Bar Bambino

2931 16th St (between Capp & S. Van Ness)
(415) 701-8466

www.barbambino.com

Since Solstice was such an abismal failure, C let me pick the place so I chose Bar Bambino because it's supposed to be really cute with amazing food. And any excuse to go to the Mission is good by me.

Bar Bambino has a very extensive list of Italian wines, and since we were a little lost, the server suggested a pinot-esque bottle. He really seemed to know his wines, and though the wine he recommended was stellar, he didn't really provide us much guidance on price.

We then took the server's suggestions on some items on the menu. C was in charge of picking the main, so we went with the Braised Beef Brisket with horseradish gremolada. I was pretty fired up about the selection since I'm a huge fan of anything braised, but unfortunately this dish underdelivered against my perhaps high expectations. It was supposedly prepared in red wine, porcini and cocoa, but all I could taste was an overwhelming amount of salt. We also had the Pappardelle with Sugo di Coniglio which was actually really good - wide flat ribbons of fresh pasta in a savory sauce and braised rabbit. But it irked me that the server told us that Bar Bambino now has fresh pasta. Why on earth wouldn't it have always been homemade for a place of this caliber? Lastly, we had the Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta which were just okay. In my opinion, brussel sprouts need a nice sear to them and these certainly did not have that ideal brownness. Nor was the pancetta crispy. I could have done better.

Anyone could have. I guess dining with C just isn't meant to be.

The Verdict: Not Worth It