Oliveto

Oliveto Restaurant Review:

Oliveto's inspired Italian fare is rustic in spirit and elegant in execution. House-made, one-hundred-percent whole-grain pastas are made with California-grown grains. This dedication shows in such dishes as red winter wheat penne alla bolognese. Chef Brian Griffith also presents special dinners that include one devoted to the “whole hog,” others highlighting tomatoes and truffles, and a summertime week of "Oceanic Dinners" showcasing sustainable seafood like lobster sausage, Quahog clam chowder and lumache pasta with smoked clams in cream sauce. These meals book well in advance, but they’re worth the effort. Desserts are seasonal, such as blood orange sorbetto and almond frangipane-ruby red grapefruit tart with mascarpone. Oliveto's wine list spotlights Italian and California labels including obscure older Italian wines through its Wine in Time program. For guests who crave a more casual experience, there is Oliveto Café downstairs.