Our Story
Chef Christian Gritti was born and raised in Bergamo, Italy, a beautiful city with a completely intact defensive wall surrounding it that was built by the Venetians in the 16th century. Harvard is studying the upper city (citta alta) as the best representation of medieval architecture, due to the fact that it was left untouched from the world wars being nestled there at the foothills of the Alps. Christian attended one of Italy’s most long standing culinary schools in San Pellegrino, Italy (yes, like the water on our menu), where he graduated top of his class. His family has owned restaurants in Italy since 1896, making him the fifth generation in his family to carry on the tradition of preparing food for people. The chef has worked at a variety of Italian restaurants in Northern Italy from his hometown all the way to the Italian Riviera. The Italian Riviera is where he mastered the art of making pansotti & pesto, as most dishes originate regionally in Italy. One of the most famous restaurants he worked at, and worth looking up was a one star Michelin called Restaurante Lo Ro. The chef enjoys creating dishes that give the palate a full sensation of elements such as mixing sweet with salty flavor & soft with crunchy qualities. He is a traditional Northern Italian Chef, but as he resided and worked in Rosarito, he has begun to fuse some Mexican local ingredients into his cuisine. His favorite local ingredients are cilantro, avocado, and jalapeno (you may see some of these items in our specials). He enjoys working with seafood, and especially enjoys working in front of the people he cooks for to the show the fresh ingredients he uses, because he believes that people should know where their food comes from! All of our pastas are handmade fresh! We are sure you will notice the difference between the dry pasta you can buy at any grocery store, and the fresh pasta we make here. Fresh pasta has a few more ingredients (like egg, white wine, and salt) than dry pasta (which just consists of semolina flour and water). At our trattoria we do a traditional Italian menu of four courses; an antipasti (appetizer), primi (pasta or risotto dish), secondi (meat or seafood dish), and dolci (dessert). In Italy it is customary to have coffee for breakfast, a big lunch and dinner, and it is typical to order from each section of the menu! It is also typical to finish the evening with a Limoncello digestive; this helps the stomach to process that big meal! You will always be offered the chef’s own Limoncello after every meal because it is an Italian custom! Italian culture is centered on a table filled with a lot of food, and family. How does a trattoria differ from a ristorante? A trattoria, is less formal that a ristorante with casual service. It is an unpretentious, often rustic environment that makes traditional food mostly following regional and local recipes, and it is a perfect family setting. Emphasis is placed on a steady clientele rather than on elaborate cuisine, and sometimes meals are even served family style. A trattoria also serves an ever changing seasonal menu, filled with local favorites like cheese, local made wine, and in the winter months, wild game. We have adapted our trattoria to embrace the area and the culture we are a part of. The decorations are all typical to the boulevard we are located on, and all the decorations are ones you can find right next door! We hope you feel like family in our cozy, humble location! Our goal is to bring a taste of Italy to Baja California! We are so glad you are here! Grazie and Buon Appetito!!!
