Vegan Friendly: Harvest By The Patio in Downtown San Diego
Kelly Bone discovers a vegan friendly spot in the shadow of the hot dogs and beer of Petco Park at Harvest by The Patio.
Now Open: Fresh Modern Italian in Downtown San Diego at Monzu Fresh Pasta
Located in a cozy spot steps from Petco Park that was most recently occupied by a meatball sandwich shop, Monzu Fresh Pasta opened just over a month ago.
The pasta-centric venue is owned and operated by Aldo de Dominicis Rotondi and Serena Romano, a husband and wife team who released themselves from high-pressure careers in Europe to embark on a new journey as first-time restaurant owners in San Diego. And they are already luring neighborhood locals with a slim but comprehensive all-day menu of from-scratch dishes that highlight original Italian recipes with simple, authentic, fresh flavors.
Photo 1: Monzu Fresh Pasta
Photo 2: Monzu Fresh Pasta
All pasta is crafted in-house, using best-in-class ingredients, including Giusto's certified organic durum wheat semolina flour and pasture-raised eggs from GoneStraw Farms in Riverside. A small retail section in the restaurant stocks pantry staples like grains, beans, biscuits, and fresh pastas sold by-the-pound to cook at home.
Fans of vodka sauce will enjoy the Pink Bomb, a twist on manfredi ragù e ricotta, which is traditionally served during holidays in Naples. It features broad noodles coated with rich and creamy sauce made from tomato puree, béchamel, ricotta, parmesan and pecorino cheese, pepper, and tender cubes of beef. Rave reviews of the indulgent dish have inspired return business, particularly after it was featured on the restaurant’s Instagram page.
“It was a huge success, so we had to add it to the menu,” says Serena.
The Raviolo Fritto Cacio e Pepe is similarly satisfying. A creative variation on the Roman classic, it features a pepper and cheese filling stuffed inside pan-fried ravioli (instead of swirled with spaghetti noodles).
The standout is the Ligurian pesto linguine, which features a light and bright basil and pine nut pesto.
In the next few weeks, the restaurant will debut gluten-free pasta made with chickpea flour and egg whites.
For dessert, don’t miss the tiramisu. Monzu’s version of the classic Italian dessert is generously portioned, yet lighter than air, thanks to an egg-free custard layer.
455 Tenth Avenue, East Village, San Diego
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-9pm; closed Mondays
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