August 31, 2017 - Lillian's Italian Kitchen - Santa Cruz, California

Rose Filicetti, Neal Savage and I chose Lillian's Italian Kitchen for dinner.  We started our meal with crusty bread – oil and balsamic vinegar.  That followed with Insalata Caprese – Heirloom tomatoes served with burrata mozzeralla, 14-year old balsamic, fresh basil, oregano and olive oil.   (Note: burrata is a fresh Italian cheese made from mozzeralla and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella, while the inside contains stracciatella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture.  It is also defined by some sources as an outer shell of mozzarella filled with butter or a mixture of butter and sugar. This agrees with original meaning of the word burrata, literally "buttered" in Italian  It is usually served fresh and at room temperature.)

Insalada Caprese

We ordered and shared the Sunday Gravy – their family’s tomato base meat sauce, simmered slow with beef, pork, Italian sausage and  spare ribs. We ordered ours with penne.  This one tasted a lot like my Grandma’s sauce.  I don’t know if everyone knows this or not but every good Italian cook’s sauce has a distinguishing taste. (All of us Italian descendants in Havre, Montana, once had a huge party where everyone cooked and brought their family’s sauce.  It was neat.  I, of course, brought my grandma’s, Luigina Devita Filicetti.  In came this one young lady who had spent a lot of time with my Grandma when she was young.  As she was tasting all the sauces, I heard her exclaim, “Who brought Luginia’s sauce?”)

Lil’s Kitchen Special – penne primavera served with arrabbiata sauce, topped with mozzarella, then baked to order.   I was surprised that each of these two dishes had a very distinctive taste.  I liked both of the dishes...but I really liked this one…and I don’t know if I would have ever ordered it…but Neal wanted it…I am so happy that we did.  (arrabbiata - is a spicy sauce for pasta from garlic, tomatoes and dried red chili peppers cooked in olive oil.  Arrabbiata literally means "angry" in Italian.  The name of the sauce refers to the spiciness of chili peppers.)

Lillian’s Italian Restaurant

1148 Soquel Avenue

Santa Cruz, CA 95062

(831) 425-2288

Hours:  Tuesday – Thursday 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

             Friday – Saturday 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

            Sunday – 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

            Monday – Closed

History:

            “Opened on July 4, 2007 by owners Joe and Charlotte Moreno and heir two sons, Chris and Matt.  The long time Santa Cruz residendts dream was to open a neighborhood place that was an extension of their family kitchen using Grandma Lillian’s recipes – learned from her parents and the many Italian influences in her neighborhood in Yonkers, New York where she was born.”

-          From the business website