Eating Authenticity: Café Citti Italian Trattoria

Dining around these parts often comes as pomp with a side of circumstance.

So, for me, Café Citti's two-step concept—order at the counter; eat great food—is a welcome reprieve, and well worth the jaunt to Kenwood.

Originally from Tuscany, Chef/Owner Luca Citti effectively translates the everyday cuisine of Chianti to the very similar climate and terrain of our backyard in the Sonoma Valley. 

Luca originally opened Café Citti in 1990 as a casual breakfast place, but over time he's has guided the trattoria into something special.  

The Kenwood cafe is very focused, no time wasted on an abundance of meat-heavy entrees. The menu focuses on homemade pastas, salads and Tuscan rotisserie chicken, perfect for a casual evening or carry out. 

If you plan to dine in, bring a bottle from home and enjoy the complimentary wine corkage! 

My favorite dish is the Ravioli all Citti: Luca's homemade ravioli filled with meat, swiss chard and fresh herbs, served in a light tomato and basil cream sauce.  It's unbelievable and only $14.50—possibly the best deal around; it’s delicate, fresh and satisfying.  Their classic caesar salad, topped with a fresh white anchovy fillet, is everything caesar salad should be but often isn't: briny, garlic-doused and flavorful. For $6.50, it shouldn’t be missed.

The only negative to this place is , Santa Rosa resident and food channel personality (known for his mass-marketed masculinity-obsessed TV show).

It seems lately Fieri has scooped up every decent eatery in a 30-mile radius of his home, to “show” it to middle America.  Yes, great for tourism and business -- but annoyance for Sonoma Valley residents. In my opinion this “guy” needs to loose the spiky blond-tipped hair and drive his fancy yellow Ferrari out of here. It always ruins my day when I hear of that Guy's got his hands on.

But that's no fault of Café Citti, the rare gem that is exactly what it claims to be: a Trattoria, casual, no printed menus, with a focus on repeat business and high quality, modest food. 

It's so good, it's almost universal. Sit down for dinner at one of the dimly-lit tables and you might be in an old Brooklyn neighborhood, a bay-front dive in Naples, or even your Nonna's kitchen table. 

Don’t be detoured by the modest facade, authenticity is waiting inside.

The Gist: Café Citti, 9049 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood CA.  707-833-2690. Open Sunday -Thursday 11 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. -  9 p.m., Closed daily between 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. (Check the hours, they vary seasonally.)