Il Forno Caldo

Il Forno Caldo translates to the hot oven —an appropriate name for an Italian restaurant where chefs fire up a cavalcade of Old-World dishes to pair with pastas rolled and cut fresh daily. While angel hair, rigatoni, and penne simmer in sauces such as pesto and bolognese, the tireless chefs fashion linguine lassos to reign in clams, mussels, and other delectable sea candies. Out in the dining room, which Gayot calls an "unexpected charmer," diners dig into slices of pizza fresh from the kitchen's eponymous hot oven, or sip one of 300 wines extracted directly from the giant, pulsing grape in the restaurant's cellar.

During the meal, guests can form finger-puppet ghosts with the white linen tablecloths or compare blowfish impressions in the mirrored wall panels. Rich red curtains lend an air of Old-World glamour to the romantic dining room, whose honey-colored wooden shelves display gleaming bottles of rare, classic, and California "cult" wines.