Spasso — Restaurant in San Carlos

Last year we had our Christmas Eve dinner and Spasso and had an excellent experience. The food and service was exceptional and memorable so we decided to return this year as part of a new family reunion. Well, it was an entirely different experience this time around. The quality of the food was fine but they seemed to have overbooked and were in a rush to get the patrons out as quickly as possible. If this were an inexpensive restaurant where that was part of their bottom line, that would be understandable but at about $40 per entree for the special Christmas menu that was totally unacceptable. The waitress was very polite but came by our table repeatedly for what seemed like her attempts to get us out as quickly as possible. The other wait staff seemed to be doing the same and the patrons next to us seemed bothered by this as well. We were offered to see the dessert menu and soon afterwards the waitress returned saying they were out of dessert at 7:00pm. Needless to say, we won't be returning to Spasso, considering all the other exceptional restaurants on the peninsula. Next year we'll be...

Made reservations and seated immediately; they have outdoor, indoor, and bar seating. They gave us iced water and a basket of bread with some sort of olive oil spread (delicious!! I probably ate 4 pieces, and they refill the basket for free too). I ordered the Black Pepper Fettuccini while my friend got the Pesto Gnocchi. It didn’t take long at all for the food to come out, and they offered to sprinkle grated parmesan on our dishes! Our meals were PIPING HOT, even though it was a breezy day on their patio. I really enjoyed my fettuccini but the portion was so large, I couldn’t finish it and had to take it home. For the price, I believe the amount of seafood is totally worth it! Would recommend for a date night, work dinner, dinner with your parents — anything and everything! The location is right next to a bunch of dessert places too, if you have a second stomach :)

(Cross...

Spasso Ristorante is such a charming spot with authentic vibes and pasta dishes that are beautifully portioned—dainty yet flavorful and satisfying. We started with the prime rib spring rolls, which were spot-on in texture and flavor—light enough to still enjoy the rest of the meal.

For mains, I had the veal cannelloni, which was tender and superb, while the penne with chicken came highly recommended and did not disappoint—rich, balanced, and absolutely delicious.

We finished with the bread pudding and chocolate lava cake. Both were good but didn’t quite hit the same elevated level as the mains. My Spasso espresso martini was a bit too sweet for my taste, but the staff graciously swapped it for a glass of Justin wine, which was perfect.

We left with happy bellies and leftovers to enjoy later. Spasso is definitely a must-visit for authentic Italian and warm,...