Pane e Vino (1715 Union St./Gough;415-346-2111;www.panevinotratorrio.com) is a great place to spend a Saturday or any night. I've been here more than once and met the chef/owner, 50-something Bruno Quercini, and his fun-loving/hardworking staff. The word on the street is this is the go-to place for cucino e vino: delizia! It's loud like an authentic Italian tratorrio should be and a joyous place on a Saturday night!
Bruno hails from a small village near Lake Como, where the Lombard plains rise into the Alps. Northern Italy is pocked by a series of lakes; playground of the Milanese rich; hordes of tourists. George Clooney has a beautiful home on this blue-green lake with signs: SWIMMING NOT ADVISABLE. Stendhal walked the lake in 1800 and wrote his Charterhouse of Parma here; another famous son, Alessandro Volta, in 1745, came up with the battery!
Bruno, includes the cucino of his native country: rabbit, polenta, buckwheat pasta, cured beef on his menu. A new father of baby girl (Serafina), born December 6th, he has been chef for over 11 years. He sported a black beret and told me his favorite things that come from the rotisserie, including duck, roast veal. In my mind, Pane e Vino has not mellowed with age: it is a raucous, gorgeous crowd in a t-shaped, rose room with a bar that faces the kitchen. RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST!
I walked there with my friend Serge down Polk Street, stopping in at the Tonic bar, to meet Ryan, political consultant to the Mayor's office, and a black dude, "Hollister" who Ryan introduced as the "Mayor of Polk Street." He said to me: you have a great spirit...don't I know you"? Nope. I checked out the poster of Einstein at the door, a preview of things to come for Trivia night (Wednesdays). I made a bar bet, a la Henny Youngman. Try this, folks: Place an apple and orange (or any 2 objects, for that matter) in front of your friend. Bet him that he cannot lift either of them alone. You win no matter which he lifts. You say: "You are not alone, I'm here!"
We moved cautiously down Union until we finally came to the crowded restaurant. Bruno and I shared a few jokes. So there are these two muffins baking in an oven. One of them yells, "Wow, it's hot in here!" And the other muffin replies: Holy Cow! A talking muffin!" Did he read that in the New York Times recently? Yep!
Bruno immediately brought to our table antipasto della casa and bruschetta (with mushrooms), followed by his grandmother's recipe: polenta taragna e funghi (terrine of corn and buckwheat and cheese topped with sauteed wild mushrooms). Gratis for me and my dear friend who is one of the founders of the San Francisco International Film Festival (1947).
Anna (to Serge): Tell me something you know to be true:
Serge: This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou can'st not then be false to any man. (Polonius' advice to Laertes;Hamlet). Serge is fluent in 5 languages, reads Latin and Greek, and is a Luddite (no computer, no cellphone, no watch) and is one of my dearest friends. He has been a mentor to the San Francisco drama department for eons! We celebrated his unbirthday!
Here's what I recommend from pane e vino:
Spinach salad with warm pancetta and eggs in a balsamic vinegar-olive oil dressing. (9)
Flat spinach and egg noddles with meat sauce (14)
Diavolo (devilishly delightful) pizza: tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy salami, hot pepper flakes and oregano (15)
Daily specials from the rotisserie (18). We had the chicken and it was succulent, juicy, served with potatoes, winter greens (you can substitute a salad, if you'd like).
Fillet of Petrale sole sauteed in white wine, lemon and limejuice (23).
We did not have room for dessert and opted for the house expresso! I interviewed several people at the bar, regulars whose verdict is simply: Delizia! Deliciosa! If you decide to get the spumanti, try the prosecco, Cantine dal Bello Colli Asolani e Montello, NV (30). Bon Appetit!
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