$, Italian, Hillcrest
Fodor's Review:
The wood-burning oven roars on what pass for cold nights in San Diego, sending the shadows of dancing flames across the cozy dining room. Out come pizzas topped with forest mushrooms and smoky scamorza cheese, or perhaps alla messicana, a Mexican-style pie whose topping includes pork sausage, cilantro, and crushed red peppers. The list of imaginative pizzas is long (yes, you can get a pepperoni pizza, too), but there are also expertly made pastas such as penne in creamy vodka sauce with smoked salmon, and penne in pungent puttanesca sauce. Start daringly with a plate of roasted peppers with anchovies, and note that the young waiters from Italy treat guests well.
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