Rostini's Italian Kitchen

I'm Italian. That means I talk with my hands, make pasta from scratch, and have never been to the Olive Garden. As such, I have high standards for my Italian cuisine, and few restaurants acheive them. Napa winners are Mary's Pizza Shack, Genova Delicatessen and Firewood Cafe and a Sacramento winner is The Hot Italian. However in Davis, there are slim pickings (Don't even get me started on how lame Cafe Italia is). Zia's is ok, but not open late, and only offers sandwiches. Thus imagine my joy when Rostini's opened! Owned by the same people who own Mary's?!?! Whattttt!

I could eat this every day if it weren't for bikini season's fast approach. 

I've been here about 5 times and every time it is delicious and service is fast, even when super busy. The menu is limited, but they perfect what's on it. I highly recommend the Chicken Alfredo, the meatballs (get one on the side!) and the sandwiches. My favorite entre, however, is the Prosciutto Pizza with Fig Confit and Balsamic Reduction. Molto Delizioso! Mangia mangia! I can eat this whole pizza in one sitting, and it's only $11 for 6 slices. Yes Please.

Food Porn:

The tomatoes are amazingggg and yes that's fresh foccaccia :)

Roasted Vegetable Salad

Another shot of the Prosciutto Pizza

Meatball!

Greek Salad

Cheating on Healthy Eating (Sort of)-- Chipotleeee!

I always used to hate Chipotle. Something about the long lines, assembly line of food, and expensive prices convinced me Dos Coyotes or Guad's was better. And then I met my friend Dan. Dan was OBSESSED with Chipotle. It was rather funny. He was to this day one of the best guys I've known and so fun to be around. I think of him every time I go to Chipotle, even though I'm sure he would scoff at my healthy choices of brown rice, black beans, and Chicken. It's allll about the Barbacoa I'm sure. Anyway, Food porn:

Roasted Chicken, Black Beans, Brown rice, Chili corn and green salsas, cheese, and guac. Yummm

And only 620 calories without guacamole! (I worked out twice today so I splurged :))

Rating-2 for ambiance, lines, and lack of parking, 8 for deliciousness. 7 Overall.

Love you Dan and missing you every day! <3

"I LOVE SUSHI"

Last week I went to "I LOVE SUSHI" in Santa Cruz for my dear friend Giana's sister's 21st birthday! I was not sure how great it would be since they are both vegetarians (gross ;)) so imagine my surprise when they have a roll just for me on the menu! the "Jenny Love" roll! It was DELICIOUS and covered in mounds and mounds of fresh fish. 

Not only was the food awesome, but the restaurant was SO CUTE! Lookkkk!

Did I mention we got Miso soup, pickled cucumber, crab sushi, an orange, and a refill of sake on the house?! EAT HERE, you will not regret it.

Sexual. 

Plus, they have free dum dums on your way out the door! :)

Little J's rating-- 4.5 stars (Better than all sushi in Davis and second only to Sushi Sake in Reno ;))

The Greatest Food I have Ever Eaten

Go ahead. Judge me. But there is just nothing better than an artichoke. Unless of course you deep fry that artichoke and cover it with salt. Then you have 36 bite size pieces of heaven in one day. Not that I ate all those in a 7 hour period plus lunch and dinner or anything....

Food Porn!

Ingredients- Thawed bags of artichoke hearts, canola oil, flour, egg, salt. Simple, yet divine. Calorie info purposefully excluded--Easter Cheating! :)

 Assembly line of preparation

 Goes great with Nonna's Ambrosia Salad!

 Full Easter Dinner- Ham with Raisin Sauce and Marshmallow Yams included. Yummmmm

 Pure beauty.

Stay tuned for the next installment, in which I eat more veggies manipulated into unhealthy snacks by my Italian family! (Nonno's Antipasto ;D)

Couple's Cook Off

Let the games begin!

In the first corner, Alexander the Great, a dude who notoriously doesn't enjoy the taste of healthy alternatives such as wheat bread and lack of mayonnaise or butter on anything. I suspect his meal will be more delicious, but then he is a man so his metabolism makes me hate him. :)

His opponent-- Semi-professional part-time food blogger Little J!

Tonight's challenge will be a standard bean and cheese burrito.

Ingredients-

Tortilla (Wheat or Flour)

Beans (Black or Refried)

Cheese (Mexican 4 cheese and Pepper Jack)

Avocado, sliced

Sour Cream, Low Fat

Guacamole, home-made

Salsa, Pace

Butter (optional)

Round 1-

Tortilla!

Jenny chose a wheat tortilla- high in fiber and calcium, low in calories and sodium.

Alex chose standard flour- low-fat and cheap :) He also rubbed butter all over his. Shame.

Winner of Round 1 for healthy eating- Little J

Round 2-

Beans! We could all use a little more protein in us, right ladies?

Alex chose nonfat refried, while I chose low sodium black beans.

Round 2 is a tie because we both think our own beans taste better, and they have differing health benefits :)

Round 3-

Aesthetics! There's no denying the perfect brown crisp of Alex's "burrito" (the man can't fold his laundry either), but it's hard to tell what's in there. A surprise in every bite? Also he ate two because, again, men have magical weight gain prevention powers. Damn them.

Round 3 to Little J!

Just look at that perfectly presented melty goodness!

Final Round--- TASTE!

There's no denying Little J's burrito was delicious, but the creamyness of Alex's beans and extra extra cheese was not surpassed.

Damn, the surprise was gooey awesomesauce.

Winner goes to Alex!

In short, it was a night of battling deliciousness I highly recommend :)

***(Total calorie intake per burrito was 495 for Little J and 585 for Alex- but Alex saved on fat while Jenny saved on sodium. Your choices should depend on your personal diet needs!)

Look, carrots!!!! ;)