dine L.A.’s Restaurant Week ended yesterday, so this post comes just after the foodie fun. But since I love food and you love food—being tardy really shouldn’t matter. During the event, my boyfriend TJ and I went to a spot that was a big hit on our Restaurant Week list because of their extravagant menu at a great price. It was Il Fornaio in Pasadena.
While looking over the menu, we strategized how to best order. We’d decided to get opposite items and devour it all like civilized beasts. That’s what all the pros do anyway, right? I ordered the Minestrone di Verdure, Bruschetta Calda, Cappellacci Di Zucca, and Cannoli Siciliani (4 for $40). TJ ordered the Minestrone di Verdure, Rustichella, Petto di Pollo al Peperoncino, and Tiramisu (4 for $40). By the way, you read that correctly: four items for $40. I thought the amount of food we got from Lawry’s in Beverly Hills was a steal, but this surpassed that by far! Let’s take a moment and sink our teeth into what would soon arrive.

The Minestrone di Verdure was a simple vegetable soup made with stock, carrots, celery, potatoes, and beans. It was seasoned just right so we didn’t have that overly salted taste. I loved the Bruschetta Calda! The grilled ciabatta bread was dressed with garlic, finely diced tomatoes, basil, and kalamata olives. The bread was soft and the oil spread atop of it was so delicate yet fragrant. The tomatoes were fresh and an absolutely gorgeous color of red! TJ’s Rustichella was a flatbread pizza that came close to winning against my bruschetta. It was made with tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, oregano, olives, mozzarella, and a slightly sweet goat cheese. The bread was so soft yet fluffy that it was so delicious when combined with the other ingredients.

The tough decision of “which was better” came between my Cappellacci Di Zucca and his Petto di Pollo al Peperoncino. I love butternut squash so I was already a bit biased there. But my pasta was filled with it and topped with walnuts. Underneath the pasta was tomato sauce, brown butter, and a beautiful assembly of crispy sage to decorate the pasta. It was both delicious and gorgeous! His plate centered around a grilled free-range chicken breast with the finest seasonings. Thyme, sage, rosemary, and red pepper danced in a river of white wine and Dijon mustard making it taste like the ballet of food. Add to It the Yukon gold potatoes and sautéed spinach and it was a performance for our taste buds to enjoy. It was divine.The dessert was the grand finale of the dining event. My Cannoli Siciliani took simple little tubes and filled them with sheep’s milk, ricotta, bittersweet chocolate, pistachios, and candied orange. It was a crunchy palate pleaser. His Tiramisu was made of rum, mascarpone, cheese, cocoa powder, and espresso. It melted in our mouth!

I loved this restaurant and getting to enjoy so many different dishes. At the end of it all, there was so much food that we had to take it home. But that was no bother, in fact it was welcomed. The amount of food served well for lunch the next day, and for dinner that night, and as lunch for the day after. Ooh, and for dinner that night…

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Address: One Colorado, 24 West Union Street, Pasadena, CA 91103
Phone: (626) 683-9797
Hours: Monday to Thursday – 11:30am-10:00pm; Friday to Saturday – 11:30am-11:00pm; Sunday – 10:00am -10:00pm.
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