Sometimes when I want to go out to eat I just want it to be simple.  Not much fuss, no long wait and no fancy-schmansy menu items I can’t pronounce.  Oftentimes when I’m in the mood for a quick and easy bite I tend to gravitate towards Italian since it’s relatively simple.  While I’m not a fan of chain Italian restaurants *cough* Olive Garden *cough*, Pomodoro seems to be the best of both worlds: quick and easy without the mass-produced feel.

Pomodoro has both a lunch and dinner menu and serves everything from homemade pastas, salads, paninis and specialties such as grilled salmon and butternut squash ravioli.  The restaurant also offers daily specials and includes all nutritional information on its menu.

My friend and I decided to take a stroll down to Pomodoro one evening to have a nice dinner and catch up.  When we got to the restaurant around 6:30 it was full but not too full so we were able to sit out on the patio (which is highly recommended if you want to dine al fresco on a warm evening).  The night started with an obligatory glass of Pino Grigio.

The wine was good, but not mind-blowing.  But I quickly reminded myself that I was at a quick and easy type of place so chances were they weren’t going to have my favorite Pinot Grigio in-house.

We were soon presented with light, fluffy bread fresh out of the oven.

The bread was warm and gooey on the inside and had a nice crust.  But the pesto dipping sauce that accompanied the bread really put it over the top.

The pesto sauce may not look all that appetizing but it tastes pretty damn good.  Just trust me on this one.

After nearly devouring all our bread and drinking our wine, it was time for our entrees.  I initially had my eye on the Butternut Squash Ravioli but a.) I knew it would not be nearly as good as the ravioli at Cucina Alessa, and b.) I figured throwing some protein into my meal would probably be a good idea.  So Tagliata de Manzo it was! (aka skirt steak, arugula and white beans).

Yes, my steak is cooked well done and yes I’m aware that I’m “putting the meat to shame” by having it prepared that way.  But I like well done so that’s what we are rolling with.

Overall this was a good dish although the steak could have done with a bit more seasoning.

My friend decided to go with the Grilled Salmon Salad.

She said overall the flavor was good, just a bit too much dressing.  Neither of us could finish our entrees since we were stuffed from the yummy bread and pesto.  We decided to pass on dessert this time even though some of the dessert dishes did look pretty tasty.

And tha’s Pomodoro in a nutshell.  Quick and easy Italian food.  Best Italian food in town?  Nah.  Good Italian food that is reasonably priced?  Absolutely.  I’ll come back to Pomodoro even if it’s only for the delicious bread and pesto.  And maybe I’ll try a dessert next time too.

Pomodoro

5789 Alton Parkway

Irvine, CA 92618