La Briciola - Italian, San Francisco

489 Third Street, San Francisco CA 94107
(415) 512-0300
Parking: street parking
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Dinner Sun-Thurs 5:30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-10:30pm
http://www.labriciola-sf.com/

Last Visited: October 24, 2009

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$$ to $$$$

I first found out about La Briciola because I was looking for a place for dinner in the SOMA. After searching around a bit, I found this northern Italian restaurant and its offerings from earth and ocean sounded really delicious.

I had made a reservation and upon arrival, I was seated in the candle-lit room. The decorations were modern with simple lines. The tables and chairs are dark-colored wood, a few shades darker than the wood floors. Black and white photos and arches in the walls are nice touches that make the place feel warm and inviting.

I met Jay and Milly for dinner here on this cool evening. I perused the menu which is divided by the earth and ocean offerings. Each menu contains antipasti, primi, and secondi. The primi contained mostly pasta offerings while the secondi offered a variety of meat dishes. We started off by sharing an appetizer.

- Frittura di calamari - We split the fried calamari that was lightly breaded and served with marinara sauce. The breading was light and the marinara had a lot of spices. The portion is reasonable and a good size for sharing. Good. $13

- Linguine de mare - Mussels, clams, shrimp, tomatoes were cooked to create a delicious sauce and served with linguine. Although the menu serves the sauce with tagliolini, the waiter was accommodating and allowed us to change this to linguine. The pasta is al dente as true Italian pasta should be. The seafood was cooked through without being chewy. Another good dish. $18


- Agnello al Brunello - An item from the secondi portion of the menu, this rack of lamb was cooked until medium and served with a green peppercorn sauce and Brunello red wine reduction. A side of sauteed vegetables comprised of broccoli and carrots accompanied the meat. They did a good job of cooking the meat to my liking and the sauce was perfect - well-rounded and rich without being heavy. I enjoyed this dish a lot. $26

While I didn't personally order these dishes, I thought I would include the photos to show you what the portions and presentation for primi dishes look like.


- Gnocchi - The gnocchi sauce is rich and creamy. I liked how they browned it on top. $18

- Ravioli - I couldn't get the picture to turn the correct way, but you can tell that there aren't a whole lot of ravioli on this plate. It's truly a primi portion and not enough without other courses to supplement the pasta unless you happen to be a very light eater. I suspect it is high in quality and flavor both in regards to the filling and sauce, and it is ideal as a light course before the main dish. $15

Overall, I liked the food at La Briciola, but I found the prices to be a little higher than they could be, with the exception of the rack of lamb. The setting is modern and pleasant, and probably impressive for a first date or dinner with the parents. However, the service seemed slightly on the pretentious side. The server was in general, friendly and he knew the menu well, but the atmosphere could be made warmer through interactions with both the server and host staff.

At La Briciola, my suggestion would be to order a secondi or if you insist on getting a primi, order additional courses unless you have a small appetite. Good quality Italian overall with an atmosphere that fits in with city life.