Delfina

3621 18th St. (and Guerrero)
(415) 552-3055

Italian in the Mission

really yummy italian food in a busy and small environment.. our reservation was at 9 'o 'clock, but even when we left, the place was very packed. [I thought it was a very cute, comfortable yet trendy place... somewhere people would eat at any day of the week]

for an appetizer, definitely get the grilled calamari with the tiny white beans - very tasty, and i don't even like beans. [We got the lettuce involtini, which was basically meat wrapped in lettuce with tomato sauce, which was good]

for entrees, the swordfish was just the right texture and just the right moistness and with a perfect balance of flavors. [the swordfish was so good! the butter sauce on the side was to die for, literally if you have too much =P ] the braised shortribs with polenta also made my tastebuds happy, but after awhile, too much braised meat just beomces a chore to finish (the polenta was a nice complement to the ribs though). [We also had the skatewing, which is a type of fish related to the sting-ray. it was ok, but definitely not as good as the swordfish! For dessert, we had this lemon budino with huckleberry sauce and marscapone cream. budino is, i guess, this kind of pudding cake - it was very light and interesting. huckleberry doesn't impress me, btw, since it sounds "ooooh" but just about every restaurant has some kind of huckleberry dessert!]

as a date place, this probably wouldn't be the best place to go. the tables are so close together you could eat off the table next to you and the restaurant is so busy it doesn't have that nice and quiet atmosphere. come here for the food, [particularly the swordfish!!] it's worth it.

---

I actually went back for a second time, and it was not as good as the first AT ALL (took off one star).

- s - k