Il Giardino

This is the kind of place that makes you wonder why Olive Garden exists. If people tasted true Italian cuisine, OG would be non-existent. Firstly, the service is impeccable. The owner, or at least I assume, is a sweet Italian woman who greeted me and asked me where I wanted to sit. The freshest bread was brought out to my table along with some room temperature butter, which was creamy and not too salty. The server informed me the soup of the day was tomato and didn't just tell me it was tomato, he literally described it and of course I had to have it. It did not disappoint. It's easy to mess up a tomato basil soup but this one was so flavorful and hearty. I truly needed it after the week I had. I then ordered a pesto cream pasta with shrimp and it came out shortly. Not only was the pesto absolutely delicious, flavorful, and herby, it was not overly oily. Often when you order pesto the oil separates, resulting in an oily mess for the noodles. But this one was perfect and flavorful. There was even a hint of spice with some cracked red pepper flakes. The shrimp was the true test, as often in pasta, shrimp gets overcooked and becomes rubbery. This shrimp was perfectly juicy and succulent. I was just passing through but I definitely need to come back. 10/10 recommend.

There was a lot to like about this place. It's family owned, with the wife of a couple doing most of the cooking or at least overseeing it with her trained chefs. The food is very good and while I certainly do not expect it to be like a diner with huge portions, I think their pasta portions could be a little larger. They have a good selection of wine, both by the glass and bottle. The outside patio up against the restaurant is pleasant for eating. It's a place I return to every now and then.

We had a gift certificate gifted from a neighbor and this is now one of our best experiences in dining hands down. Italian beer, great red wine blend, fresh and flavorful pasta choices and scrumptious dessert. We had the perfect service and recommendations from Jake our waiter tonight. The restaurant was beautiful. A gem of the desert and definitely going to return.