ITALIAN Paul Bertolli, former chef at Chez Panisse, jumped ship to open one of the top Italian restaurants l auberge de sedona in the Bay Area (certainly the best in Oakland). During the week it s a madhouse at lunchtime, when local workers pile in for the wood-fired pizzas and tapas in the lower-level cafe. The upstairs restaurant with neo-Florentine decor is slightly more civil, packed nightly with fans of Bertolli s house-made pastas, sausages, and prosciutto. Oliveto has a wood-burning oven, flame-broiled rotisserie, and a good wine list. You might begin your meal with a special cocktail (evenings only), such as Vodka Nero, made with pinot noir grape juice and lime. An assortment of pricey grills, braises, l auberge de sedona and roasts anchor the daily changing menu, but it s the heavenly pastas that will truly send you. Still, the Arista (classic Italian pork with garlic and rosemary and pork jus) is insanely good; and no one does fried calamari, onion rings, and lemon slices better than Oliveto. Tip: There s free parking in the lot at the rear of the Market l auberge de sedona Hall building.
But from an insider s view, the City by the Bay is still recovering from an evolution spawned by the rise and fall of high-tech and dot-commercialization and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and a slumped economy that affects our ever-important tourist l auberge de sedona industry. The result? San Francisco is much cheaper to visit these days.
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