Ristorante Ideale
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 391-4129
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Vallejo Street
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 5:30pm-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:30pm-11pm, Sun 5pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Ristorante Ideale – by Marcia Gagliardi
The Scene
Diners weary of the barkers on Columbus Avenue should consider a detour to quirky Grant Avenue instead. The restaurant has two brightly painted rooms, one with a small but full bar in the back and the other packed with couples and families next to walls with cheerful mosaics. The noise can escalate quickly and service can be erratic, but a festive spirit prevails.
The Food
The dishes here reflect the way Italians really eat. An appetizer of zucchini with truffle oil and Parmesan cheese is so delicious it's difficult to share, as are the scrumptious, smoky bundles of grilled calamari with arugula. Pastas are homemade and merit return visits, including some toothy orecchiette with pecorino and rapini, whose sole fault is the terrifying hunks of garlic. The sauce on the dry pork chop can't save it, but the accompanying roasted potatoes are flavorful and perfectly crispy.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
ParkingThere is valet parking available at Bocce Cafe at 478 Green Street around the corner for $12.
What to DrinkItalian liquors like limoncello or lesser-known ones like VOV are well-represented at the bar. Be sure to ask for a recommendation.
User Reviews for Ristorante Ideale
05/27/2008 Posted by sanfrandiner
i used to be a chef here. we throw all the unfinished wine from our patrons glasses into a big tub at the end of each night. then in the morning the kitchen staff would rebottle it in our house chianti bottles and resell it at 24 dollars a bottle. im not a bitter ex employee. in fact i loved working there. its just disgusting and illegal and just plain crazy. DONT ORDER THE HOUSE CHIANTI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
11/19/2007 Posted by teamuck
Ideale used to be my favorite Italian restaurant in the neighborhood. I live nearby and don't go out to eat often, but when I do Ideale is at the top of the list. I also liked to recommend this place to people looking for good, authentic Italian food in North Beach. Based on my visit on Saturday, I won't be returning or sending anyone else to this restaurant. When I made a reservation for 9, I was told it was a busy night and I might need to wait a few minutes at the bar. We arrived at 9:10 and found a cluster of people waiting at the door, and no host in sight. After 5 minutes we had to seek someone out to find out the status of our table. Fortunately there were two spots at the bar, so we had a place to sit while we waiting 10 minutes for a drink and another 10 minutes to be seated, which at this point was 9:36. One of the things that used to set Ideale apart was the high quality bread that they made on the premises. On this visit, we were presented with the same tasteless, mass-produced stuff that all the restaurants serve. Wine by the glass was expensive and of poor quality. I don't mind spending a little more for a good glass of wine, but don't give me for a best option a $10 glass of chianti from an $8 bottle. We both ordered the Mista salad to start; simple but tasty, until we both bit down on lemon seeds, souring the experience. Was this intentionally part of the salad? If so the kitchen should re-consider this choice. Entrees were both very good; the steak was cooked blue as requested, which not every restaurant will do. My yellowtail was grilled to perfection, moist and ever so slightly underdone in the middle. The service by the busser was excellent; warm and efficient. The waiter, on the other hand, seemed rushed and disinterested. By this time the restaurant was only half-full so I can only guess that we were interrupting a conversation with our troublesome desire to order (enlisting the help of the busser on two occasions).
Pros: Entrees are still excellent
Cons: Terrible service; too many loud birthday parties
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