Make a Wish at La Ciccia

In the old country where I am from, you were supposed to make a wish before trying new food. Or, maybe, it was just my family… At La Ciccia, Mediterranean flavors of sea-washed Sardinia transport your Sunday night dinner from a foggy Noe Valley to a sun-drenched island, where you feel instantly at home. Or, maybe, it’s just a family of Massimiliano Conti and Lorella Degan—the owners of this neat little restaurant—who make this happen. The food at La Ciccia starts with extra fresh and organic produce, homemade pasta, and oils, cured meats, and cheeses delivered from Sardinia. Try that 18-month aged prosciutto, and you will never want to open a store bought container again. A dish of fresh spaghetti, cauliflower and bottarga (dried fish) brings an instant sea breeze to the table. Add to it a glass of Sardinian nero (and the wine list here is endless and all-Italian), and you might completely forget about Monday. But, once again, it’s not only food and wine, however excellent. While waiting to be seated, you’ll be well attended to, showered with smiles, and you can read a brief history of the owners’ home island, placed on a bar. The restaurant’s small yet exemplary hospitable staff, and the husband-and-wife team will check on your comfort level more than once, and will make you enjoy your every bite in their warm and friendly space. Before closing time, while we were indulging in our Pecorino and fig gelato (not to mention lemon zest-saffron-honey one) the chef and the hostess (Conti and Degan) were making rounds hugging their regulars, and a waitress who finished her shift, and was heading through the door, blew a kiss to the chef on her way out. My wish? To visit Sardinia one day, and in the meantime, to try everything on the menu of La Ciccia. La Ciccia is located at 291, 30th Street, San Francisco. 415-550-8114, www.laciccia.com