches, and even a Bambino Menu for the little ones.

Our local Taste is an inviting place with several dining areas, patio dining and a “martini bar” with a large HDTV for sports fans. The seats and chairs look comfy enough, but the bench seats in our booth were pretty low and lumpy -- the upholstery on my companion’s side had a rather large rip in it. The lighting the night we dined was pretty low. It’s a good thing I had a small flashlight to help me navigate the menu.

Those minor bits aside, we wanted to try some authentic Italian on our limited budget. The garlic cheese bread ($5.99) was a good choice for appetizer: four huge slices topped with loads of melty mozzarella, plus a zesty red dipping sauce. Had we seen on the menu that plain garlic bread was to come with the meal, we’d have tried something different. (That should give you an idea of how big the menu is -- we didn’t see it listed but it’s on the online version.)

I asked the waiter which were the most popular meals and settled on the fettuccini a la vodka ($15.99). It was a large serving of pasta in a rich, creamy vodka sauce of fresh basil and garlic, sautéed in olive oil with fresh mushrooms and tomatoes. It was hearty and flavorful, with enough to take home for lunch the next day.

My friend had the low-carb chicken breast sautéed in olive oil, fresh garlic and lemon, plus a big helping of vegetables. The chicken was a bit tough and not very juicy, but had a nice piquant flavor. Both entrees came with choice of soup or salad. We opted for the latter, which was fresh and crisp, with a creamy bleu cheese dressing and just the right amount of croutons.

The only dessert made on site was cannoli ($4.99). The stuffed pastry was big enough for two to share. The thin shell was perfect but the cream filling was slightly bitter -- a little alcohol-y for my taste but decent enough.

The ambience on a Tuesday night was calm and subdued. Italian music ranging from Sinatra to old folk songs emanated over the speakers, but was played softly enough to not drown out conversations. Our servers were prompt and helpful. The prices a little high compared to what we’ve paid elsewhere for better meals locally. The total was $50.84 with tax and before tip.

 We’d definitely return to try some of the other items on the giant menu. Maybe they should call it Tastes of Italy, because this chain certainly has a lot for you to try.