Enoteca La Storia: Wonderful Wine, Food and Conversation

Each week, Los Gatos Patch picks a great restaurant either in town or nearby that is worth checking out. Here's this week's choice:

ENOTECA LA STORIA:

Overview: This hip new wine bar is the answer to a grape lover’s prayer. Featuring a menu of small plates, rocks the palette with a selection of divine wines and tasty Italian morsels. 

Decor: This bright, airy and friendly place is a great place where you can pass the evening in the company of good friends. Tall tables are framed with a wall of wines of various countries, regions, grape and price, but the space also provides counter service and table tops.

The Drinks: Wine, wine and more wine. You can purchase wine by the bottle or the glass and spend as little as $3 or as much as $65 for what is listed on the menu. There is also the option of buying a bottle of what is not on the menu, and that price varies, depending on the current stock. If your taste run toward beer, Enoteca offers Italian and local favorites, Oro Di Milano ($5), Menabrea ($4) Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery ($8) Anchor Brewing Company ($4) Chouffe ($13) and Russian River Brewing Company ($6). Non-alcoholic drinks include San Benedetto Italian-flavored sodas ($2.50), Aqua Panna ($4), Pellegrino ($2 and $4), coffee and tea ($2).

Appetizers: Crostini, cured meats and cheeses, and if you can’t make up your mind, you can do the house mix, which combines cheese and meat of your choice to create the best accompaniment with your wine. These items range from $3.50 to $10. One can order a plate of the house mix of cheeses, meats and crostini in both small ($15) and large ($25).

Entrees: They say that it is all in the ingredients, and with these toasty paninis, the kitchen creates its spin on old favorites. The Alba ($10.50) is an updated and specialize version of a ham and cheese using ham tartufotto and la tur cheese. The Caprese ($8.50) is made with the Fiore di Latte mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, basil, pesto and spring salad mix. The Tonno ($7.50) is a delicious spin on a tuna sandwich sans mayo celebrating the spirit of Sicily and, finally, the Vittoria ($11) has mascarpone, speck and baby arugula with bergamot-infused olive oil on francese bread.

Sides: There is a wide array of lovely salad mixes, Insalata Gorgonzola ($6) with hearts of romaine, house-made gorgonzola dressing and dry pistachios, Insalata Mista Della Casa Arugula ($ 6) with red onion, cherry tomatoes, fresh fennel and wildflower honey vinaigrette, and Insalata Panzanella ($8) containing fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and hand crumbled toasted crostini.

Dessert: Ginger’s Carrot Cake Bite ($2), Sfogliatelle ($4) this cheese-filled pastry requires that you order 25 minutes in advance, but it is well worth it. There's also Ricotta and Honey ($3.50), a classic ending in Italy; Biscotti ($3) to nibble on with your coffee; and Snake and Butterfly Chocolate Cake ($4.50) for the chocoholic.

Service: This is a fairly new spot, and there is no wait time for tables, but who knows how long that will last. The service is super friendly, with a wait staff happy to explain the menu and recommend tasty items for you to devour.

Signature Dish: Arthur Ave. Panini ($10.50) created in honor of head chef and co-owner Joe Cannistraci’s grandfather. It's a sandwich made with prosciutto, finnocchiona salame, mortadella, provolone, sliced pepperoncini, spring mix, house vinaigrette and muffoletta topping on a sweet Italian roll.

416 No. Santa Cruz Ave. 
Chef: Joe Cannistraci
Cost: $3.50-$25