Walking down Castro Street, you are bound to notice a majestic creature guarding two heavy wooden doors. Though overall unassuming from the exterior, the bronzed lion gives a hint of what’s to be expected behind the doors. Stepping into Ristorante Don Giovanni, we were greeted by a large cavernous dining room. Timeless booths and wooden tables were lit by the warm glow of candles. Hand-painted grapevines crawled up the walls and harvest colors set the classic, Italian atmosphere.
Since 1977, Don Giovanni’s has stood as an establishment that accommodates a wide variety of occasions, whether that be going out on a lunch date with friends, spending a romantic evening with a special someone, or hosting a large gathering in one of the spacious and private banquet rooms. The staff is knowledgeable and efficient, guaranteeing good service and an overall pleasant experience. The commodious interior features high ceilings, a full bar, and an open kitchen in the back. The dining experience itself is relaxed and provides the perfect environment to socialize due to the low chatter of neighboring tables and the soft instrumental music that plays in the background, often featuring famed soundtracks from films such as The Godfather. After perusing the extensive menu, we chose to order an antipasti, a pasta, a pizza, and a secondi piatti.
Bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (8.83/10)
Serving bread to begin a meal is a beloved staple in Italian restaurants. This practice likely stems from the Italian gesture of offering bread as a way to welcome guests. Restaurants have adjusted this tradition to become a gesture of hospitality and a way for people to pass time as they await their meal.
After being seated, we were quickly presented with a bowl of fresh bread. It was paired with a mouthwatering sauce: a combination of garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Often, bread served at restaurants is cut too thickly to easily take a bite out of. Luckily, the bread here was a good thickness and consistency. We received a large portion, which we took advantage of and used to dip in the linguine pesto sauce.
Bruschetta al pomodoro (8/10)
Bruschetta has been a staple of Italian cuisine since its origins in ancient Rome, where it was originally a humble dish enjoyed by farmers. Over time, with the influence of regional variations, bruschetta evolved into the popular antipasti, or starter, it is today. For our meal, we specifically had bruschetta al pomodoro, a version topped with ripe red tomatoes.
Sitting on a bed of spring greens, the warm bruschetta was a crunchier version of the bread we had just enjoyed. Its crispness, often overdone, was surprisingly very easy to eat; this textural element only added to the dish’s taste. Paired with basil and olive oil and topped with freshly diced tomato, the bruschetta managed to not become soggy. When enjoyed together in one’s mouth, this contrast between the juicy and crispy textures made an all the more special experience.
Margherita pizza (8.17/10)
Margherita pizza originated at Pizzeria Brandi in Naples, Italy. The dish is widely believed to have been created in 1889 when the pizzaiolo, pizza maker, Raffaele Esposito created the pizza to honor Queen Margherita of Italy. Visually, the colors of the tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil—red, white, and green—are the colors of the Italian flag, reinforcing the pizza’s connection to its country of origin.
The margherita pizza consisted of large slices of tomato, melty mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Fresh out of the oven, the pizza was neither burnt nor underbaked. The crust was perfect—thin enough to easily bite into but sturdy enough to hold its own. While we appreciated the cheese to bread ratio and would order it again, there was nothing that especially stood out about this pizza.
Linguine Pesto (9.25/10)
The origins of pesto can be traced to the time of the Romans who first created moretum, a ground paste including garlic, cheese, and a mixture of herbs. Later, Italians in Genoa, Italy, in the province of Liguria, added basil, pine nuts, and local olive oil to this traditional Roman recipe in order to create pesta—a word originating from pestare which means “to pound or crush in a mortar with a pestle.” The first known recipe for this modern pesto was believed to be recorded in La Cuciniera Genovese, written by Giovanni Battista Ratto in 1863. Linguine can also claim Genoa as the city of its birth. Originally made with durum wheat, the popular pasta shape, meaning “little tongues,” is actually not completely flat or round, but actually flattened in a way that more closely resembles an oval.
We all agreed that this dish was undoubtedly one of the best pasta dishes we had ever eaten. Sahana, who admitted that she was not usually a fan of pesto, vocalized her appreciation on numerous occasions. The presentation itself was incredibly appetizing, as the pesto was a deeply vivid green accompanied by a small mound of parmesan cheese. Not only was the portion size manageable, but we also found the pasta itself to be pleasantly lighter than we were expecting. The length of the noodles, the creaminess of the pesto, and the subtle garlic flavoring all contributed to the overall rather delightful texture and taste of the entrée.
Chicken Piccata (9.45/10)
The secondi piatti, or second course, typically consisting of the protein in a meal, was our chicken piccata. Piccata is a dish where meat is lightly floured, pan-fried, and served in a sauce of lemon and capers. The origin of this dish is surprisingly not in Italy, but in the US, where it was most likely created by Italian Americans in the 1930s.
Sautéed in lemon, capers, and white wine, our free-range chicken breast was beautifully plated alongside a cooked seasonal vegetable medley and mashed potatoes. The chicken itself was fresh and flavorful, with the perfect balance of seasoning and sauce. The chemistry between the tangy lemon, piquant capers, and tender chicken was particularly notable, creating a very bright flavor. This taste was only further enhanced when additionally paired with the vegetables and mashed potatoes, which were soft and complemented the dish well, though not particularly memorable on their own. The meal was not only absolutely delicious, but also generous in portion size.
Overall, we appreciated the precision and expertise that obviously went into creating each dish we tried. We would recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for an excellent culinary experience that will undoubtedly hit the spot.
