Sarah and Bill recommended we try the new restaurant Due Dieci (Italian for 210) a try. It is located in the posh Toll House Hotel in downtown Los Gatos, at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The restaurant was recently established by the five life-long partners of nearby Dio Deka that is known for serving Michelin quality Greek food. Building on the success and creative imagination of talented chef Nicko Moulinos, Due Dieci’s menu
also experiments with new combinations and flavors. One of several food servers that welcomed us and took care of our every need told us that a few months ago they had a “Soft Opening,” or soft launch before the official opening. Basically, it is a trial run for their operations whereby the doors are open to a limited number of people to test the menu, service and logistics allows them to iron our the kinds before opening day. It also helps create buzz in the community.
After ordering a bottle of La Follette Los Primeros Pinot Noir, one of the waiters brought an appetizer in pastry cups for all of us. We shared a Gemme Preziose salad, with local gems and bibs, roasted mushrooms, carrot, and truffle dressing; and a Funghi Pizza for the table. We were served a small cup of Italian style Gazpacho to cleanse our palettes before our entrees. Collectively, we ordered In-house handmade Pumpkin Ravioli of the day, and Rigatoni Alla Carbonara; Risotto with shrimp; and an 8 ounce three-way blend burger with provolone, prosciutto, roasted pepper and fries. One of us didn’t like the ravioli dish and the head waiter gladly swapped it out for another pasta dish. The service was excellent and everyone went out of their way to make sure we were happy.
The main dinning room was completely full. Luckily, we secured a table in the restaurant’s outside patio with a heater to keep us warm as the evening progressed.
We ended our dining experience with an assortment of ice cream and were brought a wrapped soft caramel candy complements of the restaurant.
