Ambrogio by Acquerello - San Diego, USA

Ambrogio by Acquerello was opened in 2022 after the restaurant formerly in its location, Semola, was revamped to align with the executive chefs’ Michelin goals. Chefs Silvio Salmoniraghi and Choi Cheolhyeok who lead the team, are based out of Michelin-starred Ristorante Acquerello, located in Italy. To create Ambrogio by Acquerello, they partnered with the Ambrogio15 group, which operates a couple restaurants around San Diego, under the Ambrogio15 name. The Ambrogio15 restaurants are a little more casual, and focus only on authentic Italian cuisine, unlike Ambrogio by Acquerello, which additionally features more global inspirations in their dishes. Just this last year in 2024, the restaurant received a recommendation from the Michelin Guide, so they have definitely got a good thing going. Personally, this restaurant has been on our “list” for some time now, and our positive experiences at Ambrogio15 have piqued our interest. Finally it was time for a visit.

For the menu, there are a couple pre-fixe tasting options; the traditional option, and a vegetarian selection for a few dollars less. We went for the full option, called “Dancing with the Stars,” which featured 10 courses with a wide range of ingredients. There were also a couple wine pairing options, both of which seemed more than suitable to go with this meal.

To start the meal off, an appetizer was served. This was simply a delicious sabayon, served in a delicately cut egg shell, balanced on the fingers of a tiny porcelain hand. The sabayon, which is a sauce made from egg yolks and wine, was warm and rich, with a flavor that was intense and savory. This was a great way to start off the meal.

Next was a generously portioned dish featuring raw Hokkaido scallops, saffron rice, yellow bell pepper, and even topped with a dusting of edible gold. The presentation was a compliment to the yellow room we were in, and fit right in with the decor. This combination of ingredients was definitely unique, and something that I would not have expected, however, it was a tasty dish. Each ingredient brought its own character, which was a contrast to the monochromatic visual appearance.

The next dish on the tasting course menu was a beef carpaccio, served with cooked spigarello, which is an Italian leafy green and a member of the broccoli family. This was also dressed with a robust tomato sauce, as well as rosemary seasoning. More vibrant colors in this dish, with flavors to match. The carpaccio was very tender and clean tasting, while the tomato sauce added its zesty flavor. The spigarello was cooked perfectly and was a nice texture complement to the dish.

Following that course was another egg-based dish, but for this “omelette,” it was simply described as a surprise. When it was served, it looked extremely unassuming, almost like a raw pancake right in the middle of the plate. Being curious, I peeled back the top layer, which was the cooked egg white, to reveal what was within. There was of course, the soft yolk, along with a couple cheeses, including a rich, creamy sauce made from pecorino or a similar cheese. Hints of other flavors were present as well, thanks to a few other ingredients placed strategically beneath the sauce. This was definitely a unique take on an omelette, but certainly a tasty one.

After the omelette came the main course. The menu featured lamb, but there was also an option to upgrade to Japanese wagyu. We stuck with the lamb though, which turned out to be a great choice. The seared cut of lamb was perched atop a large piece of mozzarella, with another smaller piece on top. All of this was glazed with a savory jus, and accompanied by a rich and creamy béchamel-based sauce. Carefully placed on top of all this was a string of sea grapes. The lamb was cooked perfectly, and seasoned in such a way that really hid or got rid of any hint of the more ‘gamey’ flavor that lamb can sometimes have. The cheese and the sauce were delicious accompaniments to the dish, and the sea grapes provided a fun texture to contrast against the heartiness of the rest of the dish.

Following this was another savory course, which was made from peas, chicken liver. This was a take on a traditional Italian dish which is similar to a pot pie. In this case however, it was put together almost like a fried donut, with a crispy golden outside and the delicious warm ingredients within, all on top of a tasty brown sauce.

As mentioned, the location is a little off the beaten path, tucked away on the edge of downtown La Jolla. La Jolla itself is a substantial tourist destination, especially in the summer months, however in early December when we visited, things tend to be a little slower. The restaurant itself is situated throughout three unique sections about the property; the front patio, which is an intimate covered space, the sycamore deck, which is their truly outdoor space, and the Japanese room, which is their primary indoor dining space. We had our pick of where to sit, and as it was a little chilly, we opted to dine indoors. The Japanese room, which was just adjacent to the kitchen, featured vibrant shades of yellow, with red and pink accents in the artwork that adorned the walls, as well as the table decorations. Normally, bright colors like this may be a little off-putting when trying to enjoy an intimate meal, but the design was tastefully done and not overbearing.

Next on the menu was dessert, but before that, we opted to add the seasonal truffle special, which was linguine with white truffle. White truffle is a very seasonal ingredient, usually only available for a short amount of time in the fall. With that being the case, we could not pass it up. The ingredients were simple; linguine, 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and white Alba truffles. As you can tell by the picture, the ratio was about even for each ingredient. Exaggeration aside, the portion of white truffle was very generous, and this was a very good truffle as well. The aroma was immediately noticeable when it was brought out, and grew exponentially as it was freshly shaved onto the pasta. The flavor was bold and intense, and one of the better white truffles I have tasted. This addition was definitely pricey, but I would say for the amount of truffle given, as well as the overall fantastic flavor of the rest of the dish, it was money well-spent.

Finally, it was time for dessert. For this evening, it was a take on a zabaione, which is a traditional Italian dessert made from egg yolks cooked in a double boiler and fortified with sugar. This creamy sauce surrounded another sauce made from a sweet Marsala wine. On top were crumbles made from a type of Italian almond cake, called a sbrisolona. This dessert was creamy from the egg, with a hint of tartness from the wine, and sweet throughout. The almond crumbles added variety to the texture, as well as a pleasant flavor with a more mild sweetness in contrast to the rest. As a whole, it was delicious. The main dessert was followed up by a trio of small pastries and confections, which were also delicious on their own, but provided some nice diversity to the end of the meal.

Overall, this was a great experience and a superb meal. Each dish featured creativity in the preparation and ingredients. Another standout was the service, especially with the wine pairing. As each wine was poured, the sommelier went into great detail about the grape, the region, and the particular vineyard. There is so much history in each bottle of wine, and it is a treat to learn about it. However, most restaurants, even with dedicated sommeliers, do not often go into depth about their wines, but it is something that we definitely appreciate. Also the amount of information and knowledge required to talk about each bottle like this from memory is astounding to me, so that was definitely a highlight of this visit. As for the location and ambience, as mentioned, the design of the restaurant’s decor was done well. The general layout of the business itself did seem a bit odd, but not in a way that necessarily detracted from our experience. There was one thing, however, which was a bit of an unpleasant surprise, and it was no fault of the business itself, just a lack of the location; the only restrooms available were in an adjacent location shared by the other businesses within the complex. For a restaurant of this caliber, it is a shame they were stuck with such a location, but again, that is not a fault of the business itself. Despite that, the meal was thoroughly enjoyable, and the staff were genuinely friendly and attentive. If you are ever in the area, or even have a chance to try any of the other Acquerello or Ambrogio family of restaurants, I would recommend giving them a try. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

UPDATE: I am sad to report that as of December 31, 2024, Ambrogio by Acquerello is closing its doors. Due to an unfortunate lack of business (I blame the location), the owners decided that the fine dining concept was not viable. The chefs will stay on at one of the local Ambrogio15 locations, so please give them your support!