il vecchio

One of Pacific Grove's hottest new restaurants is il vecchio, located on Central Avenue, just across the street from Nob Hill. It is hot for a reason - the food is outstanding and very reasonably priced. As you walk in, you are struck by the informal, rustic atmosphere. You know this place is different. It is authentic. It is Italian.

I have eaten at countless Italian restaurants and find them to be disappointing for the most part. It's not what I think of as Italian food, and travels in Italy have confirmed this impression. What a welcome relief to find a place like il vecchio (the lack of capital letters is intentional, and all part of the authentic Italian approach). The food is fresh, simple and prepared the way they do in Italy. There is a detailed write up about this on their website. I will simply comment that Carl Alasko and his daughter Saroja lived in Italy, and longed to have the kind of food here that they had in that country. The opportunity arose, and they brought in chef Luciano Flamini, a friend of Saroja's, from his place in Rome.

As is common, when you sit down you are offered something to drink. What is less common is having a delightful house aperetivo of chardonnay and vermouth for only $3! There is a house red from Parson's at $4 before moving up the list to Italian and Italian style wines in the $6-$10 range. The aperetivo is not large, but a delightful way to refresh yourself and whet your palette. You are also given a plate with olive oil and balsamic vinegar with some bread. Many places do this, but I have yet to go to one that includes hand roasted red peppers in the mix as they do at il vecchio.

There are just a few choices of appetizers, but they are unusual and delicious. The salume plate with a variety of prepared meats and cheeses is quite good, as are the stuffed zucchine and eggplant mousse. Even though I am a confirmed eggplant hater, I actually found the latter to be quite tasty. The newest addition is a block of polenta smothered in a combination of melted cheeses.

The menu is set up in the Italian way, leading with anitipasti followed by the pastas (primi piatti), main dishes (secondi piatti) and ending with contorni, which are the salads and side dishes. You have your choice of house made pasta or imported De Cecco noodles. Both are wonderful, but it is hard to beat freshly made pasta! The carbonara and pesto are out of this world. They are very light and prepared nicely al dente. There are two styles of gnocchi, one in a simple red sauce and one in a white sauce with pear. They are firm enough for a fork, but light enough to melt in your mouth.

There are several main dishes including chicken cacciatora and filet mignon over a bed of spinach and arugula in addition to the nightly specials. These are both prepared exquisitely and served with a lovely presentation. The chicken was unlike any I have had, and the filet was amazingly tender. A real bargain at $13 and $18 respectively.

The latest acquisition at il vecchio is an automatic pasta machine, which allows them to make a wide assortment of noodles. Among these are lasagne, which are featured on Sundays. They provide four different baked noodle dishes, including vegetarian versions. Highly recommended.

There have been problems with service since the restaurant opened, especially early on as its immediate popularity was overwhelming. The owners have been working hard at working out these bugs, and I have to say that I personally have never experienced a problem along these lines. I have eaten there over half a dozen times. That in and of itself tells you that I love il vecchio. Make sure you call for reservations. This is a place not to be missed.