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Aurora Ristorante Italiano
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Seafood Italian, Seafood [Edit]
8 Commercial BlvdNovato, CA 94949
(415) 382-8488
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
47 reviews for Aurora Ristorante Italiano
Review Highlights
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"The wait staff was very kind and attentive." In 3 reviews -
"Just got back from having an amazing Calamari Steak." In 3 reviews -
"...the seafood risotto in tomato sauce that I absolutely loved." In 4 reviews
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47 reviews in English
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Review from Adryenn A.
Mill Valley, CA
5/3/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've lived here for a while, how did I miss this neighborhood gem? Excellent food, even more fabulous service, great wine list, and OMG desserts. Save room, you don't want to leaved out my favorite part! :)
Located in the commercial area of Bel Marin Keys, it's not where you'd expect to find a great Italian place, but it is. I'm now a regular! -
Review from Ross L.
Pacifica, CA
5/22/2012
Located in a business park so it was quiet upon arriving just after opening on a Sunday. It filled in quickly, and for good reason; an attentive and detailed staff, good food and reasonable portions. A comfortable place on all accounts. A good bet in this area, I will be back.
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Review from Dena D.
Yorba Linda, CA
4/3/2012
I went two years ago on vacation with family, it was such a good meal we decided when we returned to Marin, we would return. The strange location made it just as memorable as the delicious meal.
Coming back this week was no disappointment! The gnocchi, bread, salads, pasta, and prawns were fresh and flavorful...wonderful dinner topped off by first class service. -
Review from Sandy M.
Novato, CA
5/10/2012
We 3 ladies had a wonderful dinner last night. Two of us ordered one of 3 specials, the scallops which were sauted in white wine, tomatoes and basil. Light, delicious and very favorful; tender and cooked to perfection. Along with the scallops were broccoli tops (not overcooked) and sliced potatoes with a touch of cheese and maybe a teeny bit of onion flavor. The other dish ordered was fresh salmon with a picatta sauce, we all cleaned our plates and just went yum. The service was supurb, linen tablecloths, accordian player was very good, not obtrusive and lent to the ambiance. A huge list of desserts nothing over $6.50 except a specialty that was $13. We totally enjoyed it, the staff was great, our food came in about 15 minutes. We were delighted with our food and our experience there and will definately return. My friend goes there often for lunch and loves it. (She can be very fussy and demanding.) For those hard of hearing it is especially good as it is quiet, same for the neighborhood.
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Review from Kent C.
San Rafael, CA
4/13/2012
The food was superb gourmet type however the waiter sergio got the salad order screwed up ang gave us the wrong one which he became a little adamant when I told him it was the wrong one. On the business side Aurora is not very good at keeping her agreements with other businesses that offer free services. She made an appointment with us and forgot to tell the employees about it and wasn't even there like she told us she would be. Great food poor management!
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Review from Mildred A.
Bay Area
8/1/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Completely off the beaten path. I can only fathom they chose this location to cater to all the office buildings around them.
Anyway, it is a nice quiet venue with unflappable service. They accommodated all weird and special (meaning vegan and combinations thereof - it's a joke, chill, okay) requests without batting an eye.
I don't eat pasta (I told you we were weird) so I can't help you with a review. I do enjoy, to a troublesome extreme, fish and so I had the sole fillet with a mountain of steamed vegetables....and about seventeen tablespoons of butter. Perfection taste and firmness wise.
Not only is it good but it is affordable too so it can act as a sit-down fancy restaurant for your clients (or employees) without burning a hole in your wallet. Kind of romantic at night for those of you inclined to uh romanticize. -
Review from Derek R.
South Pasadena, CA
1/20/2012
Classy. We had the place all to ourselves. smaller portions than I would have liked, but the price is right. Perfect way to finish a day of wine tasting.
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Review from Angela B.
Concord, CA
8/10/2011
Just got back from having an amazing Calamari Steak. Lemony, buttery, and fork tender. YUM!
Service was spot on as well! Great place for Italian in Novato. -
Review from Shirley S.
Novato, CA
Updated - 1/21/2012
Went last Saturday night with 5 friends. Everything was wonderful, so I'm a big fan again. Thanks, Aurora.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/10/2011
Seven of us last evening. Everything was very good; however, my husband's 16 oz steak was NO 16 oz… Read more »
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Review from Victoria M.
Novato, CA
2/27/2012
Aurora is an ok restaurant. The bread was great. I like the olive oil with black vinegar... : )... The homemade pasta was excellent though!!!!!! It was a little spicy though but still delicious. The appetizers weren't as good as other restaurants. The salad was good i liked the dressing. I tried the rainbow ice cream cake... the mint though reminded me of the dentist!!!!! Blech! The flan though was good.... it was delicious. I recommend you this restaurant if you are in the mood of real italian food. The owners are 100% italian!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Review from Kim H.
San Jose, CA
3/20/2012 Seated via OpenTable
One of the top (if not THE) top restaurants in Novato (which, curiously, seems devoid of quality, consistent spots for dinner). Yes, in a funny location, but the ambiance inside is quite nice. The food is really very good, wine list long and reasonably priced. Service was top notch (thank you Sergio) -- great recommendations that steered us to the highlights on the menu.
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Review from Mf B.
Novato, CA
3/19/2011
Nice place, low key location, we went at about 4:45 and were the only ones in the place the entire time. its clean, the outside seating area looks nice for good weather, and the food was definitely good!
the focus of place is the food. its well done, no doubt. they have different risottos on the menu, and my girlfriend ordered one. its was very well done. risotto is not easy to do RIGHT, so to offer many styles of it i expected it to be good, and it was. not just good, but actual well made risotto. i had a special which was a veal and beef tortellini in a 'light' carbonara sauce. iit was fantastic, and although theres no way around it being very heavy, it was very unoffensive and well balanced. they have some items on the menu in the 20's, but most stuff is in the lower teens, including the veal tortellinni!
overall a surprising lil place. straight traditional italian, no fusion bs, good food. the menu is somehwat simple, yet somewhat complex. they realy tackle a lot of tougher things you dont see a lot. and with gusto. Hit them up, they wont disappoint. -
Review from Lil B.
Novato, CA
1/12/2011
Great food, very quaint and fair prices. Went on a Wednesday night and the place was quite busy. A little out of the way, I definitely owe yelpers on this one.
Not giving it 5 stars until I try this place again. I need to be sure I liked it not just because of the relative quality of its competition in Novato!
The carpaccio in particular was excellent! -
Review from Guy R.
Novato, CA
2/14/2012 Seated via OpenTable
A real gem. We're new to Novato and were pleasantly surprised as to how good the food was here. Service was also excellent. It was a bit noisy but generally a very good experience and the prices were very fair.
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Review from Lisa C.
Mill Valley, CA
7/24/2011
Aurora my new summer favorite. Their outdoor patio is a very pleasant place to dine al fresco. Everything I have eaten so far (been about 5-6 times) has been great. The ravioli with fresh tomato sauce it the best I've had anywhere. Great, fresh salads. Excellent fish dishes and just all around tasty. Oh, and they are all super nice and dog friendly too.
Thanks guys :D -
Review from Umesh T.
El Sobrante, CA
Looking for a new place to lunch with the new colleague, one of the guys found this family run Italian restaurant not too far from work, in the vicinity of my favorite taqueria.
The lunch menu here features its entrees with a choice of soup or salad. I decided to go for the minestrone which was was pretty good - it was neither awfully thick, nor watery.
For the entree, I asked for the seafood risotto in tomato sauce that I absolutely loved. It was light and flavorful, and had clams (mussels? I can't tell), shrimps, calamari, and salmon. The portion was just right sized and I left the restaurant not feeling like a force-fed duck. However, their not providing a plate for the clam shells was a little odd but I didn't care much as my entree was really good.
My colleagues enjoyed their seafood fettuccine, and rigatoni in meat sauce. The Margherita pizza wasn't visually appealing (I think all pizzas should look like the ones they serve at the Delfina's Pizzeria in SF) and I was told that it was decent but not something that will be asked for again (just as I expected).
After all is said and done, I am definitely coming back here again.Listed in: Lest I forget
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Review from Laurel F.
Novato, CA
3/17/2008 ROTD 5/14/2008
As far as suburban Italian restaurants go, this place is pretty good (I would give it 3.5 stars if given the opportunity) - and the location doesn't get much more suburban that this - Aurora is in a converted commercial office building in the industrial business park area of Novato. This is not the area of town that one would normally seek out for a nice dinner unless you plan to raid the vending machines at corporate headquarters, but they make the most of the space with cheery paint and artwork, white tablecloths and plenty of candles.
Aurora occupies the space that was formerly Christopher's, a restaurant that was popular with the cubicle cowboys at lunch time and the silver haired set at dinner time, and I'm sure this same clientele will be very pleased with what Aurora has to offer. It's a definite step up from Christopher's, and any culinary progress in the 'burbs is noteworthy indeed.
There are actual Italians running the restaurant and serving the food - which is usually a good sign in my book (although I know that there are plenty of non-Italian chefs who can make a mean bowl of risotto and it's more likely that the guys in the kitchen are from Mexico City than Rome) and they offer more authentic Italian options than you see on most menus in these parts. We particularly liked the rotolini di melanzane appetizer - rolls of sliced eggplant stuffed with gorgonzola, pesto and walnuts - but were slightly surprised by the small portion size. The sweet balsamic dressing on the mixed greens was also quite nice and much better than your average house dressing.
The calamari fritti and caesar salad were both good enough if not earthshakingly exciting, as were the large portions of veal scaloppine and chicken parmigiana. The homemade gnocchi were quite well prepared, which was a nice surprise since, as my fellow gnocchi lovers know, good gnocchi, like good men, are hard to find. I've already found me a good man, but my search for the perfect light, fluffy pillows of goodness in creamy sauce continues......and although Aurora's gnocchi are really good, they're not quite marriage material.
The service needed a little work (forgotten glasses of wine, ignored requests for substitutions on the side dishes and the like) but we came in close to closing time at the late, late hour of *gasp* 8:45 PM (there's a reason this town is nicknamed "Slovato") and closed down the place, so perhaps it can be blamed on waiter fatigue, or simply the fact that they've only been open for a little over a month. Overall this is a nice alternative to predictable Pasta Pomodoro fare and I plan to return to take those gnocchi out on a second date. Who knows, they just might make a good booty call until true gnocchi love arrives. -
Review from Joseph G.
Sunnyvale, CA
10/17/2010 1 photo
I don't write many 5 star reviews but I definitely have to give this place props. I had a darn near perfect experience here with my guest.
First off it's located in a small business area. In fact it's connected to a building that houses a lawfirm. Alot of times these business attached cafe's can be hit or miss. This one was an absolute hit!
While I'm a huge Gnochii fan I actually went very Non-Italian while my guest did not. I had a New York steak with prawns, scalloped potato's and veggies while my guest had the Pasta Pomperdell (is that spelled right?) which had sausage and Prosciutto in it.
THE MEAL
I usually don't order steaks at restaurants because it's never as good as a home BBQ'd one. I have to say that this steak was absolutely delicious! Cooked perfectly with great flavor and just the right amount of fat. It has some Feta crumbled on top with a little Olive Oil. The potato's were perfect and I do mean perfect. Just the right amount of Gorgonzola sauce and well cooked, not over-cooked or under-cooked. Veggies were crunchy still will a nice light buttery taste, not drowned in butter like many places do.
My guest has the Pomperdell pasta. Again, the noodles cooked perfectly and just the right amount of sauce so you could taste all the ingredients. There was a nice hint of Brandy in the sauce which just sang out with the Prosciutto.
DESSERT
I had the apple pie Al-a-Mode and my guest the Tiramisu. Both were made and cooked there. No frozen desserts here! My apple pie has got to be one of the best I've had anywhere. The apples were crunchy and the crust was absolutely perfect. You could tell the crust was homemade and it was cooked perfectly. No rock hard rock like you get with alot of pies. This crust has the perfect crunch ith the perfect amount of soft dough. I just can't put it into words, you need to try it yourself!
I also had the Calamari appetizer which was cooked great. It was nice and tender but not chewy and was fried in a light batter so you tasted the Calamari first and the crust second. It was served with cocktail sauce and a great Aioli.
THE STAFF
No matter how good the food is, if the staff sucks then you're experience will too and you won't return. The staff here was phenomenal. The entire staff was great but I want to make a special mention to LOUIS (Loo-eeze). I hope I spelled that right too :)
He served us and was not only attentive and polite but he has a way with customers where it's easy to have a relaxed conversation with him. It's one thing to have a polite and professional waiter or waitress but Louis created a very welcoming atmosphere. The guy is awesome!
Being a big Giants fan he had the game on the TV inside while I was eating on the patio. He'd come out and give me score updates when refilling water etc. A really nice personal touch. When my guest ordered the Tiramisu he created a cool SF underneath the Tiramisu with chocolate sauce. I thought that was cool! I posted a pic.
My ONLY complaint here was that the Tiki-Torches were down so we didn't have that extra heat outside. Not a big deal as it was a nice clear night.
DO NOT be fooled by the word "cafe" in the title. This place is great! It's tucked away a bit so I've got to thank Yelp for this one. I'm sure locals know this place well. The table settings are beautiful inside so it's perfect for a romantic meal if so inclined. Again, the food is magnificent. Everything we had there tasted homemade and fresh.
Prices are fair compared to what you get. Portions are perfect IMO. There is enough to get you full but not enough that you'll need to take some home. I'd rather have smaller portions with high quality ingredients. I walked out feeling very content!
2 giant thumbs up to this place. Yelpers if you're in the area don't pass this place up. Trust me on this one. -
Review from Kimberly B.
San Francisco, CA
10/12/2009
This restaurant is located in a business park in Novato, but don't let the location put you off. (It almost put me off. Not that I'm a snob or anything, but I asked my Mom if they had waiters.)
I'm reviewing based on one visit, but I would definitely go back. We went for lunch on a dreary Monday (when we discovered Taki was closed) and I wasn't disappointed. The fried calamari was cooked well (that means "not rubbery") and had a good mix of the rings and the spiny legs (my favorite). The spinach salad was also a treat. It wasn't overdressed (or underdressed) and it came with good portions of walnut, orange, goat cheese, and another favorite of mine...beets! Rock on.
We each ordered a glass of the Ferrari Carrano Sauvignon Blanc and decided to split one additional glass. I liked that instead of coming to the table with a glass of wine and tipping it into our glasses and spilling part of it on the table (like a lot of places do), they just brought over the bottle and eyeballed it. Nice touch (especially since we probably ended up with more wine that way).
The tiramisu that we split for dessert was light and not too moist, so it was the perfect end to our meal. Well....not quite the end. We weren't finished with our dessert and the waiter brought over two complimentary glasses of port. Score!
The atmosphere was warm (yellow walls and napkins and art for sale on the walls) and the service was friendly AND efficient. I'd love to go back for lunch on a sunny day and sit out on their deck under one of the umbrellas and sip on a glass of wine and maybe try another salad or one of their paninis.
A nice little Novato find! -
Review from Michael C.
Northern, CA
10/18/2009
Never been before this. The in-laws asked us to meet them here for Mother's Day brunch.
In a strip mall - I hate strip malls; they wreak of the 70's and remind me of the hippies I so couldn't stand the smell of back then.
But, Aurora food was VERY good and the service was excellent. ... and once you're inside you almost forget you're in a strip mall anyway.
I had the seafood linguine and a salad with fresh bread and olive oil dip. Scrumptious! Mouthwateringly YUMMY.
The food came out hot and tasty and the server, professional and nice, was there to fill our water glasses as soon as they got low.
My wonderful Father-in-law paid for all of us (8!), so I can't opine on the cost.
I'm always so pleased to dine at an ethnic restaurant and taste the authenticity of the chef; not someone back there armed with onion salt in one hand and garlic salt in the other.
REAL Italian food does not leave one feeling like an exhaust stack. Northern food is mild and wonderful, Southern food has spark but doesn't burn your head off.
Go; I think you'll be glad you did. -
Review from Christine S.
Ramsey, NJ
Updated - 11/23/2008
We just went back to another meal at this place and I noticed a couple of things that I think needs to be mentioned...
The first 3 times upon eating at this restaurant, we ate at a very early (and uncool time) we were there at 6p.m.
On Friday night we had 7pm reservations and it was very crowded. Being full on a Friday night might be good for the restaurant, but very bad if you are a patron. It is very noisy here and you have to shout to be heard at the person across the table. It felt like a totally different atmosphere here than all of my previous visits. Even the food to me wasn't as good as previous visits.
Everyone seemed to enjoy their food but I honestly felt bad about bringing my party here because between the restaurant being loud and our server, who I have never had before, was not very attentive. It was their first time coming here and I really wanted it to be special to them.
Regarding the food, I felt that my gnocchi on this visit was very bland and actually arrived to my table luke-warm. As for the other dishes, they seemed okay too.
I will come back but I will try it again at the uncool dining time of 6p.m. when I don't have to shout at my dining companions.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/6/2008 ROTD 11/17/2008
This is a great place. Me and my family have been here 3 times and every time it has been wonderful… Read more »
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Review from Ahna P.
Novato, CA
6/24/2008
Not really an improvement over the former restaurant that was in this location.
I had the Gnocchi with meat sauce-actually gnocchi wasn't bad. The sauce was gross. Straight up tasted like $1.99 canned sauce. Didn't have a flavor other than poor quality meat grease.
Sadly, I've had much better Italian food at Pasta Pomodoros.
Don't see the need to go back. -
Review from Alison C.
Novato, CA
5/15/2011
Just not sure why anyone would say anything bad about this place. We went on a Sat night and it was very busy. Due to its location, i was not sure what to expect.
I had the halibut (evening special) and my husband had the fetuchini. We had fried calamari app, it was all delicious! Then we had an Italian desert, cant recall the name, but it is the only desert made for two people. It was out of this world.
The wait staff was very friendly.
We will go back and visit soon. -
Review from T B.
Novato, CA
9/13/2010
A group of us from work went to this place for lunch. I didn't even realize they had an Italian restaurant here until a co-worker mentioned it recently.
Several of us had pasta entrees and others the calamari and salads.
I had the gnocchi with pesto sauce, and it was to die for. I'm not an expert on pastas or gnocchi in particular, but these bite size pieces were perfectly tender and chewy, not overcooked or 'raw.' The best part of the meal, though, was the pesto sauce. I was already starting to feel full from the bread basket and minestrone soup (which came with the meal and was excellent), but I could not stop until I had sopped every last bit of the pesto sauce from the plate with extra bread.
The best part of this place is the great service we received. Our servers were very friendly, efficient, and attentive. Our water glasses were constantly being refilled and the bread basket replenished. It's amazing how so many restaurants, even the more high end ones, absolutely fail at this the most basics of good customer service in an eatery. So for that alone I would give this place five stars.
Prices are reasonable and on par with similar establishments.
Will definitely go here again. -
Review from Jo-An R.
Oakland, CA
4/16/2010
homestyle Italian run by italians.
Located in an industrial park which is weird, but kinda makes it feel like a hidden gem.
I got the paparadelle, long thick noodlescooked al dente in a creamy but not too heavy sauce.
would definitely come here again! -
Review from Don D.
San Rafael, CA
8/9/2011
We went for the first time with another couple who told us that Aurora was their go to place for Italian food.
We had a reservation for 6:45pm on a Friday night. In reality making a reservation wasn't necessary as the restaurant was not crowded.
I started with a lobster bisque that was very good. For my entree I had the chicken parmesean which was absolutely delicious.
My wife had the halibut. She enjoyed the dish but wished it hadn't come with a creamy sauce.
The service was really good. Our waiter was attentive without being intrusive.
We would definitely recommend Aurora for anyone looking for an Italian restaurant in Marin Co. The food was delicious, the service was quite good, and the prices are reasonable. Check it out. -
Review from Maria M.
Novato, CA
Updated - 2/23/2011
I am upgrading my review to four stars for consistency, service and freshness of ingredients and preparation. We have now been there many times as a couple and in groups. The staff is really wonderful and warm and always remember us. I would love to see them bust out into an adjacent space and do something about the acoustics, but that aside, we really do like this restaurant. There is a bit of a dearth of opportunities for foodies in Novato, so I am very happy they are here!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/1/2010
This is a regular back up for us and we enjoy their food and my kids like it as well. I wouldn't… Read more »
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Review from Lynn B.
Fremont, CA
12/6/2011
We were in Novato for 2 nights and went here for dinner the first night. It was soooo good that we almost went back the second night! I had the Tortellini Aurora and hubby had the Carbonara. We decided to share the dishes as they were both so good and we cannot pick a favorite. They gave us bread to dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The portions were perfect...no leftovers, but no room for dessert either. Just a couple of latte's to finish off the evening. They are very nice and attentive. We will go back next time we are in the area. I will admit, if they had a cannoli available for dessert we might have shared one, just because I had a craving.
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Review from William P.
Novato, CA
12/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
The chicken marsala was excellent and for a restaurant off the beaten path it was pleasant- though I'm still partial to chianti cucina in downtown novato this place is worth the visit-
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Review from Mari N.
Novato, CA
12/4/2010
I was so looking forward to liking this restaurant, but was quite disappointed. I am Italian-American and seek out Italian family places (like fabulous La Ginestra in Mill Valley) as well as high-end restaurants (such as Il Fornaio: a chain, but great quality). The staff were all very nice and professional, the manager (owner?) was Italian and very nice. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. But alas, alack the food was very disappointing. I ordered chicken saltimbocca, a classic (a chestnut?) and I was expecting thinly-pounded chicken breasts wrapped with thinly sliced prosciutto, with a sprinkling of sage and parmesan, with a reduction sauce perhaps of white wine. However the dish that arrived was very non-traditional: 4 medallions of chicken breast each with a topping of too-thick prosciutto and a thick slice of white, bland cheese (!?). It was all smothered in an overly-salty gravy made, I believe, from cornstarch. What the what? This dish from Aurora was not the delicate Italian fare I expected (It reminded me of when I was in Missoula in the 70's and would order rib-sticking hash browns with cheese and gravy. But I digress). The plate included plain steamed broccoli, carrots and zucchini (OMG, why so boring: couldn't add a drizzle of herb-infused oil? Or something?) and scalloped potatoes (not a dish I associate with Italian cuisine, how about some roasted potatoes with olive oil and herbs?). The food was too salty, too flavorless and wildly inauthentic. $17.95. For that price, I expected better.
My tablemate had gnocchi that was overcooked, in a Bolognese sauce that was salty and bland.
I ate here on a Saturday night. Anthony Bourdain says that only amateur diners eat out on Saturdays, so maybe Aurora was pitching to the lowest denominator.
Too bad, because like I said, I crave a good Italian restaurant in Novato. -
Review from Josh J.
Somerville, MA
11/26/2010
Had the gnocchi with pesto and a caprese salad - delicious. Friendly waitstaff. I'm from Boston, and this place would fit in perfectly in the North End.
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Review from Mando R.
Mill Valley, CA
8/26/2008
We do not live in this area and with traffic it's almost an hour away but the trip is worth it(cheaper than flying to Italy). Restaurant was recommended by friends who live in Novato & also by a native born Italian who works at another very good restaurant but works here too during lunch time. This is a family owned business with husband & wife in the kitchen-so many in the Bay Area, even in the little Italy North Beach area of SF, however well trained by Italians, have Latins doing the cooking & , although, prejudiced, perhaps, there's nothing that compares to Italians cooking Italian food. The wife's name is Aurora which means the sunrise and how appropriate as the place is warm, bright & cheerful as is a sunny dawn. In a new restaurant one criteria used by my wife is to check out the bathroom because if it is not clean, she feels that the kitchen is not either. She'll come out & say she doesn't feel well & off we go. As I'm continuing my review, obviously the bathroom was spotless & we fortunately have been here twice already. What is my opinion worth ? We go to Italy at least once per year(my parents, grandparents & many relatives are born in Italy) and a main objective is to enjoy the food-as most people know, it is no place for a diet.
We split a mixed green salad with just the right not overpowering dressing. A very generous pouring of Sangiovese wine by the glass at a reasonable price is offered. Then we started with the "Guazzetto di Cozze e Vongole" (steamed Mussels/Clams simmered in a very light tomato sauce) & these delicate items melted in our mouths but the broth was something I could have drunk in a coffee mug it was that tasty. Must have had a half loaf of bread soaking up the sauce. Growing up we were poor and my Mamma needed us to fill up in addition to Pasta every day on Bread so I can't break the habit although Carbo loading at my age results in a spread around the middle because I can't burn enough calories to create exercise to avoid it. I remember fondly in my family when ever we were a bit chubby that others would say "Benedica la Prosperita'" which meant that thank God we were prosperous enough to eat sufficiently to gain weight. Oh for the old days....don't think that today's Cardiologists would share my family's traditions. In Italy there is an expression "Fare La Scarpetta"(little shoe) & the bread is used to scoop up the sauce. What the word "shoe" has to do with scooping up the sauce I don't know but I guess that "La Scarpetta" also refers to Cinderella's glass slipper & when she put her foot in it, it was magical & heaven for the Prince as it is scooping up some savory sauce, maybe the best part of the meal.
My wife loves "Ravioli Ripieni di Ricotta e Spinaci"(filled with ricotta cheese & spinach) & about 6 very generous homemade raviolis decorated in the colors of the Italian flag-many people's appetites are through their eyes- were just plain delectable . On one of the nights here I had the Gnocchi and got very nostalgic as I recall "erano squisiti come facevano le mie Nonna e Mamma" (as my Grandmother & Mother used to make when they rolled the dough like a rope about 12-14 inches long and then broke it into 1-2 inch pieces with their little finger). Kept on doing "La Scarpetta" with the bread with the delectible Bolognese(meat) sauce. I remember my Mother used to say as she kept eating & eating and we asked why, she responded "per togliermi lo sfizio". This word "sfizio" is not easy to translate but remember a potato chip company ad was you could not eat just one and like eating peanuts, it's not easy to stop. There's an Italian proverb which may help explain "lo sfizio" and it's "l'appetito viene mangiando"-one's appetite increases eating(naturally the food has to be tasty) & it is never more evident than in the wonderful Italian Oasis in Novato.
I can't comment on other items on the menu-we've been too full on appetizers, salad, bread & pasta to try any entrees but the place fills up rapidly & I have had the opportunity to gaze at the various plates of inviting aromatic dishes which will make us want to return. Although they have many delicious looking desserts, we had the "Tiramisu" both times & it means to toss me up in the air with the intention of a "pick me up" to make me happier. Well with my Espresso & some generous pourings of Port-"che buon gesto"(what a wonderful gesture), I was a bit euphoric. I want to add that for us good restaurant experiences now are more than the food and the waiters, Bartolomeo, Lucca & manager, Mario, all made us feel like family speaking to me in Italian, the language of my ancestors, which I appreciated. Despite the place being buzzing busy, we were never made to rush as happens in many places where they need turn the tables.
Weather permitting, sit on the deck outside. The setting makes one feel like they are in Bella Italia but have saved the 15-20 hours flight, cost & jet lag to find authentic Italian cooking. -
Review from Robert H.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2010
The food was good. The service was good. It's Friday night close to 7pm. We are (4) seated at the back of the restaurant. Two minutes go by and we all realize we can't hear what anyone is saying. "What"? "Say what"? Then the waiter comes over and he can't hear us and we can't hear him very well. Good grief. Then, a few minutes later, the LOUD party of 5 or 6 (who may have been over served somewhere else earlier) is seated next to us and all we hear for the rest of the night is THEIR conversation. I hope the lady who is going to Spain has a good time! There is no restaurant in Spain (including the bull ring in Madrid) that is as loud as this place. For those of you who think the service is not what it should be... it's because they can't hear you. It is a little overwhelming but the food was good, the service was good and the staff was friendly.
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Review from August L.
Mill Valley, CA
7/25/2011
I go here for lunch at least once a month and love it. The calamari steak is my fave - tender & delicious. Pastas great, as is the gnocchi and minestrone. Lots of seafood in the risotto. Excellent, friendly service, reasonable prices.
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Review from larry c.
San Rafael, CA
4/11/2009
we love this local place!
yes it is sometimes crowded and noisy on the weekends...that is good for business!!
if you want quiet and no crowds, find a bad restaurant because this place is wonderful !!!
the people are friendly..wait staff very attentive
the food is really good...and we know italiano food
the wine list is very reasonable..a big plus these days
good italian reds for $25 !
judging by the crowds, marin likes this place and we do to
grazia and ciao
lorenzo -
Review from Matt D.
Novato, CA
2/26/2010
This is our spot for local italian food...
It has some of the best bistecca di calamari around... I always get that and have never been dissapointed. My wife likes the tortellini with peas, or the gnocci with pesto...
We love the servers there and Mario is the best! He always treats you right and knows how to go above and beyond for a loyal customer.
It is good honest food, for reasonable prices, and the service is great!
Try the desserts too... and there is a nice yet managable selection of Italian wines.
Should you expect it to be as good as Poggio? Probably not, but it is a great Italian restaurant that wont break the bank, and is a great find if you are local to Marin. -
Review from Marc W.
San Rafael, CA
3/29/2010
I forgot to read the other reviews and come later than 6:30 pm, nevertheless, that is what our reservations were for on Wednesday night. The place does get noisy when it's a full house but it got quiet an hour or so into dinner. I had the fettucini carbonara which was quite good. My sister had the halibut special and even though I'm not a fish person, the dish was good. I would probably come back but next time I would come later.
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Review from Kevin C.
Novato, CA
4/11/2010
Kids are away with my parents, so I thought why not take my dear wife to try a different Italian restaurant in town. We live in Novato, and have tried all the other Italian Restaurants: Portelli Rossi, Grazie, Tuscan Country Grill and Chianti Restaurante etc. Some good, some not so good, and certainly nothing to write home about. We've heard of Aurora and decided to give this one a try. It is located in a pretty funky industrial/commercial area, but the decor is warm and inviting. We had a cozy table next to the window. Our server was Sergio and the other staff and cooks are all Italians (at least I hear them talking to each other in Italian), a good thing. Sergio was attentive, but not intrusive. At first glance, all prices seem very reasonable.
Their wine list has good choices of both Italian and California wine. I had a glass generous pour of Bardolino for $8, which was delicious. I had the Ceasar Salad and my wife had the spinach salad, and both are well dressed and not like some places tend to be overly dressed. Again, here the portion is generous, and again quite satisfying.
For main course, I had the calamari stake which compare to other restaurants, it's not heavily battered, nor smothered with heavy butter or sauce. The sauce here is quite nice with white wine and tangy on the palate. My wife went with the halibut special with sun dried tomato. The fish is of generous size and cooked to perfection. Any seafood lovers would know that it's hard to cook a thick and chunky slice of Halibut well, and hers is done just right. Yes, I couldn't help myself but taste her halibut couple of times.
For dessert we went with Sergio's suggestion and shared the spumoni cake (as you can imagine, we were quite full by this time), which was the special of the night. Sergio confirmed that they make all the desserts on premises, again a plus. What can I say, the dessert choice was a refreshing, and delicious way to finish the meal. Also, to our delight, Sergio then served each of us with a glass of port and biscotti.
The ambiance in general is quite cozy, and we see many repeat customers all greeted warmly by the staff. Even the patrons seem extra friendly as we struck up conversation with table next to ours, and they are regulars here. All in all, it was a great dinning experience in this rainy Sunday night. We will be back again for sure. -
Review from Kate S.
Novato, CA
6/13/2010
This place is amazing! Great food, great portions, good price and great service. The food has a real homemade taste. It was so good in fact, I wondered if there was an Italian mom in the back making the food. The wait staff was very kind and attentive. Because it was the first time we had ever been there, we went in the side door instead of the front. We told them how sorry we were for using the wrong door, but they were so nice they joked "Don't worry they're all our front door!" This really made us feel better. We ordered two full meals, a starter and dessert: all of which were delicious and well portioned. We had a lovely time and when we left we were so full we had to skip breakfast the next day! We will definitely be making this our new go-to Italian restaurant!
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Review from Stella N.
Novato, CA
12/18/2010
Recently found this place through yelp. It is a hidden gem. I love that. Two meals here and both were fantastic. I am vegetarian so of course I have pasta dishes, very happy when I left here both times. Our service was very excellent. For Italian food in Novato or Marin this is one of our favorites.
