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Buona Tavola Paso
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
60 reviews for Buona Tavola Paso
Review Highlights
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"Tortelloni di zucca alla salvia e mascarpone: Fresh..." In 2 reviews -
"Olive tapenade : It comes with breads." In 6 reviews
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"Wine pairing fixed menu is excellent." In 4 reviews
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60 reviews in English
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Review from Kim H.
Irvine, CA
4/16/2012
Couldn't get a reservation at Artisan or Bistro Laurent, so we chose this place. Glad we did. I hate it when restaurants can't "fit you in" and Buona Tavola was more than welcoming. Plus, they don't charge a corkage fee if you bring in a local wine. We brought Tobin James!
We started with the bruschetta (2 kinds: Bruschetta al pomodoro fresco e basilico
and Bruschetta ai funghi trifolati). Wonderful. I got a salad too -- Lattughette novelle di stagione. Not sure why I always forget that I don't care for fennel. It was fine though.
For my entree, I got the Timballo Valdostano: grilled fresh eggplant, red and yellow bell peppers, green and yellow zuchini, baked with mozzarella and parmesan cheese in a light tomato sauce topped with fresh basil. I was kind of worried it wouldn't be filling enough since it's just veggies with cheese, basically, but it was good. Hit the spot.
We ended with dessert -- raspberry sorbet. Nothing special about it, but I always like to have something sweet after a meal.
This place is pretty reasonably priced for a nice dinner, as long as you don't order a special, which can run up to $35+. -
Review from Amber B.
Bakersfield, CA
5/7/2012
This is a tough one. I was really feeing some Italian. I'm Italian so I tend to be picky, but based on reviews decided to give it a try. I have to break it down for stars because they are not equal...
Service: 2 stars. We made last minute reservations for 6:30 and were told we got the last table. When we arrived, we were seated right away. Front people were pretty nice. The guy who seated us asked if we wanted sparkling water or tap. We said tap, but noone ever came back with water. Our waiter took awhile to come over and when he did, he looked uncomfortable. It was weird. He wouldn't look at either of us, instead he seemed more interested in what was going on around us. He asked about water, then about drinks. I asked what he recommended to pair with a certain dish since I knew that I wanted to order. He seemed like he didn't know how to respond and ignored the question and said the specials. Then he left to get our water and bread. When he returned we ordered and again I asked which wine he recommeded and he said he couldn't really be sure. I'm sorry what?! He could've at least asked the bartender. So I picked whatever sounded good to me. Food arrived pretty quickly which bumps this up to the 2 stars. Then our waiter never returned. Never checked on us during the meal, asked how everything was. Nothing. We finished our meals and then just sat there for quite some time with our empty plates sitting in front of us. Finally someone (not our server) took the plates. We sat for awhile again before the server came back. He had the bill ready, but we wanted dessert. We thought that was a little rude and he was trying to get us out the door. He seemed a little miffed by this, but brought us the menues. After dessert, we had to wait yet again for the bill. It was a lot of waiting. And we felt like he forgot about us for the majority of the meal.
Food: 4 stars. If it weren't for the food, this place would've gotten a 1 star from me. The food came out quickly and was delicious. We started with the bread and some kind of spread, maybe olive spread. It was ok, not much flavor and I personally prefer olive oil with herbs. But the bread was good and fresh. I ordered the tortelonni stuffed with veal. It was fabulous. The pasta was tender and cooked perfectly. The veal stuffing was flavorful and juicy. The sauce was good and the perfect amount. My hubby ordered the veal with a mushroom sauce. It was perfect! Very tender and juicy. The sauce was perfect and made me want to take a loaf of bread and clean the plate! Very good meal. We got the custard for dessert, which is like a creme brulee, with half chocolate sauce, half caramel sauce. Oh so good. Very light after a heavy carb dinner with just enough sweetness. Loved it!
Atmosphere: 1 star. It was chaotic! It stressed me out just sitting there! The place is pretty small with an open kitchen in the back. The kitchen was pretty noisy, so the patrons have to basically shout to be heard at their table. It was hard to have a conversation. It was a cute place, I just think that it might be less noisy if they didn't leave the kitchen open. The staff seemed stressed out, literally running around. Also there was a table near us with 3 younger children who didn't sit in their seats the whole time. The kids were running all over the place yelling and screaming. I realize this is not the restaurants fault, however, they should have taken the initiative to ask the parents to have the children stay in their seats. I was ready to go talk to them, and I feel that's inappropriate for another patron to feel that way. The staff should have realized that everyone else was incomfortable by the crazy kids. I work in a customer service related field, and I have had to talk to parents many times about similar situations. It's their job to make this an enjoyable experience, not mine! Oh and they did have 2 tables outside, but they are literally right outside the front door. I noticed that it got crowded around the tables while people were waiting for tables(there really isn't much room inside to wait) -
Review from Sabina P.
Mission Viejo, CA
1/19/2012
After a day of wine tasting and spa-ing with two girlfriends from college, we were hungry and ready for some carbs!
The quick review:
The service was excellent and they also had a full bar, in case you're wine-d out. Food quality is excellent. Buona Tavloa's intimate setting is a great place to dine with a small group, or on a date.
For more detail:
The olive tapenade served with fresh bread was tasty and complimented the Tobin James zin I'd ordered. The caprese salad was spot-on (although it's hard to mess up tomatoes and cheese). My penne all'arriabbiata was flavorful, but the sauce was more runny than I typically prefer. However, my friends "Pappardelle alla San Pietro" (noodles with a light pink sauce, onions and shrimp) was AMAZING. I ate more of hers than I did my own. That dish alone changed Buona Tavola from three stars to four.
For dessert, we ordered three to share ((1) "Crema Di Vaniglia Della Buona Tavola" - vanilla cream custard (2) Tiramisu and (3) chocolate souffle). While the presentations were beautiful, none of them were worth the calories in my opinion (my friend LOVED the custard though. I'm just not a big custard fan). Next time, I'd try the "Torta Di Mele Alla Pia" (homemade apple tart with a polenta crust a la mode). -
Review from Hanna W.
Atascadero, CA
4/28/2012
We ate here about 2 weeks ago or so, and we were excited to try it. Rarely do I give a place one star, but we were shocked by the risotto.
The risotto we ordered was almost inedible. Can't believe they even served it. The rice was sooo hard. Very gross. I would expect any decent Italian restaurant to get risotto right, especially given the price. BIG disappointment. Have no desire to eat here again... fool me twice... -
Review from Michael B.
Thousand Oaks, CA
5/5/2012
Great restaurant! Service was fantastic. Food out of this world.
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Review from Shanice B.
Paso Robles, CA
4/13/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
The service was really great ..the food was good but I wish they would have had better deserts but over all it was fine
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Review from Tim B.
Paso Robles, CA
3/18/2012
Great food. Consistent, friendly, and good ambiance. Service has always been great except maybe twice it was a little slow. No worries though!
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Review from mike c.
Brentwood, CA
2/22/2012
Great Italian restaurant with a genuine feel for flavors and atmosphere. The tree course menu is definitely value-added. Very helpful, attentive staff. The flour-less chocolate desert was terrific. be warned - an ordinary cup of really good coffee is $3.65 - ouch!
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Review from Julie M.
San Jose, CA
11/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
My husband and I love this place and come here whenever we are in town, which isn't as often as I'd like. The food is great, very yummy, great flavors and textures, and the service is thoughtful and good-- just enough to feel taken care of and not so much as to be intrusive or obsequious.
This most recent visit, we had two young kids with us, 2.5 yrs old and 9 mo, and the service was still attentive and kind. They spread out a bunch of cloth napkins before setting down the high chair for our little guy, which made us feel much more relaxed at the thought of him dropping food, as new eaters inevitably do. We ordered an appetizer, which came quickly and kept the edge off and the kids occupied until the main course arrived. The tiny guy even stole some of the homemade salami off the plate and enjoyed it thoroughly!
As for the food, I'm part Italian, and for a long time, as long as my grandfather was alive, would never eat out for Italian food. He was an awesome chef and put any Italian restaurant to shame. Now that he's passed on, and we can't eat like that at family gatherings any more, I find one or two restaurants where I will go to eat Italian food. Buona Tavola is one where I really, enthusiastically enjoy the food. -
Review from Jeff L.
Atascadero, CA
4/14/2012
Had butter nut squash and Tira Misou! Absolutely incredible!! Great place! Busy, had to wait 15 min with a reservation that was made 30 minutes prior to arrival. When its this good expect it to be busy! Get a reservation ahead of time. 6 in our party. SLO and Paso are lucky to have these places!
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Review from Akiko I.
- Locale Destination -
It's in the downtown of Paso Robles, on Spring St and 10 th St.
Simple yet a bit classy decor. They got a little bar and outside seating (2).
You can see the kitchen. Service - so so. I went there for lunch, and it wasn't crowded at all.
- Gluttony Expedition -
Olive tapenade : It comes with breads. It's light and tasty. The breads are pretty good, too.
Agnolotti fra diavolo piemontese: Ravioli stuffed with scampi, onions, and prosciutto with spicy tomato sauce. Ravioli was a bit too fishy because of scampi though, the spicy tomato sauce was pretty good. It's a bit spicier than I hoped for, but I liked it.
Tortelloni di zucca alla salvia e mascarpone: Fresh tortelloni stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta cheese in sage and mascarpone. The creamy sauce was light yet pretty tasty. The tortelloni got a nice pumpkin flavor. Not bad.
3 gelato with Basil syrup: vanilla, chocolate and hazel nuts. Gelato was a bit heavier than I thought. Not bad. Basil syrup was a bit "grassy" taste and interesting.
- Conqueror's Deduction -
I'm not so sure about the great services that all the yelpers mentioned. I was trained at the fine dining establishment, so I don't call this service level as a "great service". It was just OK - IMO.
Well, the foods were good. I'm not a big fan of Italian, but this was good.
It wasn't awesome but was pretty good. I didn't like the gelato so much, but the Basil syrup was pretty interesting. Overall, I like it. -
Review from Grace J.
Paso Robles, CA
4/6/2012
I love this place! The food is always great and the service is very friendly from the hostess to the nice servers to the kitchen staff waving goodbye on the way out! A few of our favorites are the pesto gnocchi and the timbolla valdostano! Plus they have a full bar! Very hospitable place with great food!
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Review from Mike O.
Peoria, AZ
6/11/2011
If you follow our reviews, you know these Irish love Italian. This is one of our top 10 - CA and AZ. Graceful service and they do their best to accomodate even without resers. But go ahead and call ahead. Fine service - the food's almost a 4, but not quite there. But we do go back.
Biggest complaint??? They're a white tablecloth house...if you're wearing black, they take away your white napkin and give you a black one to avoid white lint on your clothes. Classy! And YET, they allow the male customers to wear their baseball caps inside....front, back or sideways!! Sorry...that cost one in my book! What happened to respect? -
Review from Greg H.
Glendale, CA
7/25/2011
Great Pasta, good wine and ports!
Excellent service! During the week is recommended due to crowds.
I will definately add this to my favorites list. -
Review from Adam L.
Paso Robles, CA
8/31/2011
Was extremely tempted to give this three stars (Gasp), but I'm giving this place the benefit of the doubt for a couple of reasons. Lets start with the service first. Nothing spectacular here, just your standard service for a mid-end restaurant in Paso....not great, not bad. I had to pour my own wine throughout the meal, but I'm one of those people who is not going to make a big deal over it. I'd say the one glaring error in the service is that after appetizers, the main course took FOREVER to come out...not sure if that was the kitchen's fault, or if it was the server's fault for waiting too long to have the kitchen fire the entrees. All in all, I think the service was worth three stars.
Now for the food; I pretty much ordered standard fare for an Italian restaurant because I wasn't feeling all that adventurous: A Bruschetta appetizer, and Gnocci for my main course. The Bruschetta was a little underwhelming to me; The tomato was absolutely heaped on top, and it was over-drizzled with olive oil. Also, the crostini wasn't crisp enough for my taste. All in all, eating the bruschetta was a rather messy experience. I was able to nibble on a bit of my father's antipasto, which was good. Waiting agonizingly long for my Gnocci entree was WORTH IT, because it was cooked absolutely PERFECT. Amazing, I was blown away, made me completely forget about the underwhelming Bruschetta I had 30 mins earlier. 2.5 stars for the Bruschetta, 5 stars for the Gnocci.
And finally, the value of the whole experience: Two appetizers, Two Entrees, One corkage fee, one dessert (was not able to review) and one Cappucino totaled up to under a Franklin (that's $100 for those of you not 'down' with the lingo); pretty darn good considering the items ordered, and extremely good considering how much you would have paid for a meal at that other high-end Italian restaurant nearby (I'll give you a hint, it rhymes with 'Bill Schmortile'). Total rating is probably 3.5 stars, but I rounded up instead of down because I am still thinking about that Gnocci, mmmmm.... -
Review from Elizabeth G.
Paso Robles, CA
2/3/2012
Love the pasta at Buona Tavola - Love this place.
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Review from Scott B.
Paso Robles, CA
Updated - 7/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Fantastico! This is a Northern Italian style restaurant with full bar. Great veal, steak, fish, salads. Expect the best food and service.
My favorites: Salad Tricolore, Oso Buco. Their homemade sausage is excellent. They even showed us how they make it, in back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/20/2010
My wife and I love this restaurant. Excellent Northern-style Italian dishes. Ask to see their… Read more »
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Review from Judy T.
Los Angeles, CA
3/23/2011
Back in LA after a weekend of nonwork, I cannot even begin to sift through the websites, mail, and piles of design work on my desk until I reciprocate the love that this restaurant has shown me through last nights divine food experience. Hence, this glowing review.
Forget the small space, the ambience and oddly uncomfortable booth seating against the wall, I could have cared less if there was a clown with balloons hosting our dinner- this was the most perfect food I've had in approximately 2 months. By perfect, I mean that the eggplant appetizer was absolutely divine. By divine I mean that you have thinly sliced eggplants wrapped in melted mozzarella, sitting in a lovely and very perfectly flavored tomato sauce. Not too strong, not too vinegary, and it tastes like they just blended up a few tomatoes on the spot and added a pinch of salt and pepper. I asked for some toasted garlic bread and it was bizarre- I think something exploded inside me when I combined the two textures- crunchy bread, with this soft, delicate eggplant wrapped around a moist, hot mozza inside. Oh, and let me mention again...the sauce!
I also had some olive tapenade with the bread- they give you a very good helping and the olives were not too salty but very flavorful in a subtle sense. Candy for adults. A + on that as well.
The seafood linguini was buried in a mound of clams, mussels, shrimp and scallops. The creamy white sauce was absolutely perfect. I know, I've used that word about five times already, but I never use it so I think I can be generous this morning. The servings are generous and the flavors were so pure, I almost cried afterwards.
Definitely five stars. Honestly, if you want real Italian, good Italian, then come here, eat, and thank them with a handsome tip. Our server was excellent and very attentive.
This replaces my cajun spot in Santa Barbara ( the Palace). You can't even compare. It's even better than Gales in Pasadena. (oh my god!) -
Review from Norman P.
Spring, TX
1/8/2012
We chanced on this delightful restaurant on our one night in PR and loved everything about it, from the service, the wine and the divine pasta
It could not have been better. We both had the tortellini with a fantastic sauce. Wish we could take this restaurant back withus to Texas! -
Review from Melissa M.
Santa Monica, CA
7/18/2011
Would have given them 4 and a half but that wasn't an option! Went to Paso for wine tasting with my husband-a lot of great wineries, and not a lot of great restaurants.
Buona Tavola exceeded our expectations for both service and cuisine. Specifically the Insalada Tricolore (which they split for us before serving-but also charged a split fee of $2.75) was very tasty. The tortelloni di zucca was outstanding, as was the penne all' arrabbiata.
Most notable was the portion sizing for our entire meal-just right.
Next time we're in Paso Robles we will make a point of coming back.
Buono appetito! -
Review from rednikki Q.
Monterey, CA
2/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I asked my other half to pick the place for my special 40th birthday dinner. He picked Buona Tavola. It did not disappoint! I cannot imagine a better meal for my 40th birthday.
It was a Thursday and pouring rain outside, so the restaurant was fairly empty - an unusual circumstance, from the reviews I've seen here. The greeter was really nice and especially warm when she found out it was my 40th birthday.
We started our meal with Mozzarella con trittico di vegetali, which he was kind enough to put on two separate plates for us. Eeally good mozzarella makes a dish like this sing - and this was really good mozzarella. Really good. I haven't had mozzarella this good since I was in New York. The grilled vegetables were tasty, too.
For our entrees, my partner selected the steak special with roasted garlic, carrots and spinach while I had the Tortelloni bufalina. He raved about his. My tortelloni were amazing. There was this especially slippery quality to the pasta which I've only ever experienced in Asian potstickers. I could eat this every night, happily.
We'd planned to have dessert, but we were way too full to eat it. As a post-dinner treat, the waiter brought us each a small glass of house-made limoncello - on the house. It was delicious, a perfect way to finish the meal. (And I don't normally even LIKE limoncello!)
I will be back to Buona Tavola, over and over and over again. -
Review from John C.
Paso Robles, CA
10/24/2011
I guess the fact that this restaurant still had reservations available for 6 on Friday night at 6:30 should have been a clue as to what we were to encounter. Two of us ordered short ribs "osso buco style" over soft polenta. Sounded good enough. Just prior to bringing the two orders of short ribs, they set down two steak knives. Steak knives for short ribs? The were the toughest things I have ever been served in a restaurant. Horrible. The server also gave us some bad info on the benefits of purchasing a bottle of wine off their list that happened to be the same wine we brought in. He said their price was "around $30, the same you probably paid for it in the store" and with the corkage added, it would behoove us to purchase from them. We bought two bottles and $100 appeared on our bill. Seems the $30 price was for a half bottle. We won't be going back.
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Review from Wayne Y.
Redondo Beach, CA
8/7/2011
We were in town overnight and wanted a nice place to have dinner so I made a reservation through the internet for that same evening and got a table. Once we got there, we waited a couple of minutes but not long. My wife and I had the pre-fixe wine pairing menu and the matches were quite good. My son and daughter ordered ala carte but that was fine. The pasta was prepared well, not overcooked, and the sauces were delicious. It was a very nice surprise to find such good Italian food in Paso Robles.
We would definitely go back. -
Review from Kayla M.
Castro Valley, CA
1/27/2012
My husband and I ate here on our anniversary and the food was great. The environment was cozy and inviting. Our server was the sweetest. Can't wait to dine here again!
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Review from Marcus K.
San Rafael, CA
3/13/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
So let me start with what we ate last. Mainly because I've been on a quest for the perfect tiramisu. Not sure if it exists but this place had it right up there. Good texture and flavor. Chocolate shavings on top are genious. Could use slightly more rum or brandy flavor though.
Letsee. Before desert I had a pork medalion dish. It was very very good. Came in a tomato puree with carrots and mashed potato. The wife had the eggplant squash dish. Also very good. Im hungry just thinking about both of these.
Waiter was well informed and made great wine pairing suggestions. -
Review from Lucy S.
Paso Robles, CA
12/30/2011
This restaurant is absolutely FABULOUS!! The food is completely authentic and so amazingly delicious!! They make all of the pasta, so it is very tender and light. They also make their own fabulous sausage without any preservatives. They are now selling their sausage in very high end grocery stores. It's divine! We stopped eating sausage and salumi because of the nitrates and other preservatives in it. This wonderful meat has none of that.
The the service is attentive, friendly and professional.
I feel like I'm in Italy again when we dine here. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this restaurant! -
Review from Teresa T.
Los Angeles, CA
5/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wonderful authentic Italian dinner experience in Paso for one night!
Wine- extensive wine list and options in glass, half bottle and full bottles.
Appetizer- yum yum all around. Our poached clams and mussels were cooked to perfection. Mussels were so fresh and juicy. The clams could have been
Bigger but it was trumped by the mussels. Olive tapenade served with the bread is so fresh that it tastes home made the day of.
Dinner- my BF had some meat ravioli dish he really liked. Thin layer of dough covering the stuffing inside instead of lots of dough and nothing inside at some places. I had wide ridge pasta with braised eggplant, garlic and fresh tomatoes. It was delicious! You can definitely taste the pasta freshly made in house and cooked to el dente, how pasta should be!
Dessert- BF was excited that they had grappa for an after dinner drink. That stuff was STRONG! We also shared the tiramisu which is a must-try!
One of the best dinners we've had in awhile and we'd definitely come back if we are in Paso again! -
Review from Lisa G.
San Jose, CA
4/6/2011
This place has a rustic feel, as with most of the restaurants here, the ambiance is slower/relaxing. I went here for a business dinner which was set up in the patio area. Complete with heating lamps to keep away the night air chill. The only issue with the lamps, despite the coolness, was the amount of heat radiating. My cheeks were burning, but my back was cold.
Service was nice, prior to starting dinner we had a glass of red wine which was constantly filled throughout the night, paired with a bruschetta starter which had a ton of tomatoes, but lacked enough basil to balance it out.
Our dinner included:
1.) Bruschetta ai funghi trifolati (the mushroom spread has just the right amount of flavor to balance and not overpower the bread)
2.) Insalata bella Cesare
3.) Pasta Sampler Platter of: Tagliolini ai gamberi e boletus aeurus, Tortelloni di zucca alla salvia e mascarpone and Penne all'arrabbiata
(All three pasta's were different in flavor, again not overpowering to the point were one bite is enough)
4.) Pesci del giorno alla griglia (Fresh Fish of the Day = Wild Salmon. This may vary depending on when you go to the restaurant, but I will say the dish we had that night was fresh and came with a side of green beans)
5.) Tiramisu - a bit on the sweet side, but a good way to end dinner.
Some dishes were delicious (the fish and pasta) while others were a bit hit or miss for me. Realistically I would rate this place a 3.5. -
Review from Ruben L.
San Jose, CA
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good value choice. Wine pairing fixed menu is excellent. Larger than the other location in SLO. Good local wine selection.
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Review from Christina C.
Paso Robles, CA
1/12/2011
I've heard great things about this place but haven't made it there yet. So, we went to dinner on New Years Eve/my birthday and were impressed. The atmosphere felt so right and the service was great. I had the pumpkin and ricotta cheese in a marscapone sauce, YUM! I crave that dish.
All affordable and excellent. We brought our own wine but they have an impressive list.
I HIGHLY recommend this place. Ciao! -
Review from Michaela S.
San Jose, CA
5/7/2008
Stopped here for lunch on the way out of Cambria. Slightly odd location, and there's no official parking lot, but it's secretly pretty close to downtown Paso Robles.
I ordered the mushroom bruschetta (flavorful yet a bit salty) and the pumpkin/ricotta tortelloni in a mascarpone sauce. Both were good, but not quite mindblowing.
I was afraid I was going to be the only person in there until a group of 4 walked in soon after I ordered. Thank goodness, I hate being all conspicuous...
It was definitely a better lunch than I would have had driving up 101 and stopping in King City or something, so, works for me.Listed in: Central Coast road trip
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Review from Paul C.
Huntington Beach, CA
11/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Been reading the negative reviews and have come to the conclusion people need to pull their heads out and just enjoy their meal. We had a wait in the smallest waiting room in the world, we made reservations and we still waited an extra 15 minutes ... walked in a bit miffed, but after the service and the dinner everything went away.
from beginning to end we were more than happy with our meal and the creama dessert with the port pairing were yummy. -
Review from Ki K.
San Mateo, CA
5/4/2009
People who wrote bad reviews on this restaurant must be used to chef boyardee or something, and not fresh made pasta and excellent sauces.
We came here the night before Wildflower Olympic Triathlon to carbo load and were not disappointed. The pastas are fresh, sauces are distinct and original. Everything about the meal was very well done. Service at this restaurant was excellent.
We were fortunate to have found a spot at the bar to eat as the place was full with a 10 minute wait to be seated on a Saturday night. Our bartender and as it were, waiter was the nephew of the owner and is also from Italy. We were treated to some salami that the uncle and nephew had made from a family recipe and enjoyed watching the uncle cook in the little kitchen area that is in view of the rest of the restaurant.
We enjoyed the food so much that we came back the next night for our celebration dinner and to enjoy some wine from their interesting wine list that showcases some very nice Italian wines. Again the restaurant was busy for dinner but the wait was not long and the staff were all so friendly and courteous.
For the 4 of us who live in San Francisco and go out to eat often, this was one excellent Italian meal. If the restaurant was in San Francisco we would frequent it. -
Review from J. C.
Visalia, CA
4/12/2010
I'm on the fence about this place but still want to rate it a 4. The pastas (two different tortellonis) that my husband and I had werereally really good. So was the olive spread and bread that came before our meal (and we don't really care for olives).
The atmosphere is not the best for intimate dining. It's cramped, super loud and kind of stuffy. It's hard to get a table unless you have a reservation and even then, we waited a while to get seated. Kind of frustrating when you're wanting a romantic dinner together.
It is very pricey, which is expected, but... don't come hungry unless you are prepared to spend even more. The plates and portions are all small - think antipasti - even the main courses. One course will not likely fill you up if you've got an appetite. -
Review from Libbi K.
San Francisco, CA
9/7/2010
I came here on a recent hometown visit with a few friends and had a really great time. It was a warm summer night and we were lucky enough to get a great table outside, right next to the huge and very fragrant rosemary bush they have, which was awesome.
Both the hostess and our waiter Alex were fantastic. It was so refreshing to find such a friendly and unpretentious staff at a nice restaurant.
As for the food, we ordered a bottle of a favorite local wine and I really enjoyed the bread and olive tapenade they served. The rosemary bread was so good, I wanted to eat it plain, but the tapenade was so good, I couldn't stop putting it on the bread! Every person at the table cleaned their plate by the end of the meal. I would give the main course (I had a pasta dish) a 4. It was definitely good, but not amazing or mindblowing. I would have liked if the portion was a little larger. But all in all, the experience here was great. A really relaxing and fun evening talking with the waiter and dining outside. Well done Buono Tavola! -
Review from Frenchie B.
San Diego, CA
12/8/2011
The food is fresh and good, although I've experience better risotto and veal. However, the fish of the day was excellent, and the salad super fresh. I'd come back here again to try it out. Service was spot on and super friendly.
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Review from Greg J.
Placentia, CA
9/10/2011
Excellent! Tried the wine pairing menu. Very nicely put together. Service was very good and staff was very pleasant. Will definitely eat there when we are in Paso Robles again.
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Review from Lauren T.
11/25/2008
I have mixed feelings about this place.
The bad
The restaurant was small with a lot of tables/people. I started getting a bit claustraphobic/overheated.
The pasta was only ok for the pricetag.
The good
We got a seat right away on a Saturday night
The olive spread was really good, and I'm not usually an olive fan
The bartender made a rum and coke in a large glass with a neon glowing dick in it for the bacholorette party outside. Hillarious. -
Review from Nikki M.
Irvine, CA
6/5/2011
Cute restaurant. Service was a little slow, food was slightly overpriced as it seems like most places around. Enjoyed the paparadelle pasta with shrimp, and my husband liked his ribeye. We started with a clam and mussel appetizer with agreat broth that was fabulous to soak the house bread in.
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Review from Christina B.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2011
Came here with a large group for a business dinner. I was a little surprised at how small it was based on our large our group was but they accomodated us well even though we were late for our reservation. Food was rustic and quality, the wines were nice. We had fresh bread adn olives which were nice, bruschetta as an appetizer (lots of garlic) and I had the gnocchi which was fluffy and delicious. I reheated it a few days later and it was still as good as it was the first night. There was a strong cold breeze coming from a back door being propped open but as soon as we said something they closed the door. I enjoyed it!
