Mio Vicino — Restaurant in Santa Clara

The food was absolutely delicious. My dinner companion & I shared the bruschetta appetizer. There was more than enough. After eating healthy portions there was still more to take home. The tomatoes and garlic were seasoned to perfection. The bread was toasted buttery yet soft to eat. For my entree, I ordered the Portabella Fusilli with chicken and a Sprite with lemon. My friend ordered a Pinot Noir and Linguine Primavera. My friend seemed to enjoy his meal as he left nothing in the glass nor on his plate. I enjoyed my meal even though it wasn't quite what I ordered. My waitress Alex, immediately apologized that my meal needed to be remade as it came with "prawns" instead of the chicken option I ordered. I immediately told her... Please do not waste a meal, I like prawns too. She gleefully hurried back to the kitchen & to retrieve the meal. The meal was delicious.... absolutely delicious. The mushrooms were sweet ... The "prawns" were cooked to perfection. All of the flavors meld nicely together and the portion was large; I had leftovers. The reason I gave 5 stars for food, but 4 stars for service & atmosphere is that we were seated directly in front of the door. Our table was in between the front service area & the door. It was a little off putting. With me being SO happy to see my friend, I chose to over look the less than favorable seating. While our waitress, Alex & the young man who helped to clear the table were nice, I couldn't help but to feel rushed. I hadn't seen my friend in about 10 years, so I wasn't going to let these arguably subtle inconveniences distract me. For gosh sakes, it was a Monday late spring evening; while busy, the restaurant wasn't packed. I don't live in the area so I probably won't return anytime soon, but I would recommend Mio Vicino. Again, the food was phenomenal if you don't mind the qualms....another being they charged me for the meal option I accepted, but didn't order. Haha It was only $1 more but my acceptance of it saved a possible wasted meal. 😌 PS we still left a great cash tip because that's what we do....

Restaurant Review: Mio Vicino

Rating: ★★★★★

On September 11, 2024, while on a business trip to Santa Clara, I took a customer’s recommendation to try Mio Vicino. Tucked away in a strip mall, this little gem was rather unassuming but packed with delightful surprises.

I decided to start with the Gorgonzola Gnocchi and a Caesar Salad. The gnocchi was fabulous! Served piping hot, it was cooked to perfection with just the right amount of al dente bite. The creamy sauce was rich yet not overwhelming, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. The addition of walnuts added a special kick, enhancing the dish's overall profile. The portion size was perfect—not too large, leaving me satisfied but not overly full.

The Caesar salad was decent, with the dressing evenly tossed throughout, though it didn’t stand out as much as the gnocchi. Notably, I found it curious that the waitress did not offer any bread, which is often a staple at Italian restaurants.

For dessert, I couldn't resist the cannoli paired with coffee. It was enjoyable, landing around a solid 4 out of 5, but the stellar gnocchi clinched this review for Mio Vicino. Despite a marginal service experience with my waitress, the attentiveness of the other staff in refilling my tea was commendable.

Overall, Mio Vicino exceeded my expectations, and I left feeling delighted. Despite minor service hiccups, their culinary prowess, especially with the gnocchi, earned them a...

We have eaten at Mio Vicino many times or ordered takeout from it because it's located so close to our home. It's good Italian food but not great.

I don't enjoy dining in at Mio Vicino because it's very small. The tables for two are basically in a hallway. When our whole family of six went we were seated in a table that was clearly meant for four.

We do occasionally do takeout when we have guests who want Italian. This is one recent order:

1 Fried Calamari 🦑 $19.00 1 Caprese Salad 🥗 $16.00 1 Baked Penne with Italian Sausage 🌭 $24.00 1 Linguine with Clams 🦪 $25.00 1 Spaghetti Meatball 🍝 $19.00 1 Lasagna 🥮 $24.00 1 Cappellini Pomodoro 🍅 $20.00 1 Fettuccine with Roasted Chicken 🐔 $23.00 1 Portabella Fusilli 🍄‍🟫 $22.00

The Baked Penne with Italian Sausage is always popular. The Linguine with Clams I did not like too much because though normally I like vegetables in my dishes I did not think it worked for this dish. The Cappellini Pomodoro and Portabella Fusilli were good vegetarian dishes. The Fettuccine with Roasted Chicken was surprisingly good. The other dishes...