E Tutto Qua

Kitty and Ducky
E Tutto Qua
270 Colombus Ave
San Francisco, CA 94113

(415)989-1002
E Tutto Qua @ North Beach SF

This was our 2nd stop for our 2012 San Francisco Dine About Town round. It was a rainy day and it turned out we were the only patrons there for a good part of the evening (aside from an Australian couple that had coffee there briefly). None the less this restaurant that sits between Chinatown and a couple strip clubs has earned our patronage in the future.

[Pere e Prosciutto]

Fresh Pears and Mascarpone Cheese Wrapped in Italian Ham

Prosciutto is a cured ham and I usually expect it to be salty but in this appetizer it was not at all.  It was not overly salted and the meat was pleasantly soft.  I am a fan of salty and sweet together so the blending between the ham and a ripe pear was a good match.  The cheese however was a little bit overwhelming for me. While chewing I could feel it slip and sliding in my mouth in between the harder textures of prosciutto and pear.  It is not my most favorite sensation in my mouth, but I applaud them for the creativity. -Kitty [3.5/5]   

[Carpaccio di Manzo]

Thinly Sliced Raw Beef, Capers, Shaved Parmesan With a Lemon Dressing

This was pretty much my first carpaccio ever.  I did not know what to expect.  I have had sashimi before, but never raw beef.  The dish consisted of cheese, beef, lemon dressing, and some sort of vegetable.  The beef had almost no flavor, but it was of a nice tender consistency.  The dish had a salty and sour taste to it from eating the cheese and dressing/veggies in unison.  It is something I would probably not get again next time. - Ducky [2/5]

[Spaghetti Neri]

Squid Ink Pasta with Mixed Seafood in a Garlic, White Wine Sauce

I got excited about this since squid ink pasta seemed so exotic and the last time I had it, I enjoyed it.  I don't know what sorcery was put into squid ink pasta but it gives savory life to it compared to regular pasta. Onto the anatomy!

Density: Soft enough that it's not considered al dente but still allows for a chew or two that doesn't instantly fall apart in your mouth

Sauce: A tomato based sauce that is neither chunky nor heavy....light and complementary to the seafood

Topping: Seafood.  As you can see from the picture they were not stingy.  I had a number of mussels, clams, squid, and a couple pieces of shrimp.  What I really appreciated was that none of the clams or mussels had a strong "seafood odor" taste.

Stamp of approval with this dish. -Kitty [4/5]

  

[Pacceheri Golosi]

Large Tube Pasta Filled with Prosciutto, Porcini Mushrooms, and White Truffle Oil in a Cream Sauce

This was one of the most unique tasting and delicious pastas I have ever had.  The name was a bit misleading though.  I was expecting tube pastas stuffed with prosciutto and mushrooms, but the dish was pretty scarce on the "filling".  The dish consisted of thick tube pasta swimming in a delicious truffle cream sauce with bits of mushroom and prosciutto.  The cream sauce had a very nice truffle flavor and the prosciutto and mushrooms complemented each other quite nicely.  It had a very complex taste that had me sop up all the sauce with bread after I ate all the pasta.  This was definitely something I would get again. -Ducky [4/5]

[Tiramisu]

Tiramisu, an Italian classic.  Careful however, inhaling too deeply may also allow your trachea to attract cocoa powder particles.  E Tutto Qua's tiramisu is a job well done.  The rum flavor was present but not overly powerful and does not mask the coffee flavor either. I wouldn't say it's the holy grail of tiramisu but it is certainly than your average one. -Kitty [3.5/5]

[Zabaglione con Fragole]

Italian Custard Spooned Over Fresh Strawberries

The dessert tasted like a milkshake with chopped strawberries.  The custard was more of a light cream with milk.  It was acceptable as a dessert, but not really something that special to me.  It was not overly sweet and I like desserts that incorporate fruit or fruit flavors.  -Ducky [3/5]