The Search is Over for Italian in Oakland

When I consider where to go for good Italian fare, Oakland doesn’t really come to mind, at least not until recently. Desco is a fairly new Italian restaurant in Old Oakland that replaced the short-lived Borgo. Desco has been open for a few months and I have gone twice, once for lunch and once for dinner.

The borlotti salad has greens and beans in a light dressing. I enjoyed the heartiness that the plump beans offered.

The biete is another salad made of greens, roasted beets, goat cheese, and hazelnuts. These ingredients make for a perfect salad to start off any meal.

Desco makes thin crust pizzas in their wood-fired oven. On one visit, I enjoyed the margherita pizza with prosciutto on half of it. It had a wonderful crispy chewy crust. I give it two big thumbs up.

On another occasion, I ordered a white pizza with mozzarella cheese, homemade sausage and broccolini. With some extra red chili flakes I added, this combination was wonderful.

I also tried the baked eggplant that was presented in a skillet. This was also good, but I think because it was under the heading of “paste,” I assumed there would be some pasta in it.

The beef loin came with a balsamic wine reduction and grilled potatoes. If you like meat and potatoes like I do, you wouldn’t want to miss this one.

I tried a few desserts at Desco. My favorite was the zabaglione with strawberries and puffed pastry. I like light desserts especially after a big dinner.

Although rich, I did enjoy the panna cotta in a jar. I had a few spoonfuls and thought it was creamy, smooth, and delicious.

The warm chocolate cake with coffee sauce was my least favorite. It was not warm, nothing oozed out, and I didn’t like the texture. It’s okay as next time I can indulge in my own zabaglione.

I am hopeful that Desco can succeed because I need a go-to place for good Italian food in Oakland.