(408) 330-9212
3905 Rivermark Plz
Santa Clara, CA 95054
http://www.piatti.com/
Neighborhood: North San Jose
Cuisine: Italian, Pizza
Cost: $$ = $25 – $35 – Moderately priced
Three Forks = A Value. Merits a drive if you’re looking for this type of food
Hours:
Monday – Friday: 11:00AM – 9:30PM
Saturday & Sunday 5:00PM – 9PM
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Handicap accessible: Yes
Parking: Private Lot
Vegetarian options: Yes
Kid friendly: No
Liquor served: Full bar
Wine List: Decent options, at average prices
Outdoor seating: Yes, heated open air patio
Reservations: Yes
Unique: Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, in the conveniently located Rivermark Plaza, Piatti offers a nice reprieve from the everyday. Featuring a gorgeous outdoor courtyard, an indoor terrace and an open floor plan that includes a vibrant bar and lounge, Piatti is the go-to spot for corporate lunches, after-work cocktail hour, group dinners and private events. Their menu changes from time to time, but some of their staples remain the same.
Bill and I have eaten here several times. We’ve enjoyed quiet dinners for two as well as experienced awesome service with groups gathering for business dinners, and will definitely continue to come back. The food is decent overall and the service has always been attentive and good. We like the ambiance, which is attractive and warm.
I’m always fond of an open kitchen and the menu is affordable. They are usually a full house, which generally means it’s pretty good. It can get a little loud, but we have had no problem visiting with our guests. Though we have only chosen to eat in doors, the patio looks like it would be glorious for the beautiful summer weather.
Complementary: bread and olive oil vinaigrette
Flavorful, fresh and warm, this bread was delicious with its olive oil and balsamic dipping sauce that contained herbs.
Started off with: Buratta, 18 Months, Prosciutto di Parma, Marinated Peppers & Fava Beans, Roasted $13.00
This fresh Italian cheese is made from mozzarella and cream and is one of our all time favorites. I have typically eaten it served ina caprese form, but this was good!
The outer shell of this cheese is solid mozzarella, while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it an unusual soft texture. It was served fresh, at room temperature and was absolutely delicious on seasoned toast points! The cold cuts were a great accompaniment.
House Made Mozzarella, Heirloom Tomatoes, Sea Salt, Basil Oil, Balsamic Reduction $14.00
This simple Caprese salad was made of sliced wedges of tomatoes with fresh made-in-house mozzarella, topped with a basil oil and balsamic reduction. It was seasoned perfectly and was enough to share with three people!
Entree: Pan Seared Sea Scallops, Lemon Risotto Cake, Arugula, Radicchio, Caper Brown Butter $31.00
Though this dish was flavorful, you can see that the scallops were not “seared”.
Mary’s Chicken breast stuffed with Mushrooms, Leeks, Teleme, Herb jus, mashed Cauliflower, and Spinach $22.00
This was an entrée from one of our first visits. It was a delicious, flavorful dish but the chicken was over cooked. I should have sent it back, but had been satisfied with so many other elements, including the American semi-soft cheese that originated in the San Francisco Bay Area of California; that I added enough moisture to eat it anyways.
There was very little “stuffing” and the chicken was somewhat dry. The mashed cauliflower and herb jus made this dish work.
Braised Lamb shank, served with soft Polenta, green beans, and roasted Tomatoes $26.00
This is one of their higher priced items on the menu, but was hearty and flavorful making it worth it! The shank was cooked to perfect tender and delicious and was served over polenta that was good, but a bit under seasoned. The juice from the lamb added salt and the tomatoes were just how we like them; sweet and tangy!
This was a Halibut fish dish Bill enjoyed during one of the visits, however I don’t remember the description. Their presentation of dishes is enticing.
They do have a Gluten Free menu. Bill tried the Penne Niman Ranch Pork& Beef Bolognese, Grana Padano, $17.50
He hadn’t eaten much pasta, which is one of his favorite dishes and he reported this to be “OK”. I tasted it and thought the sauce was alright, but the pasta itself was extremely bland and I didn’t love it.
Pan Roasted Duck Breast, Fregola, Arugula, Artichokes, Saffron Cranberry Agrodolce, $27.00
This was an exceptionally flavorful dish! Unfortunately the breast was way over cooked.
Other forms of poultry are regarded as undercooked at the slightest sign of pink juices, but it is common practice to cook duck so that it’s medium rare because it’s actually a red meat. When it’s served cooked through it no longer is tender and juicy. That said, the dish was flavorful and delicious. I think I only found one artichoke in the entire dish, but it was really good!
Sides: Brussels Sprouts, $5.00
These were cooked a bit on the al dente (firm to the bite) for my preference. They also didn’t have any caramelization or all that much flavor.
Market Inspired Soup. Tomato, Basil, $5
Our server actually forgot to bring the soup, but offered a sample cup on the house anyways. I was full, but am a sucker for a great home-made soup and this did not dissapoint! It was rich and creamy and we really enjoyed it!
Dessert: Tiramisu, $8.00
Traditional layered mascarpone cream, ladyfingers, espresso. Great!
Espresso Martini, $11.00
Bon appetit!
~Chris
