Scalo

On Saturday evening, Summer and I got a babysitter and went on a date, which was desperately needed after the past week, and was a great chance to simply spend time together. We discussed a number of different possible things to do, settling finally on going to dinner and strolling around Nob Hill a bit.

Nob Hill is a funky area, one I would like to get to know better, and it's home to several restaurants I have been wanting to go to. So we decided to try Scalo, a kind of upscale Italian joint in Nob Hill. So, here's a table for two review of Scalo.

The restaurant itself is small, a classy place with an open dining area adjacent to the kitchen area (one of those open kitchens where you can see the staff cooking away) and an upstairs dining area overlooking it all. As it was Saturday, we were among a healthy crowd, including a big party next to us, which helped us pass the time people-watching.

But we got a table quickly and settled on a bruschetta appetizer, which was delicious. Real mozzarella with good balsamic vinegar, roasted bell peppers, and goat cheese made for a great start to the meal. It was enough to make up for the disappointing salads that arrived a few minutes later.

Summer and I each ordered a pasta entree with seafood, which we looked forward to eagerly. And, luckily, we were able to bask in that anticipation for a long time, as our order was delayed for a long time. The waitress was apologetic (I'm guessing that the order was lost and remade later on), and, to be honest, we didn't mind. The point of the evening was to spend time talking, and we had lots of time to do that.

The meal itself was a bit of a let-down. The sauce was kind of weak, and the pasta was undercooked (probably rushed to get it out). If we hadn't had the luxury of time and been in a rush, the meal would have been a real bust, but, as it was, being able to sit in a pretty place with a pretty woman and talk in a relaxed environment where we could take out time was quite nice.

Plus, as an apology for the delay, we got a free dessert, which outdid the entrees by a long shot. The chocolate pate consisted of a layer of a flourless chocolate cake, topped with three different mousses. The raspberry sauce was especially good. I don't think it would have been worth $7 (it was barely two bites, and we did stop at Smiths for ice cream on the way home), but as a free dessert, it was a nice end to the evening.

So, Scalo was a bit of a disappointment. Maybe it was the wait, which made me expect something even better, and may have resulted in a hurriedly-cooked entree. And it's certainly not a family-friendly place to take the kids. But it was a great date. And we'll probably go back some time to give Scalo a second chance.