Other restaurants come and go, but Piatti has been a mainstay on the La Jolla culinary scene for more than twenty-five years, and I found out why.
A stone's throw from La Jolla Shores, sits a charming Cape Cod facade, Piatti is the perfect setting for a relaxing meal. It has spacious indoor dining, and a lovely courtyard. I went with my family to sample Piatti's Italian inspired menu. We were greeted by the warm staff, and our waitress was knowledgeable about the menu and wine list. We started off with an appetizer of Semolina Fried Calamari with shrimp, asparagus, shaved fennel, and lemon aioli. Semolina, a wheat flour made this appetizer extra crisp. The seafood was fresh and flavorful. The combination of fennel and asparagus with seafood made this first course a pleasant surprise. One of the trademarks of Piatti is utilizing garden-fresh ingredients, and all of their juice is fresh squeezed. My son ordered the pomegranate limeade with mint which was refreshing and sweet. Piatti has a respectful wine menu, my husband had an Italian red, Banfi Vermentino which was robust in flavor, a compliment to any meal.
Our entrees were equally impressive. I ordered the Saffron Pappardelle with shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, chili flakes, arugula, lemon and a white wine broth. The saffron and the white wine sauce really complimented the shrimp which were large and succulent. My husband ordered the Rainbow Trout encrusted in almonds. The portion was generous, and the trout was expertly seasoned. My son had the Linguini with mussels, clams, shrimp, and calamari in a red sauce. This pasta contained a generous portion of fresh seafood , and wasn't short on flavor.
Piatti is family friendly, a neighborhood favorite, and an excellent venue for a private party. Even with a La Jolla zip code, Piatti is has an excellent price point with entrees ranging from $17-$30.
Dessert was something we couldn't resist when our server schooled us on the Torta di Limone, a lemon mascarpone cheesecake in raspberry sauce. My son always saves room for dessert, and this was no exception. The combination of lemon and raspberry both tart, with the sweetness of the mascarpone is the perfect marriage and the perfect ending to a delightful meal. There's a reason why Piatti has been a La Jolla favorite for twenty-five years, they know what they are doing.
http://lajolla.piatti.com/team/
