"For a leisurely Italian meal with a Negroni that can fix any derailed week or elevate a routine date night, there’s Che Fico Parco Menlo. This location of theItalian mini-chain has the same solid housemade pasta and pies you can expect from their other Bay Area spots. The patio is an oasis of greenery that is the perfect backdrop for a noodle-heavy dinner. Try the casoncelli—tender, thin pasta packages of luscious crab in a buttery, lemony sauce, or the radiatori in a just-spicy-enough vodka sauce. The blistered, charred-crust woodfired pizzas are excellent, especially the Genoa, with fava leaf, buttery green olives, and spicy honey. Walk-ins are easy on weekdays, but aim for a reservation on weekends." - gabi moskowitz