Ca Dario Cuccina Italiano

This is our first time in this Italian restaurant. It had a nice ambiance. It had outdoor seating; however, it was chilly especially during dinner so we sat inside & had a view of the open cooking area. Our server was very nice and she spoke Italian to the other staff which gave the place an authentic atmosphere. They had good wine selection, though on the expensive side even for a glass of wine. We enjoyed our appetizers, entrees, and dessert.

Plenty of seating, different eating areas sectioned off. Busy, contemporary feel. The clam and pasta dish was confused with no flavor or wine sauce. It was basically clams and pasta with clam juice and nothing else. Meatballs were a bit on the dry side. Caesar salad was crunchy, though it lacked anchovies. Nice wine list, nice menu, and great team service. The pizza dough was excellent though it needed more pizza sauce to balance with the thick mozzarella.

Ordered the tartare appetizer, a pasta, and a pizza. The tartare and pasta were decent, but the pizza was a miss. Pretty soggy/damp and folded in on itself while eating it. Toppings on the pizza just kinda thrown on, with half of some slices having no toppings while all the toppings were clumped in the center. For a relatively expensive place, the atmosphere felt quite casual and the table was super wobbly.

The best kept secret in the Goleta valley. Absolutely the best pasta and veggies in town. Always fresh baked Italian bread on the table with the real virgin” olive oil and balsamic, accompanied with the fresh grate parmigiana from the importer. Besides the fantastic selection of California and direct Italian imported wines, they got the best Italian beers on tap. Don’t pass up the appetizers, the Romana Cesar salad is fantastically, chopped and dressed, (right down to the croutons, and cracked pepper) always order the capreese , the organic thick sliced sweet tomato’s, topped with the fluffiest Buffalo mozzarella, capped with a leaf of grown there basil , and the lightest sprinkle of oregano. Garnished with the lightest zippyest olives imaginable, (yes there is such an olive) [it sounds like the simplest but they make it majic] . (Ask for more oil and balsamic) for a sharper tap. The soups are always fresh (if they don’t have it ....it’s cause they sold it all.) always ask about the specials, and don’t shy away from the fresh fish selection because it is........ “Calamari” “meatballs” “porterhouse” . Expect the service unexpected, they know how to serve people there, like you’re family. Come to eat, relax and enjoy ,then don’t forget the tiramisu, with the coffee Americano. Or a desert wine (Make reservations on a weekend or if there’s 4 or more) (expect them to speak Italian if you do) (when your done thank Mickey, and the staff, cause you’ll remember the experience) il mio italiano preferito al mondo

Love this place! Our servers were Aleksander (yes, I think the spelling is correct) and George (not his European name, but close). The food was excellent and the wine list was extensive. The restaurant is larger than you see from the entrance area with plenty of space in the dining room. Service was excellent and at a slow pace to allow us to enjoy a wonderful meal. We look forward to a return visit the next time we are in town.

Enjoyed an early dinner. The food was delicious. I enjoyed a seafood risotto that had plenty of shrimp, crab, and scallops. Portions are not huge, but plenty for one person, and very flavorful. Service was very good. The four people we interacted with from the time we arrived until the time we left were helpful and pleasant. While I have enjoyed better Italian food in the past, this was very good and I would recommend it.