Post #500!: Dinner After General Convocation

My family and I celebrated my graduation from Cal on Friday, 5/22/09 at this restaurant (after the general commencement ceremony; psych grad dinner pics to come). I'm so fortunate and thankful to have had such a delicious meal with my family.

Il Fornaio
1265 Battery Street (in Levi's Plaza)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Website here

My dinner ("Cappellaci di Zucca ... Ravioli filled with butternut squash and walnuts topped with brown butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crispy sage and marinara") - RICH but sweet. Wow. Felt so guilty eating this. Really should have gotten the small order because that was three ravioli...and I ended up eating only three of these five (I didn't waste the rest; don't worry):


I think this was Dad's salad (mmm...fresh cheese):


Mom's salad:


Appetizer #1 ("Bruschetta [pronounced 'Brew-skeh-tah' or 'Brew-sheh-tah,' according to Alton Brown] al Pomodoro ... Grilled ciabatta bread rubbed with garlic and topped with chopped tomatoes, fresh basil and Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil")


Appetizer #2 ("Prosciutto e Melone ... Tuscan melon, Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano and mint"):

Appetizer #3 ("Calamaretti Fritti ... Baby squid, lightly floured and deep fried, served with spicy tomato-basil, prosecco vinegar and parsley sauces"):


Uncle Jerry's dinner/salad ("Insalata Caprese ... Heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil"):

Ryan's dinner (Gnocchi alle Melanzane ... Housemade potato dumplings with fried eggplant and eggplant ragu, pecorino and smoked mozzarella"):


The inside of one of my rich ravioli:

Didn't take pictures of what everyone else got, but here's their menu.

The desserts options!:


Mom's Affogato Al Caffe, which she shared with the rest of us ("Espresso poured over two scoops of vanilla ice cream and topped with fresh whipped cream"):


The dessert we all shared (Zabaoine Alla Gritti - "Chilled zabaoine with fresh berries, Bellini sorbet, fresh whipped cream and an amarena cherry"):

They sell baked goods too:


They hung noodles up as decoration (we asked because they were all gross and dusty):

Here's the dessert menu (in case you wanted to know what the other options were):