BENCOTTO: IS THIS CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN RESTAURANT IN SAN DIEGO’S LITTLE ITALY WORTH A VISIT?
The Cost - $38 per person
The Atmosphere – Located in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood, Bencotto is not the classic red checkered tablecloth Italian restaurant. Instead, it offers an upscale, more modern dining experience. The inside is sleek and modern, with industrial-style ceilings and concrete floors. You will definitely want to make a reservation, especially on the weekend.
A lot of people like San Diego because of its weather and its proximity to two fun, food-filled destinations: Los Angeles and Baja California, Mexico. However, San Diego has a food scene of its own that is worth exploring. I read good things about Bencotto Italian Kitchen so I rounded up a group of friends and went out for dinner.
The Order – Fiori Di Zucca Ripieni, Ravioli Di Granchio, Gnocchi Ripieni Al Brasato, Tagliatelle Al Nero Di Seppia, Brasato Di Manzo Con Polenta, an Espresso Martini and a Gosling Mule.
The Great – To start, I had the Fiori Di Zucca Ripieni, lightly fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta and smoked mozzarella and served with a parmesan dipping sauce. The mix of cheeses was excellent and while it may have been too heavy as an appetizer for one person, it was perfect for the group. The Gnocchi Ripieni al Brasato, homemade potato dumplings stuffed with braised beef was delicious. The dish comes with your choice of sauce, and I chose the cheese sauce as it was the recommendation of the waiter. The gnocchi were fluffy and felt like I was biting into tiny pillows of potatoes filled with soft and juicy braised beef. I also really enjoyed the cheese sauce and thought it was a great recommendation. The Tagliatelle Al Nero Di Seppia was made with hand-cut black squid-ink fettuccine in a spicy pink sauce, topped with shrimp. The execution here was great. The squid-ink did not overpower any of the other flavors in the dish and I thought it was a nice modern version of a traditional Italian dish.
The Good – Both the Ravioli Di Granchio and the Brasato Di Manzo Con Polenta were solid choices. The half-moon-shaped ravioli were topped with caviar and filled with crab meat and served in a lobster sauce. I enjoyed all of the seafood flavors but wasn’t blown away, especially given the ingredient list. The Brasato, short rib braised in red wine and herbs, was set atop parmesan polenta. The portion was large and the meat was juicy and overall the dish was heavy,but tasty.
The Okay – I am not a huge fan of coffee flavored drinks but there was a “***must-try***” under the Espresso Martini so it was ordered. While it was good, the restaurant set high expectations and it just didn’t deliver. The Gosling Mule, made with bourbon, bitters and ginger beer, was a nice take on the classic mule but I would have preferred something else.
The Verdict – –Bencotto is a great place for some modern Italian food. Though the cocktails left something to be desired, the overall experience was a good one and I’d recommend it for a night out with friends, a date night, or just a solo outing.