"If you’ve ever fantasized about being a regular at a place where the staff knows your wine preferences, Sunday dinner order, and your dog’s dietary restrictions by heart, Nob Hill Cafe is a great place to start. The candlelit old-school spot near the Fairmont serves the exact brand of classic, cream-laden Italian pastas that you’ll want to inhale on a chilly city night. And once you’ve finished off a heaping portion of solid spaghetti carbonara or penne vodka (cheese sprinkled tableside from a crock pot-sized bowl), follow it up with hefty scoops of ganache with whipped cream for dessert. It’s walk-in only here, but that shouldn’t stop you from scheduling a monthly standing appointment for family dinners or date nights before a show at The Masonic. You’ll be greeted by name soon enough. Food Rundown Penne Bettola The vodka sauce has a light kick without tasting like a fistful of red pepper flakes. A crowd-pleaser for a reason. Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Silky with a pile of pancetta. It could do with a dash of salt, but you won’t be mad about ordering this. Pollo Alla Parmigiana The chicken breast is perfectly cooked and covered in a bubbly crust of mozzarella. The penne pomodoro it’s served over, though, is forgettable. photo credit: Julia Chen Chocolate Ganache More restaurants should serve straight-up scoops of ganache for dessert. The dense balls of not-too-sweet chocolate are paired with whipped cream and strawberries, and is the ideal finisher to a night here." - Julia Chen
