Pane con Fichi e Noci    Walnut and fig bread with anise, compliments of the Bakers of Il Fornaio

Zuppa di Ceci alle Erbe    Garbanzo bean soup with pancetta, onions, potatoes and marjoram; ciabatta croutons with fontina $3.50/$5.50 Gavi
Cuori di Lattuga alla Monferrina    Hearts of romaine with shaved parmesan andanchovies; lemon, garlic and hard boiled egg dressing $7.95 Gavi
Polenta Cunsa     Polenta baked with toma and fontina cheeses, mushrooms, sage and white truffle sauce
$7.75 Barbera

Cannelloni alla Montanara    Large pasta tubes filled with prosciutto, mortadella, veal, spinach, parmesan, tarragon bechamel and white truffle oil, baked in the wood-fired oven $14.95 Barbera
Risotto con Porcini e Gamberetti    Shrimp and porcini risotto with shallots and a touch of cream
$16.95 Gavi
Agnolotti di Fonduta ai Porcini    Housemade ravioli filled with fontina cheese; porcini mushroom sauce with white truffle oil $15.95 Barbera
Gnocchi con Brasato di Coniglio    Housemade potato dumplings with braised rabbit ragu`, sage, onions, tomato and parmesan cheese $13.95 Barbaresco

Suprema di Pollo Ripiena    Breaded chicken breast stuffed with imported ham andfontina cheese with Dijon mustard-brandy sauce; served with broccoli aspiration, carrots and mashed potatoes $17.95 Barbera
Maiale alla Piemontese    Roast pork loin rolled with golden figs, sage androasted garlic; root vegetable sauce with thyme and rosemary; served with roasted potatoes $18.50 Barbaresco
Filetto di Branzino all' Uva    Striped seabass sauteŽed with thyme, green grapes and champagne vinegar; served with mashed potatoes and sauteŽed vegetables $21.95 Gavi

Torta di Riso alla Vercellese    Arborio rice tort with Frangelico, pastry cream, and roasted hazelnuts; creme anglaise $6.50 Moscato

Gavi, Broglia La Meirana, 2004
Produced from 100% Cortese grapes, this is one of Italy's most refined
and elegant white wines. The Broglia Gavi is delicately perfumed with fruit and floral aromas.
Its crisp, refreshing and dry flavors make it a great match with the Risotto or Filetto.
half glass $4.50 glass $9.00 bottle $36

Barbera d'Alba, Massolino, 2004
This juicy, supple red is produced from 100% Barbera grapes grown near
Alba. It is medium-bodied, full of explosive berry flavors with gentle tannins
and excellent balance. It's a perfect complement for the Agnolotti or Suprema di Pollo.
half glass $4.75 glass $9.50 bottle $38

Barbaresco d'Asti, Prunotto, 1998
Produced from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, this robust and full-bodied wine is brimming
with raspberry, cherry and violet aromas and flavors. It is richly fruited which
makes it a great pairing with the Gnocchi or Pork Loin.
half glass $8.25 glass $16.50 bottle $66

Moscato d'Asti Clarte,
Elio Perrone, 2004
This intensely fragrant sparkling wine bubbles with aromas and flavors of jasmine,
honey, peaches and apricots. It's a great aperitif or ideal with dessert.
glass $7.75 bottle $39

Click here for a printable version of this menu in PDF format

was a common theme in CJ's family growing up. "I'm a native to northern California and I grew up in Los Altos surrounded by family who excelled in the culinary arts. My grandfather specialized in cioppino and my mother is known for her veal Milanese, among other things. Being a chef is simply an extension of my family life and our passion for fabulous food.

"After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, I was privileged to be offered a coveted fellowship at American Bounty restaurant where I taught eighteen students the workings of the restaurant industry. My next stop was New Orleans to pursue a passion for Creole cooking in Louisiana. I ended up back home in Northern California and was introduced to Il Fornaio through a chef/friend at our Sacramento restaurant in 1998. I became a Sous Chef at the San Francisco Il Fornaio and two years later I was promoted to Chef-Partner in Corte Madera where I have had the pleasure to work for the past five years."

"During my tenure at Il Fornaio I received the President's Award, traditionally awarded for excellence above and beyond the scope of an individual's everyday duties. That award came with the opportunity to travel to Italy as part of the 2004 Il Fornaio Chef Tour. These tours focus on the authentic manner of Italian cooking, the freshness and seasonality of ingredients, and the variety of wines that pair well with the various dishes. During this amazing adventure, we were offered the most delicious porcini mushrooms, which I have included in this special Festa Regionale menu highlighting one of my favorite Italian regions, Piemonte."


is tucked away in northwest corner of Italy and is bordered by the Alps, Liguria and Lombardia. This wild, rugged landscape has developed into two distinct styles of cooking. One is found in many of the larger cities and areas of lower altitude, and depends on the outside influences of Lombardia to the east and France to the west. As you climb into mountain territory, however, you find something quite different, often considered to be the "native" cuisine. It is here you will find ingredients particular to the region and the heartier fare that provides sustenance at energy- burning altitudes.

Perhaps the most exclusive and recognized ingredient of Piemontese cooking is the white truffle. It is often the signature note in fonduta, the region's best known specialty. On this evening's menu, you will find Agnolotti di Fonduta ai Porcini, housemade ravioli filled with fontina cheese
and accented with white truffle oil.It is a perfect pasta for the chilly winter weather.

 


Other dishes whose ingredients
are dictated by the geography of the region are risotto and polenta.The Po valley is "rice country" and Piemonte produces more rice than any other Italian region. The rice produced in Piemonte
is considered by some to be the best in the world. It is the star ingredient of Risotto con Porcini e Gamberetti, risotto with shrimp, porcini mushrooms, shallots and a touch of cream.

One Piemontese specialty that you may know from the Il Fornaio bread basket is grissini, the Italian breadstick. Named for the city of Torino, Grissini Torinese are among the best selling items in our bakeries.

While Piemonte is known throughout the world for many of its classic dishes, it is also considered to be one of the best wine-growing regions in Italy. Barolo, perhaps the most famous, is known as the "King of Italian Wines". It is rich and full-bodied, the perfect companion for many of the region's heartiest dishes. Barbaresco and Barbera are also notable reds, and enhance any experience sampling the foods of Piemonte.



Coming December 5 - 18 ~  The Food and Wine of Lombardia

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