Dinner at Sodini's in North Beach

There are certainly quite a few options for Italian dining in North Beach, and Sodini's on Green Street is a perfect choice if you want a tasty dinner featuring huge portions of food and authentic and fresh ingredients, as well as a cozy, dimly-lit ambiance with red and white checkered tablecloths, lots of candles, huge bottles of vinegar and wine for decoration, and Sinatra or Sinatra-esque tunes in the background. The menu features abotu 10 antipasti including gooey and delicious cheese bread and steamers (you can choose clams or mussels) cooked in a white wine broth and served with garlic bread, as well as lots of varieties of pastas with various sauces, meat entrees including a gorgeous Pepper Steak and Chicken Alla Sodini (grilled chicken topped with ham, mozzarella and cream sauce served with linguine alla casa), and lots of pizza options. The wine list is fairly short but certainly covers all the bases. I had a Sauvignon Blanc from Napa which was crisp and tasty. Others had the same as well as a delicious and velvety Valpolicella. We started with the Bruscetta, which is six large and nicely toasted pieces of bread covered with heaping portions of diced tomatoes mixed with garlic, basil and olive oil. The garlic flavor was quite strong but everyone enjoyed the start to the meal. Per usual, I had the Chicken Caesar Salad for my entree. It's probably enough for 2 to 3 hungry folks. Heaps of crisp romaine lettuce are topped with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese and large, moist chunks of grilled chicken breast. The dressing is delicious and I enjoy that there are anchovies in the dressing as it adds that distinct rich and nutty flavor without having the filets directly in the dish. Others had the special of the day, which was Grilled Prawns with Linguini in a pesto sauce, and Tortellini Con Pesto, or beef-filled tortellini in a creamy basil and garlic sauce. The rich, verdant green in the sauces was appealing and the flavors were all delicious. There wasn't much beef in the tortellini but the creamy cheese inside was flavorful and even a bit piquant. All in all a casual and enjoyable meal in a true North Beach institution.

Sodini's

510 Green Street in San Francisco