As gloomy weather descended upon Northern California, I was in the mood for something warm, hearty and comforting. For me, Italian food is always a wise go-to. To satisfy this craving I decided to stop by a long-time Sacramento favorite, Paesanos, and treat my mom to dinner (insert Best Son Ever award here).
Paesanos’ inviting atmosphere was immediately a relief from the dreary rain drops falling from the sky. We arrived shortly after happy hour, but I still decided to indulge in a lovely glass of wine as we took in the eclectic art that adorns the walls.
We started with my favorite appetizer on the menu, the Bocce Balls. These crisp yet fluffy pieces of rolled pizza dough are superb. They are placed on a plate filled with garlic butter, parmesan and basil—every garlic lover’s dream. They were so good, they were gone as quickly as they arrived.
For our dinner, we decided to do it family style and share our entrees. First, the delicious Tortellini Formaggio: cheesy little tortellini’s of goodness tossed in a pesto cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and topped with parmesan cheese. Tortellini is usually my pasta go-to, as is anything smothered in pesto. Paesanos has found the perfect blend of deliciousness by keeping their sauce perfectly creamy and satisfying. Asparagus, shrimp, chicken or soy-ginger skirt steak can be added to any of their pasta dishes for an extra kick.
Secondly, we settled on quite possibly my favorite food choice ever: pizza. As a recent college graduate, I must say, I have done my fair share of pizza sampling; But the Pizza at Paesanos is truly something special. After much indecisiveness, we settled upon the Greek, a truly divine pie topped with garlic (see a trend?), roasted peppers, red onions, spinach, black olives, mozzarella, feta and my favorite pizza topping of all time, artichokes. It wasn’t just the perfectly crisp and light crust paired with the toppings that made this pizza a standout; it was the touch of fresh lemon squeezed on top that made it a real home run for me.
Paesanos is a great choice if you are looking for something that always satisfies and won’t break the bank (our entire meal was under $35). In addition, you can be sure that you will get outstanding service with a smile. Both our waitress and hostess were wonderful.
With locations in midtown, Elk Grove, or Davis one can find a location in the Sacramento area that’s right around the corner!
Paesanos
1806 Capitol Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 447-8646