Cotogna
Focaccia
House Cured Cod Bruschetta with Pole Beans
Monterey Bay Squid, Cucumbers, Haricots Verts
Grilled Shrimp with Beets and Cucumber
Knoll Farm Fig Pizza with Gorgonzola Dolce and Arugula
Chino Farm Corn Triangoli
Tagliatelle with Devil’s Gulch Rabbit and Fiddlehead Ferns
Trippa alla Fiorentina
Wolfe Ranch Quali with Corn and Green Chickpea
Chocolate Budino, Market Fruit, Streusel
Located adjacent to Quince and featuring a far less Frenchified interpretation of Chef Michael Tusk’s Italian cuisine it was with plans to meet a fellow fine dining enthusiast that reservations for two were booked at Cotagna and with my companion well-known to the house it seemed only reasonable to assume the meal would be memorable – an assumption that would at least partially hold true for the food, though service left much to be desired even after taking into account my friend’s 30-minute late arrival and the addition of a third diner to an already small table. Truly a bustling spot, rich in blond woods with every seat filled as suits discussed business over the popular prix-fixe, it was just after 12:30 when our full party finally sat and with time constraints duly noted our order was expeditious, though service was anything but as long delays left us picking at bread early on and literally ‘wolfing down’ the complimentary Wolfe Ranch Quail as the clock neared 3:00pm. Fawned over by the Maitre d’ due to my table-mate but not particularly benefitted by this save for the quail served with an apology for slow service it was largely with an eye on diversity that the rest of our meal progressed and flowing from lighter flavors to those more bold a common theme emerged, the perfect produce and light saucing far outperforming proteins I found to be generally overcooked and underportioned given the price – the tender tripe a lone exception, though still not on par with that at A16 or Delfina. Focusing on the strengths of the meal it bears mention that the wood fired pizza deserves high praise for its seamless marriage of savory and sweet atop a smoky crust while Tusk’s team again showed a deft hand with filled pastas in the silky Triangoli filled with what can best be described as cream corn veloute rife with butter and just a touch of aged cheese. Certainly not a ‘bad’ meal by any means but one that could most certainly have been better both in food and service suffice it to say that I won’t be rushing back to Cotagna given the high quality of the Bay Area’s mid-range Italian scene but I’d also not dissuade others from giving it a chance, particularly those interested in focusing on pasta but not yet willing to go all-in at the dual Michelin starred spot next door.
RECOMMENDED: Filled Pastas, Pizza
AVOID: Meat-heavy Secondi, Shellfish prone to losing texture with overcooking.
TIP: It should be noted that my visit occurred with a recent change in the kitchen and this may have been partially responsible for service delays and preparation mistakes. Perhaps giving the kitchen some time to re-find its legs is in order, though from my standpoint this is one of those situations where Tusk should be present making sure things are ‘right’ until the ship can sail itself.
http://www.cotognasf.com/
