il tramonto

NOVEMBER 2018

PAGE 38

DINING

Il Tramonto: An Authentic Sicilian Experience in the Heart of Temecula " " When our Sicilian neighbors recently returned from a gourmet food tour of Sicily, I must admit we were a bit envious—mainly because of the enticing, authentic meals they savored. But we recently discovered that we did not have to travel to Sicily to experience this Italian island’s genuine, delectable dishes.

Il Tramonto, a wonderful Italian restaurant featuring Sicilian dishes, opened a few months " ! ! " ! " " ! " ago in Old Town Temecula in the building where the former Palumbo’s Restaurant was located. We had always enjoyed going to Palumbo’s, so we were thrilled to discover that this was the site of a new Italian restaurant. We were also excited to learn that Il Tramonto offers an appealing, creative menu featuring owner and Executive Chef Giampiero Giammanco’s own recipes from his Sicilian homeland.

Because of the gorgeous sunsets in both Sicily and Temecula, the restaurant is appropriately named Il Tramonto, which means “the sunset� in Italian. There are many similarities in Sicily’s and Temecula’s rolling landscapes and climates.

Il Tramonto is definitely a family affair. Lynn’s two talented sons, Mark and Thaddeus, also work at the restaurant as manager and assistant manager. Thaddeus’ wife, Victoria, is the main server. The Giammancos hope to be creating a business that will stay in the family.

It is also gratifying that Il Tramonto kept most of Palumbo’s excellent staff, including Marina Sallas who was our friendly server when we were there for lunch recently and Samantha Cadez who acts as Chef Giampiero’s assistant in the kitchen. Both of them are elated to be working with such a talented chef and offering customers such delicious, authentic dishes.

Il Tramonto’s interior is charming and inviting with checkered tablecloths helping to create an Italian ambiance. Family photos from Sicily also add to the Italian feel and authenticity. The outdoor patio is lovely and reminded us of a little Italian sidewalk cafÊ. A bonus is that dogs are welcome on the patio.

Chef Giampiero learned to love cooking when he was growing up in Sicily. He then honed his skills at a variety of restaurants in Italy, London, and eventually in Southern California. In San Diego he met his wife-to-be, Lynn, who also has extensive restaurant experience. Lynn had moved to San Diego from the east coast with her three sons about three years before she met Chef Giampiero. She enjoys recalling that she met her husband at a restaurant where her children were working. She chuckles when saying, “I tasted his risotto even before I met him. I adored the risotto and soon I adored the chef too.�

Personable Lynn Giammanco admits to also always loving food and cooking, which she learned from her aunt and grandmother. Although she was adopted at an early age, she would later discover that her biological family included many chefs and restaurant owners so she thinks cooking and hospitality are also in her blood.

The couple knew they wanted to launch their own restaurant and the opportunity opened up when they met Greg and Rebecca Pilette who were so enthusiastic about Chef Giampiero’s cooking that they became their silent partners in this new restaurant venture. (Evidently it was the chef’s signature artichoke dish that sold the Pilettes on his cooking.) Last spring when the Giammancos and Pilettes learned that Palumbo’s was for sale, they knew right away that this would be the perfect site for their restaurant. They love the central location and exciting vibe going on in Old Town Temecula. Il Tramonto opened nine weeks after they purchased it.

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The menu is completely based on Chef Giampiero’s recipes. He is passionately committed to serving genuine Sicilian dishes. His wife says he has exceptional skill with seafood, although the menu also includes a wide range of meat and vegetarian dishes, all with an Italian flair. Everything is made from scratch including bread, sauces, desserts, and pasta (except the bucatini which is imported from Italy). Luscious gelato is also made in-house. All produce is locally sourced; all fish is wildcaught and meats grass fed. Many ingredients, such as cheeses, are imported directly from Italian suppliers We tried a variety of dishes during our recent visit. We first dipped wonderful house-made bread in a fresh, tangy pesto sauce.

We then thoroughly enjoyed and recommend the following dishes: Arancine: Our friends who had just returned from Sicily raved about the many tasty varieties of these popular deep-fried rice balls that are frequently served from food stalls in Italy. The delicious Il Tramonto version is filled with pancetta, spinach, and mozzarella topped with a savory, creamy parmesan crème sauce. This is a musttry Antipasti (first course) when you visit Il Tramonto.

NOVEMBER 2018

PAGE 39

DINING Carciofi Alla Gregorio: The chef insisted we try this signature Antipasti dish and we could see why.

Large, very tender artichoke hearts had been grilled and were served with roasted cherry tomatoes in a flavorful chili, garlic, and olive oil glaze. The presentation was a work of art and the tastes and textures were unique and so delicious.

Linguini Zucchine e Gamberi: This delectable pasta # ! $ $#$ ! ! $ # " $ ! " ! $ !$ ! " $ " " "# dish features tender, !# $ " $" $ # !$ " $ # ! $ ! # $ # $# $ " # fresh shrimp, zucchini, sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, and onions served with a lovely saffron cream sauce.

This is certainly a dish you would not find in your traditional Italian restaurant. I loved its savory flavor combinations so much that it’s hard to imagine ordering anything else, but there are so many other enticing dishes on the Il Tramonto menu.

On another visit we tried and enjoyed Linguini Primavera with eggplant, asparagus and mushrooms and Bucatini con Polpette, which is a traditional spaghetti and meatball dish, but the meatballs are homemade and especially tasty.

The desserts are all homemade and scrumptious. We loved the creamy Tiramisu (from the chef’s family recipes). We learned that the chef makes delicate Cannoli shells and the day we were there, they were filled with ricotta, while chocolate drops and pistachios were sprinkled on the side. We also savored melt-in-your-mouth Sicilian bread pudding made with strawberry Nutella, walnuts and ricotta, also based on a secret family recipe.

The Il Tramonto menu also includes some creative pizzas and flatbreads. A simpler lunch menu features reasonably priced sandwiches.

Il Tramonto has an extensive wine list of Italian wines. As we savored our appetizers, we sipped a Pinot Grigio from Trentino, Italy, which was light and smooth with aromas of apples and pears.

We also enjoyed the Etna Rosso from Sicily with its deep red berry tastes that paired beautifully with the saffron shrimp dish, but there are many other great Italian wine choices.

The restaurant " " "$ " !$!$ # ! "$" $ ! #" $#$ " $ $ $ $ " $" $ # " " # $ ! # # also offers a va-

riety of beers, including imported Italian beers. On weekends the special brunch menu features bloody marys (including a green one) made from scratch.

We recently enjoyed a Saturday night dinner at Il Tramonto with friends and everyone raved about their food, especially our Sicilian neighbor, Bernie Bramante.

The restaurant was packed with people waiting outs i d e . ! ! $ # " #$ # # $ $#$ " " " $ $ $ !$ # " ! $ !! "!

Reservations are " !$ # $ " ! $ " $ # ! # $ " # $# $ # ! #$ ! $ " $#$ #

$ !# $ # ! # $ !$ # ! definitely recommended on weekends.

Lynn Giammanco emphasizes “Our vision is to remain friendly, authentic and true. We want our guests to walk in our door and feel like they have come home, like they are stepping into their grandmother’s family kitchen. When you go out to eat in Italy, it is a celebration and we want our guests to feel that way here. We want them to taste it, feel it, and smell it from the moment they walk in the door—through our food, our ambiance, and our service.�

Lynn says, “We have been blessed since we opened. The community has really embraced us and the restaurant is already sustaining itself.�

Il Tramonto is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, and also serves a special brunch menu on weekends. The restaurant offers a reasonably priced chef’s set menu for larger groups and offers catering services.

Il Tramonto Ristorante 41925 5th Street #102, Temecula, CA 92590 951-699-7925 ~ www.iltramontoristorante.com Photos by Todd Montgomery

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