Chef Cesarina Mezzoni—who recently made her national TV debut as a featured chef on Food Network’s new CHOPPED spinoff, Chopped Next Gen—has just rolled out with a summer menu revamp at her namesake trattoria in Point Loma.
NEW SUMMER MENU HIGHLIGHTS
Cesarina’s newly-launched menu ushers in a lineup of fresh fare, starting with can’t-miss antipasti like the Bruschettone Prosciutto e Fichi, a summery bruschetta starring homemade bread, fig, prosciutto, whipped ricotta & “Miele di Castagno” (chestnut honey), and Il Pasticcio, a baked ‘nduja and burrata dip with confit cherry tomatoes and orange zest.
A standout newcomer to “Cesa’s Fave Pastas,” the Naccheri Vodka & Scampi features from-scratch paccheri noodles, creamy shrimp vodka sauce and wild-caught langoustine. More highlights from the curated pasta program include saffron-infused zucchini fettuccine, truffle-topped gnocchi, and wild boar ragù pappardelle.
Among seasonal entrées, Cesarina introduces the Tagliata Porcini— a 10 oz. steak served with porcini mushrooms, heirloom carrots & roasted fingerling potatoes— and Ricciola in Guazzatto, a buttery Amberjack fillet & fresh clams in a tangy “guazetto” white wine sauce.
Cesarina’s tiramisu remains an all-star staple, two limited time sweets grace the dolci lineup: Capresina, a traditional “Torta Caprese” with pistachio semifreddo and lemon-white chocolate sauce, and Fragile con Pane, a lighter treat featuring fresh strawberries, fluffy meringue and “Lingue di Gatto” cookies.
ABOUT CESARINA
Cesarina Ristorante reigns among the city’s best destinations for authentic Italian cuisine. At just 26 years old, Cesarina Mezzoni, chef/partner and muse behind the eponymous restaurant, is quickly becoming one of San Diego’s rising stars. Her sentimental affinity for cooking is fixed in her childhood memories in Rome. Her mother, who immigrated to Italy from the East African islands of Seychelles, used cooking as a means of assimilation into the foreign culture—a virtue she passed along to Cesarina.
The restaurant’s charming indoor-outdoor venue features lush patios and an open-air pastificio (pasta factory), where fresh pasta is churned out daily. Bearing Cesarina’s ‘everything made in house’ credo, the culinary program showcases a variety of create-your-own pasta dishes, alongside seasonally rotating entrées and vegan specialties.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2021
Angelo, Mezzoni’s highly-anticipated sophomore concept, is set to open by year’s end. The culinary program will honor Italy’s most emblematic culinary creation: pizza Napoletana. Chef Mezzoni will also reveal an ambitious in-house artisan cheese program at the forthcoming restaurant.
Angelo’s open-air ‘caseificio’ (cheese factory) will serve as an interactive focal point, allowing guests an excellent vantage of cheesemaking synonymous with Italy’s southern regions including Provola, Caciocavallo, Mozzarella, a tableside Burrata preparation and more.
Having acquired a nearby commissary kitchen, Cesarina is gearing up for a multifaceted brand expansion. The commercial facility will soon become the epicenter of Cesarina’s high-volume pastificio and bakery, giving way to a bespoke retail division and off-site catering services.
Coinciding with an integrated e-commerce platform, the retail program will commodify Cesarina Risorante’s fresh pastas and from-scratch sauces, dishing out countless possibilities of ingredients to cook at home. Expansion plans will also debut Chef Mezzoni’s gourmet cake factory. Dubbed “Le Torte di Cesarina,” the bake shop will showcase a curated lineup of made-to-order cakes, from multi-tiered gateaux to fruity tartes.
See you there….and stay healthy, San Diego!
