Tiziano

Awww, poor place is closed!
I came here a year ago so forgive me for not remembering what happened. My boyfriend and I came one night and it was empty except for one other couple (probably the reason it closed).
But being the only other couple there, we received amazing service. The food was good from what I remember and we even received a free cheesecake dessert. Our waitress complimented us saying that her and the other waiters thought we were a cute couple. They were just very sweet and I’m glad that we experienced this place before it closed. It was a nice, quiet, intimate restaurant.

Came here twice. Both times loved it! The atmosphere is great. The people are exceptionally friendly. It feels like a family-​run Italian place. Perhaps it is… Pork marsala was fantastic! I forget what my bf had, but remember him saying it was great as well. Oh, i think it was the lamb dish… Yes, definitely lamb!
I look forward to going back there again!

So, as we’re nearing the end of the year, I’m doing the retrospective thing, and god it’s unfortunate that I have to list this under «Worst Entrees of 2009.»
SHORT SUMMARY: This is a very mediocre Italian restaurant. The appetizers are alright, the entrees seem to be very hit-​or-​miss, and the service is slow. On the bright side, there are nice servers who are accommodating, and the prices are decent (~$ 11 – 17 for entrees, plus there’s an $ 18.95 three-​course prix fixe menu every day from 5−7pm). The décor is also nice, with dark lighting, and candles.
Okay, you can stop here.
OR, if you so choose, here is a more detailed review:
I came here last Friday night, for a 20-​person birthday dinner, and it was a clashy juxtaposition of great company and terrible food. Great company trumps bad food, so overall I had a good time. But this is a review about the food, not the people, so here I goes:
Here’s what we ate:
+ The Bread
+ Bruschetta appetizer
+ Fried calamari
+ More calamari, not fried
+ I got the salmon with fava beans
+ Several bottles of wine
Here’s my ratings:
+ The Bread: the bread was a generic, crusty bread, but the olive oil and vinaigrette dip was superb. There was some type of minced vinegared item in the olive oil that we couldn’t figure out, but it was delicious. (Unfortunately, this would be the edible highlight of this meal.)
+ Brushchetta: Pretty good. It was interesting, they drizzled quite a lot of cheese on top of all the tomato topping. It was good, but nothing special.
+ Fried calamari: It was tasty because I like fried stuff.
+ Other calamari: I didn’t particularly care for it.
+ My salmon entrée: Wow, this was a terrible choice. Overcooked and bland, and the fava beans were a really strange complement. They also had shaved slices of carrots as… decoration maybe? Well, it was absolutely unnecessary as it didn’t taste like anything and seemed very out of place too. Do not order this dish.
My fellow eater next to me ordered a linguine salmon dish which he ate maybe less than half. When we asked him why he didn’t finish it, he said it was because it didn’t taste good. On the other hand, my other friend on the other side of me ordered the veal marsala and seemed to enjoy that, so maybe not all the entrees are terrible.
Also, the service was really slow. We ordered food around 8pm, and we didn’t start eating till close to 9pm. And we were the only party in the restaurant. On a Friday night. The only party. Granted, there were a lot of us, but it’s probably not a good thing if your restaurant is empty on Friday night. Our waitress, however, was really nice and accommodating, and I appreciated her a lot. It really does make a huge difference if you have nice servers, and for me, it often even makes up for slow service.
I would not come back here. In San Francisco, with so many great Italian restaurants, this one gets lost in the shuffle partly because of its location far away in the Outer Richmond, but mostly because the food’s just, plain and simply, not very good.

It’s fine, sure, but why bother?
We live right around the corner and so went for dinner on a lark. We shared bruschetta, he had penne with sausage and rosemary and a nice soft cheese, and I had veal marsala with mushrooms.
The service was great! we showed up after 9 on a Friday and had no trouble. The wine we wanted was out, so they offered us a similar one that was listed at $ 10 more but offered at a makepeace cost of the same. Really it’s hard to lose friends by giving cheap wine.
I can’t imagine a more generic italian menu than what we got. The veal marsala was tender and… yeah, and the pasta, despite being desperately undersalted (i don’t think they salted the pasta water) was comfy-​yummy.
My secondi piatti came with (totally generic buy nice-​tasting) potato slices and vegetables. May I say that the combination of zucchini, carrot, and broccoli is fucking WEAK SAUCE? I love veggies, but the «cheap vegetables plate» is just reprehensible. Restaurants, stop pretending that’s ok.

I’ve walked by this place over a dozen times but have never tried it out. Now I know why. This place was a freakin’ trip. We arrived for dinner… there was hardly anyone in there. The server was weird. I don’t know what it is about this 19^th and Clement corner, but the servers are weird in this area. He seemed a little nervous that we were even in there. My friend said it could be because he’s foreign but I didn’t hear an accent.
We told the dude we were ready to order… but then he said he will «give us more time.» Ummm ok… But I just told you we’re ready to order. Aka we don’t need anymore time. I wanted to add chicken to my pasta and he asked me what kind of chicken, like my request was completely strange. Uh, I don’t fucking know what kind of chicken, dude, I don’t work here, I just want chicken! I’m not talking chicken wings in my pasta, just whatever you guys have!
The bread with oil and vinegar was brought out. Except the oil and vinegar was in a bowl, not a plate like usual. It made it difficult to dip the bread in it because it was coated with the oil first, thus repelling the vinegar. Like oil tends to do. That’s why you dip it in vinegar FIRST.
The food was finally brought out. Along with half glasses of water. Our waiter felt that we didn’t need full glasses, why? I have no idea. He would fill the glass half way. Again, weird! The bruscetta was the highlight of the meal. Our entrees were bland. Even with the chicken I added, it was bland.
With all the other Italian options in the area, I doubt I’ll ever be returning.

A nice, quaint and charming spot in my neighborhood. I’ve been there twice and they’ve been nothing but nice. I find the food delicious, and the owner/​chef, Josh, is a pleasure! He’s really very nice and friendly.
I find the service excellent. I was in my workout clothes last night, lugging by big ol’ gym bag and they let me in and welcomed me without a demeaning glance. They were nothing but nice.
This is a nice little treasure of a restaurant if you’re looking for good eats in the Outer Richmond.

I find it hard to believe some of the other reviews for this place, unless it has changed dramatically in the last three months! Neither myself or my friend could finish our pastas, and we didn’t take the leftovers. I had what reminded me of what I used to cook in the dorm in college with a very limited kitchenette of box spaghetti and cheap jarred red sauce when I just couldn’t take the dorm food another night. My friend had a gloppy white sauce on her version of from-​a-​box pasta. The bread on the table (that we had to ask for when we saw the only other unhappy diners had some) was too stale to eat. The only relatively decent thing was the green salad we split before the mains. I think it’s just that this location is doomed, since this is the third (?) incarnation in about 5 years.
If you want fresh pasta in the Outer Richmond, go a little farther down Clement to Mescalanza.

We are local Outer Richmond folks and I WILL NOT EVER RETURN TO THIS RESTAURANT. Not even if they were the only restaurant open in a mile radius. INSTEAD GO TO YUMMY and great Ernesto’s and Mescolanza a few blocks away!
My bf and I walked in and the waiter looked at me very seriously and a litlte disgusted and said to me «I will serve you this time, but will not serve you again. Your shorts» Imagine my shock, when I realized he was talking about my athletic shorts that I was still wearing from my run a little while before (mind you, I don’t do this often but I was hungry after the gym). This place is no French Laundry in any shape or form and is a local restaurant in Outer Richmond.
Really, sir? That’s how you’re going to treat someone who brought her bf’s family here for their anniversary dinner and bought wine (2 bottles) and food on a previous dining experience?
That’s fine with me. I WILL NEVER RETURN and do what I can to tell people of the unfortunate pretentiousness.
I WOULD REVIEW THE FOOD BUT WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND AND WALKED OUT.

One of my favorite neighborhood restaurants. Quality of food is consistent. Price is decent (about $ 40 for 2, without ordering wine). Not to mention service; they are attentive and friendly. They seem to remember most customers, not sure if a majority of them are from the neighborhood like me: P
I have tried most dishes and haven’t anything I really don’t like, except for Rigattone Salsilia which was a bit too salty for me. The tiramisu was really good too. Their tiramisu and the one from Stella (North Beach) are the only tiramisu I like in town:)

Usually restaurants meet a swift and deadly fate on this particular corner of 19^th and Clement, but I think Tiziano has a fighting chance.
The early bird prix fixe menu is not only an amazing value, it serves as a showcase for the many talents of Tiziano’s chef. In short, they do the simple things very well.
The very basic starters my date and I enjoyed, minestrone and mixed green salad were superbly fresh and tasty. The soup did not issue forth from a giant can, on other words — Mr Campbell was not involved in the making of this meal.
The entrees were also quite good — large portions and delicious sauces were the most outstanding components of our Chicken Picatta and Pork Loin Marsala. Even the sides — roasted potatoes and steamed veggies — were well seasoned and carefully prepared and plated.
Just when we thought our meal could not get any better, the dessert arrived. The generous dish of crème brule was a visual delight and the crack of my spoon against the sugar-​glaze was a sensory treat. The creamy texture and subtle sweetness were wonderful as well.
My date’s cheesecake was classic, creamy and delicious.
Attentive service and nice low-​key atmosphere are other desirable qualities. Great place for a date or small party.
So glad Tiziano took over that corner and turned it into a slice of heaven.
Update: So sorry to say that Tiziano’s did not survive that ill fated location. Sad to see them go!

I wanted to take my mom to somewhere non-​Asian for our dinner date. There were 2 Italian restaurants on my list and I picked Tiziano since it had less reviews. Sometimes it’s nice to explore a place on your own.
Glad I made that choice!!!
We were surprised to find an offering of prix fixe meals from 5−7pm. Having to arrived at 6:57pm, we gambled our chances and asked whether the prix fixe meals were still available. The chef was more than happy to extend that offer to us. =D
A cozy place, decorated with wine barrels and racks of wine bottles. Ambiance was wonderful. The waiters were attentive and courteous. Perfect date place, especially with my sexy mama.
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Starter~
The meal started with a complimentary basket of bread with olive oil. (
) Love the olive bits in the oil! Next was our starter, instead of soup, we picked the salad. Gorgonzola, walnuts and tomatoes. (
) Mmmmm.
Entrees~
I’m very picky when it comes to meats, especially pork. My Pork Marsala was half the size of the dish! Huge! Almost an inch thick, the meat was perfectly and evenly cooked. The knife easily sliced through the meat. Sooo tender. The sauce, with the mushrooms, made it perfect! (
) I want more!!!
My mom had the Salmon. Never had salmon piccata before. It would’ve been a great dish if the salmon wasn’t overcooked. (
) But the flavors were really good. Gotta love the capers and lemon juice! Mmmm…
The potatoes were a bit tough due to overcooking. But the sauteed vegetable were delish!
Desserts~
They ran out of Crème Brulee! How can that be?! But I managed to snatch the last piece of cheesecake and also split the Spumoni ice cream with my mom. (
) (
) By then my stomach was ready to explode. But how can one say no to ice cream?!
Sooo happy with Tiziano! And so was my mom. She said she’ll bring her friends here. Yay!
I LOOOOVE discovering great places!!! =D

I have heard that the best restaurants in San Francisco are the one’s you don’t expect. As a resident of the Richmond district I have made it my personal goal to try every restaurant in the area. One night after visiting my aunt we decided to try something new, something that wasn’t «asian». We found Tiziano.
Entering the restaurant was easy, no wait, not too crowded, very nice. The first thing I noticed was that this wasn’t going to be your run of the mill type Italian restaurant, the wait staff spoke english with a heavy italian accent, this made me feel a lot more comfortable. I don’t know, call me weird, I just knew that this meal was going to be authentic. Sure enough, it was, i’ve never had italian like this before.
What we ordered:
–Antipasto: A
–Eggplant stuffed with feta: B
–Italian sausage rigatoni: A
–Pasta with clams: A
Tips and Pointers:
–You have to try the Antipasto at least once
–The wait staff is extremely friendly and fast
–Food is moderately priced (entrée no more than $ 16)
–Parking can be a drag
[APPROVED]

After being cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian (which, if you note the circumstances, is totally unwarranted), I would be happy if I never have to drive again. It would only add to the charm of having a cute Italian restaurant within walking distance of my apartment.
I am a pasta-​bucket, a spin on the Chinese saying, «rice-​bucket» for someone who eats a lot of rice. And too bad too, because in my neighborhood, you could find good, cheap chinese places every 50ft or so, but not so much for Itailan restaurants. And I usually find them to be over-​priced for food that I can cook and appreciate at home, but that’s all changed. Tiziano is the jam when it comes to good food at prices I don’t mind forking up.
It was at the start of the dinner shift when a friend and I walked in, and they immediately dimmed the lights and lit the candles and made it really cute for us to catch up and sip Italian wine while deciding on what to order. They didn’t bother us when we were deep in conversation or laughing hysterically, but was able to provide us with the right amount of attention. We started with the Clams and mussels that hung out in a bath of garlic wine sauce, which was perfect for dipping with bread. For entrée, I had the Chicken Risotto, and I loved it! Perfectly cooked chunks of chicken and wild mushrooms, it was bursting with flavor. They could’ve also made a seafood risotto if I preferred. My friend ordered the gnocchi and she enjoyed it also. In between laughs, current life events, gossip and giggles, we cleaned the table.
I am so happy this place is here that I felt it deserved a longer review.

I’m so glad there’s a good little Italian Restaurant in my neighborhood now! It’s tiny, cozy, romantic, with good service and yummy food.
The BF and I decided to grab dinner here before we headed out to Rockit Room Sat night. Parking was the worst so I was getting a little irritated with that. We parked 3 blocks away! That is wayy too much walking for me. But when we took our first step into the restaurant, I was happy that I didn’t just give up on parking and go Jack in the Box .
We were greeting with a lovely smile from the hostess and got seated in a little corner in the back. Looked through our menus and heard the specials from our waiter. Everything on the menu looked really god and I really wanted to order a lot of food since I only had hummus the whole day and I knew I needed to eat something if I was going to get drunk that night.
The waiter brought over a bread basket with a side dish of olive oil with chunks of garlic in it. MmMMmm so good. For appetizer, we order the Fried calamari. It was so good! The batter was really nice and the calamari was not tough like other places. They even give the tentacles! My fav! An order is definitely enough for 2 – 3. We didn’t even finish a full order. Which is rare since we’re both pigs.
I ordered the Penne Pollo. It was penne in a white cream sauce with chicken, broccoli, and diced tomatoes on top. OMG so good. It got a little too cheesy for me at the end but it was SO good! The sauce was milky but not overly thick and not thin like water. It was just perfect. Good chunks of chicken, pasta was cooked perfectly. Loved it.
Everything was perfect! Service, food, ambiance. Great date spot without going over budget. They even have a prie fix menu from 5 – 7! We went there around 8 so we missed it.

I was instantly charmed by Tiziano the moment I walked in, by the soothing and elegant ambiance created by candlelight, soft music, and the aromas of wine and sauce wafting into the dining room. My friend and I were seated immediately and offered a wine list as the waiter recited recommendations and the specials for the night. We were entranced by the wide range of entrée options, each described beautifully which made our decision all the more difficult. We ordered the appetizer sampler, and split a steak for the main course.
While we waited for our meal, a gorgeous waiter filled our glasses and served us warm bread with an unforgettable garlic dip. The food arrived shortly thereafter, a generous platter with bruschetta, fresh zucchinis and tomatoes, salad, and a delicate drizzle of balsamic vinegar. We were tantalized by the feast before us, one delectable bite after another. Furthermore, the zinfandel matched our meal completely.
Our steaks came next, and they were absolutely delicious! The mushrooms blended nicely with the wine sauce, which was light yet very flavorful. The spinach on the side practically melted in my mouth. My friend and I were very pleased with the quality of the food, as well as the attentiveness and warm disposition of the staff.
Although we were full and happy, my friend and I decided to spoil ourselves and order dessert. It’s not every day that you find a gem of a restaurant with fine yet affordable Italian cuisine. We chose the tiramisu, a spongy, cocoa covered piece of heaven. It was the perfect ending to a scrumptious adventure in the Richmond!
I recommend Tiziano for anyone looking for a new romantic date spot, or a reason to get dressed up to enjoy great food, fine wine, and good company!

came here for my birthday, it was really good. had the calamari and it was done just right and had a yummy dipping sauce. I also had the pollo penne, the chicken was just right and the sauce was very good. =) my friends also enjoyed their food they had seafood linguine and some other stuff!
and they were very patient when most of my party was late, the owner was very friendly and speedy about getting our food to us. And we had alot of refills for the bread and herbed olive oil. the tiramisu was melt in your mouth good!

We’re fairly local. My husband and I tolerate the parking because the ‘hood is cozy and restaurants on outer Clement tend to be fairly priced, averaging good to very good quality (3 to 5 stars in quality relative to their prices).
Tiziano has only been open for a couple of months, but we see some trouble spots — stuff we hope they’ll work out but… it’s going to take some work.
Service on this Friday evening at 6:30 was sweetly incompetent. Totally untrained, smiling waitress who likely had zero experience waiting tables or serving wine. The busser/​asst. waiter had nearly no English. Two wines I asked for were… missing. The owner was… running errands or something? While the waitress fumbled to find ANY bottle that might be what I asked for. NO TRAINING of any substance had taken place here. NONE.
The room is pretty. The wine — when we found some — was fairly priced (B+ quality Italian for $ 33 — ok). The Caprese salad was made with appallingly bad tomatoes. These are tomatoes that belong on a Big Mac. In a Safeway. Not in an Italian restaurant in San Francisco. Fresno maybe? (no, better tomatoes there).
Tortellini tossed in a cream sauce with mushrooms was very nice. But those large hunks of poor quality tomato screamed «this chef understands pico de gallo better than Italian food.»
Veal Saltimbocca — more pricey (16.95?) was clunky and overdone. Very seriously overdone. The sauce was passable, but the presentation was poor — three stacks of brownish, overcooked veal with one large sage leaf and slabs of cheese melted. The taste? Not bad for overdone meat.
Pluses — the house coffee was fresh and of good quality. The tiramisu (she says they make it there) was excellent, if mild — the orange zest was a nice touch and the cream was very fresh.
The owner reappeared and spruced up glasses, rearranged the host stand and seated a couple he recognized. He was oblivious to the quality of the food coming from the kitchen.
And that, I’m afraid, is what will kill Tiziano. This fellow seems nice enough. He’s priced it right for a family neighborhood «café.» Think café, not restaurant, and you won’t be too let down (I hear they do lunch).
But there is no way he can compete with a town full of good Italian food. True, Mescolanza is pricier — and I found Mescolanza’s service to be «meh» if better trained. But Mescolanza has trained servers, and won’t put overdone meat in front of you. Or grocery store tomatoes (no flavor, poor color, mealy texture etc.). Mescolanza’s owners are more foodies than front-​of-​house guys.
This is a front of house guy who’s opened his own place. Perky and pleasant, he does a nice cup of coffee and tiramisu. Wine by the glass, etc. — fine. But he’s going to have to hire a proper cook if he wants to stay open.
There’s a limit to how much you can coast on the fact that the Outer Richmond is light on non-​pizza Italian places.
A shame, too, because the place is darling to look at. Very pretty.

This is the 3^rd and latest Italian restaurant on this stretch of Clement. All 3 of them are neighborhood restaurants, meaning that the food is competently prepared and consistent, and the service is warm and friendly, but not worth driving across town for.
So, in broad strokes: Ernesto’s is Italian-​American fatty comfort food. Mescolanza is fancy-​pants Italian, but not foodie-​level fancy-​pants. Tiziano is somewhere in the middle, and still finding its identity, I think.
The food was not large and cheesy like at Ernesto’s, which I find overwhelming at times. It didn’t have the pronounced seasonal flavors of Mescolanza’s menu, though. So, if you’re not in the mood for drowning yourself in creamy pasta, why would you come here instead of Mescolanza? It’s about 25% cheaper for solid food.
I thought it was a bit odd that they had like 5 daily specials. There was a risotto of the day, steak of the day, soup of the day, etc. Maybe they’re still experimenting with the menu and seeing what sticks.
Dessert was farmed out or Costco, I think, but that isn’t unusual for this part of town.
Service was excellent, I felt. Genuine, attentive, but not intrusive. Overall, it felt like a hole-​in-​the-​wall you found down an alleyway in Sienna that only the locals go to. So, definitely go if you’re in a 10-​block radius, but skip it if you’re farther out.

I was wandering down Clement Street last night and was taken aback when I noticed that the Peruvian restaurant was now Italian. Lucky for me, I was hungry so I ventured inside. Since it was just me, I opted to sit at the bar, which was more like a server station, but I didn’t want to take up a 4 top table.
The staff, including the owner Josh, was hustling about, doting on the packed dining room. For a Sunday in the Inner Richmond they were fairly busy. While waiting for my order I noticed that the staff was exceptionally attentive. The owner greeted everyone who entered and opened the door for everyone who left. I love to see that in a neighborhood restaurant.
The best parts of the Peruvian restaurant still remained — the lights! I love the lights. They’re so pretty. Along with a new paint job and few barrels and other accoutrements were added.
While waiting for my Penne Pollo entre, I was given house made bread and olive oil. The bread was divine. The olive oil was so delicious. It had roasted garlic, basil and some balsamic vinegar.
The Penne Pollo had chunks of chicken, onions, fresh basil and cheese. The sauce was fresh, and the chicken was savory.
I’ll definitely be back to try more menu items.

Really, I wanted to give this place 2 stars, but since Mac M gave it 5 stars based on «looking forward to trying it»… this review list needed a counter weight. That said…
The bread sucked. No taste and spongy. Amazingly, dipped in the olive oil /​spices… the bland taste of the bread was stronger than the bland taste of the oil /​spices. Amazing.
The pasta… umm… I’m no chef, but even I can manage al dente! They get one star for having linguine with clams where the clams are in the shell and the sauce is white wine based. Now, if they could just learn to cook.
Side: No garlic bread? I know you are trying to be «classy» but for the love of garlic already!
The staff: How I wished to strangle them. Where were they half the time? Chatting up customers, in force, when there were only two of them! So, waiting around for these guys… And when they show up for the meal, they offer pepper, and not cheese. Hello! After dinner… it’s us and our pile of plates just waiting for a waiter and our bill (I had to chase it up on my own). The poor bastards next to us got their bill, had not pen provided to sign it, and had to wait for some time while the wait staff chatted up a table for some time.
Atmosphere: Magically depressing, like the prior restaurant on this spot.
Overall: It’s my fault. The previous restaurant on this location was a joke and I just new this one would be as well… yet I went inside to try. My bad. With Bella Trattoria a short drive away, I’ll joyfully dine there for my next local Italian outing.