No matter what your mood, you can't help but smile--and maybe even hum--upon entering Café in Larkspur. It's not the white, orange and brown-painted walls or the unframed posters of Italian food or maps of Italy festooning the walls. Rather, it's hearing Dean Martin (and Frank Sinatra and Perry Como) crooning in the background that instantly uplifts.
Despite its location in the Lucky supermarket strip mall and an interior that looks none too Italianate, this little trattoria belies any preconceived notions. Once inside the small space (which seats 28-30 inside, 15-20 outside), customers are greeted like old friends--a genuinely warm welcome. The Sannella family, with executive chef Pasquale Sannella and manager Pietro Sannella, opened Café Lucano a little over a year ago. And it feels as if everyone working here is part of the family--whether related by blood or not.
Once settled in, we perused the wine list. A number of Italian wines--by the bottle and glass--are listed on the menu, but many more are available. And the prices are reasonable: A wine that complements the food quite nicely can be had for as little as $5.95-$6.95. Italian and domestic beers are offered as well.
Sannella's rustic fare is neither pretentious nor flamboyant. But there is no skimping on ingredients. The night we were there, an organic chicken dish and wild-caught salmon were among the specials. Fresh, seasonal vegetables accompany meat, poultry and fish entrees. And the pizza dough and some of the pastas are made in-house (as is the tiramisu).
And the cost? Like the wine, very reasonable--the most expensive dinner entrée on the menu is $14.95. The specials can be a little more. (Unfortunately, our waitress didn't tell us about the specials. I asked about the fresh fish of the day, which is how I chose the linguine pescatore ($16.95). We only found out there were other specials when our waitress described them to the women at the next table.)The dozen pizzas start at $6.95 for the small-size traditional margherita and top out at $21.95 for the extra-large Popeye (spinach, fresh sliced tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and aged Parmigiano Reggiano) and extra-large cowboy (grilled steak, salciccia, pepperoni, pancetta and provolone).
We started with the caprese ($6.95) and warm eggplant salad, which seemed a bit pricey at $8.95. Once I saw it, though, I realized it was a bargain--and more than enough for two people as a starter. The chopped romaine, little cubes of eggplant, tomato quarters, kalamata olives, cucumber strips and feta cheese tossed with a tart vinaigrette was a delicious combination, but we couldn't finish it. The caprese, with its slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and plenty of extra virgin olive oil, tasted every bit as good as it looked and we ate every bite. A server even came by with bread for us to sop up the olive oil.
The linguine pescatore, pasta with clams, prawns and chunks of salmon, was covered in a tasty tomato sauce that wasn't spicy, but had a bit of a bite to it--a deliciously fish-y dish. The pasta man zeroed in right away on one of his favorites--penne e salciccia--and he was very happy with his choice. The spicy sausage, organic spinach and pasta had just enough red sauce to bring the dish together without overwhelming the other flavors. He'll be ordering it again.
Even leaving half of one entrée to take home, we were sated, almost to the point of being stuffed. But when our waitress insisted we must taste the best tiramisu ($5.50) in the world, we couldn't resist--and no one who dines here should. This dessert definitely should be shared. The impressive-sized wedge was beautifully presented on a large white plate drizzled with chocolate. And it was excellent: so moist, not very sweet, tasting of coffee and rich from the mascarpone cheese.Café Lucano's intimate interior, the congenial waitstaff and authentic, well-prepared country-style food had us feeling as if we'd stumbled upon a mom-and-pop run trattoria somewhere in Italy. Walking out the door, we were right back in the strip mall. But we left satisfied and gratified, humming Dino's "Mambo Italiano" all the way home.
