by Wyatt A. Meal
A recent Friday evening found companion and I in the mood for some Italian food. One of our favorite places is Tesoro Italian Cuisine which is located at the corner of Clinton Keith and Palomar in Wildomar. We like Tesoro not only for their consistently great food but for their variety of seating. If you want a quiet, intimate meal, eat in the dining room. If it’s a nice temperate evening, you can eat on the outdoor patio, and if you crave a little entertainment you can dine in the lounge where there’s a live band playing Motown, R&B and Top 40 every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.
We often go up after work and split a salad and a pasta dish with a glass of wine and we’re in and out cheap and quick. But this recent evening we were looking for a little more so we perused the menu, including their new fall menu which features several seasonal favorites like Pumpkin Ravioli, Steak Roulade and Chicken Lasagna. From that menu we ordered their Italian Sausage in Red Grape Sauce appetizer. Their house-made sausage immediately transported me back to my childhood days when my grandmother made venison sausage after a successful hunt. The texture of the meat is a little finer than commercial sausage but it’s the combination of secret spices known only to elderly Italian women that makes the difference. (I am not suggesting that owner Valerie is an elderly Italian woman, but at some point in her life there was a Nonna who imparted this recipe to her I’m willing to bet). This is a delicious dish in a bold, spicy gravy with sweet red grapes that is pure heaven to soak up with their excellent light and fluffy focaccia.
Feeling adventurous, I ordered their Cinghiale Rib Rack, a rack of wild boar ribs served with an herb and Marsala sauce and polenta. Our server cautioned that the meat might be a bit gamy, as wild boar is inclined, but it really wasn’t. It certainly had a stronger flavor than beef but not at all unpleasant. This dish could actually stand up to a stronger sauce, in fact the gravy on the sausage dish would have been perfect for me. It would also serve as a good counter-point to the blandness of the polenta, a traditional accompaniment that we’re always trying to jazz up a little. The ribs were tender, full of flavor and neither gamy nor stringy, another sometime draw-back to wild creatures.
Companion ordered the 8 oz. filet, one of two steak dishes usually available as evening specials. The filet was cooked to perfection and as tender as any filet you’ll find anywhere. You could literally cut it with a fork and it had a great flavor. Seared outside, rare inside, an inch and a half thick served sizzling and aromatic – I was tempted to attempt a swap but companion wasn’t at all sympathetic. She did provide a couple (small) bites and it was just as tasty as it looked and smelled. I’ve also enjoyed their 16 oz. Ribeye in the past and it is equally good so don’t pass on the steak just because you’re at an Italian restaurant – they know what they’re doing on the grill.
Since no meal is complete without dessert, we ordered a special White Chocolate Crème Brule with raspberry sauce. We’ve had their regular Crème Brule (is there such a thing as ‘regular’ Crème Brule?), their Tiramisu, their Italian Wedding Cake and one they call their Chocolate Pepperoncino Cake with Vanilla Gelato. They were all excellent. But imagine your favorite Crème Brule with just a hint of white chocolate, that crispy sugar glaze on top and a swirl of raspberry flavor! It did not disappoint and the serving size was generous, another point in their favor.
We enjoyed a robust petite syrah which complimented our entrees perfectly. Prices are moderate here for lunch and dinner and they have several fun events like their Sunday Brunch that runs most of the day, their Wine Wednesday (bottled wine at half price with entree) and their Celebrity Bartender night, where some notable community leaders pour drinks with proceeds benefitting a local charity.
We are blessed to have a number of good Italian restaurants around the Valley these days but if you haven’t tried Tesoro Italian Cuisine lately, come in for lunch or make it an evening of entertainment. It won’t break the bank and you’ll have a great time and a great meal. For more information visit: http://tesoroitaliancuisine.com/.