Aqua Al 2

A restaurant frequented weekly while I was studying abroad in Florence was Aqua Al 2. If any of you have been to Florence, I can guarantee you’ve eaten there. It is a huge tourist spot and filled with all Americans. None the less it is delicious with their signature pasta sampler appetizer followed by their entrees of balsamic or blueberry steak. That was our weekly order no questions, no changes, no need to look at the menu. My mouth waters just thinking about this meal and restaurant...

San Diego also is home to another Aqua al 2 and while on our trip there, how could we not stop off at one of our Florence faves. The restaurant was designed to look like the rustic Firenze spot with plates lining the walls. As soon as we sat down and the bread was served in those brown paper bags, I asked the waiter if there was salt on the bread. He informed me there was not and I knew we were about to have a replica meal. The menu was exactly the same and there was no need to check it out, I ordered the pasta sampler and balsamic steak. The only thing about this meal not authentic was the wine was bottled and not served in jugs.

The Pasta Sampler included:

Farfalline ai Funghi Porcini
Bowtie pasta with sauteed porcini mushrooms and imported mascarpone cheese

Rigatoni alle Melanzane
Tube shaped pasta with a tomato eggplant sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Maccheroni alla Vodka
Penne pasta with a milk and vodka sauce and a touch of tomato sauce.

Fusilli Lunghi ai Mascarpone e Funghi
Long fiasilli pasta sauteed with porcini mushrooms and imported mascarpone cheese.

Topini al Radicchio Rosso
Small potato dumplings(gnocchi) with our house tomato sauce, Italian red cabbage, mascarpone cheese and Parmesan cheese

The meal was just as good as I remembered it, the company was even better, and although San Diego is a fabulous city, next time I hope to be eating at Aqua Al 2 back in Firenze where I first fell in love with it.