Il Cane Rosso – A Casual Setting for a Remarkable Lunch

It was a chilly morning at the Farmers Market so I went inside the Ferry Building in search of something to warm me up…and found Il Cane Rosso, which had recently taken over the old Mistral space. "The Red Dog" is a joint venture between Daniel Patterson (chef of Coi) and Lauren Kiino (former Delfina chef) offering casual, Italian-inspired cuisine made with only local ingredients – many sourced directly from producers featured at the Ferry Building.

Heirloom Organic Carrot Soup with Dill Oil – the flavors were clean and straightforward. It reminded me of a butternut squash soup, but not as sweet and much lighter. The dill oil added a nice herbal note to the soup.

Gristmill Polenta with Sage Butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano – this is exactly how I like polenta…super thick and creamy with a nice chunky texture from the grains (people need to stop serving weak and mushy polenta). The sharp flavor of the parmigiano-reggiano balanced its richness. This polenta was so deliciously hearty and comforting.

Early Girl Tomato Sandwich with Fromage Blanc, Basil and Arugula – this sandwich looked so simple, yet it was absolute perfection. A prime example of how great ingredients can make all the difference in the world...just using any tomato, bread, or cheese would have made this sandwich taste completely different. The early girl tomatoes were extraordinarily sweet and powerful, it was like eating candy. The bread was plain and really airy so it didn’t dominate the sandwich, but it was toasted just right so that its crispy presence held up to the other ingredients. The Cowgirl Creamery fromage blanc was light and creamy, giving the sandwich just a bit of richness. And rounding out the sandwich was the delicate bitterness of the arugula and the sweet, grassy zip of the fresh basil. Also, served on the side were slices of pickled white carrots...crunchy, tart, and slightly sweet. It was all DELISH!!
I love having an incredible meal when I least expect it. I was just looking for a warm lunch and got so much more at Il Cane Rosso – simple and comforting food with a sophisticated touch.

After eating, I made a beeline to the Dirty Girl Produce stand to buy some early girl tomatoes. I was smitten by their incredible sweetness in my sandwich (sorry, my beloved heirlooms – you’ll now have to share my heart with these early girls!) I learned that early girl tomatoes are usually dry-farmed so they take in less water, increasing the concentration of their sweet flavor.

BITE METER: Il Cane Rosso - 4.5 bites (out of 5.0)