"Che Fico is one of the only places in town where walking into the dining room is like making a red carpet debut. Skylights and wooden ceiling beams with hanging chandeliers and dried flowers are reminiscent of a Pinterest board for your cousin’s fancy wine country barn wedding. Unfortunately, the food at this Italian restaurant in NoPa doesn’t always live up to the stylish space—unless you order strategically. Come with a date, stick with a glass of wine each, share a couple of starters, a pizza, and a pasta, and you can have a nice time for about $175. photo credit: Sarah Felker There is a path to an excellent meal at this NoPa spot. Some small plates, like house focaccia served with airy whipped mascarpone and the fried supplí that ooze with fontina, are memorable enough that you’ll inexplicably start craving them in a week. Other appetizers, like the slightly too chewy ball of mozzarella, are underseasoned. Another way to leave happy is by focusing on the parmesan-dusted sourdough pizzas. The bubbly, charred crust puffs out hot air when you take a bite, and the tomato sauce is ultra light. Split the ananas pizza topped with see-through slices of pineapple, and have a glass of wine at the bar, and you’ll leave content. Yes, the pastas, particularly the creamy tangle of spaghetti and pillowy short rib agnolotti, are great. But they're also some of the most expensive ($32-$50) we’ve seen in a city with no shortage of pricey carb-filled bowls. And portions overall are, in the words of our server on one visit, “conservative.” At the end of the day, there’s only so much you can pay for a few bites of noodles before you start to have regret sweats or some existential crisis brought on by twirling tagliatelle around a fork. photo credit: Sarah Felker photo credit: Sarah Felker Even with all the highs and lows, there are times when you should pull out those fancy shoes that clack a little, escape the logo hoodie fashion show that is the general SF dress code, and come here. Birthdays. Engagement celebrations for a couple you actually like. Or, if you happen to be dating someone who thinks spending $165 on a ribeye is normal behavior. But at the end of the day, there are other Italian spots in town where you can spend less on a similar (or better) meal. Food Rundown photo credit: Sarah Felker Supplí It’s pretty hard to be disappointed by fried balls of tomato-y risotto and melty fontina. Start off with a couple of these Jewish-Italian two-biters and you’ll be happy. Mozzarella Fresca Skip this. The appetizer may raise some questions. Like, Why isn’t this ball of cheese seasoned? Or, Is it supposed to be this chewy? And is there bread included? No, but you can add on ciabatta for $6 more. photo credit: Sarah Felker Margherita This pie, with a swipe of light tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella, and shaved garlic, is a simple and foolproof way to go in the pizza department. The sourdough crust is nice and puffy on the edges—although it does flop when you pick up a slice. photo credit: Sarah Felker Ananas For something more interesting than the margherita, go with the Ananas. The slices of pinapple are so thin you can barely see them against the tomato sauce and mozzarella, and the red onions lend a great crunch to every bite. photo credit: Krescent Carasso Tagliatelle Al Ragú On par with other bologneses in town—rich, meaty, and not too saucy. A solid option off the pasta section. Lasagna Verde The first few bites of this bechamel bomb with lamb ragu are good, but it’s too rich to finish by yourself. Polenta This side is slightly sweet and appropriately cheesy. It’s one of the best dishes on the menu." - Julia Chen
