THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Piatti

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Piatti Restaurant Review:

Piatti’s discreet location, just off the main drag, attracts a strong home crowd and engages the timeless gape of out-of-town tourists, unfamiliar with the brand. This Piatti’s is enthusiastically managed with friendly service. You'll find an easy two-page menu of mostly pizzas and pastas and a handful of larger main courses to sort through. There's also a fun selection of cocktails (some tasty non-alcoholic beverages as well, such as the ginger julip) to wet one's whistle. We sampled the soup of the day, creamy potato and leek full of vegetal flavor. We were not impressed by an artichoke, olive and sun-dried tomato pizza. Those who are not fans of chicken thighs and wings should steer clear of the free-range roasted chicken. The breast meat teetered on the edge of being overcooked and the remaining bony, vein-y thigh and wing didn't leave much meat to work with. Crème anglaise appeared carelessly thrown on a chocolate mousse cake, the accompanying vanilla gelato's texture and taste far from any vanilla we had ever known. Piatti is stronger in the pasta category, the ribbons of saffron pasta tossed with shrimp, tomato, garlic and chili flakes, a solid bet. There’s a decent selection of local wines---with a few bigger California surprises, like Opus One.