When I first came to Bricco Osteria in Calistoga, I didn’t have a reservation. It was a Saturday night and the line was stretching out the door. I quickly realized that I had no chance of getting in.

Curious, I entered the long, narrow trattoria and was engulfed by the energy, cheerful noise, and aromas of slowly simmering tomatoes, garlic, and basil. I saw plates being handed out from the open kitchen at the front, and there was a beautiful lasagna, folded long like a cake and decorated with wide strips of meat.

I had to eat that lasagna. So I remembered to call ahead on my next visit.

The Italian partnership is definitely a crowd pleaser. It’s a small footprint, seating 44-plus-six at the full bar in the back and a few more at sidewalk tables. But his fan base seems large; social media posters have been flying over the place since it opened last spring, crowning it with 4.5 stars on Yelp and 4 spots on Tripadvisor.

One Yelper even wrote a lengthy tribute to the place: “In the vine-twined town of Calistoga lies Bricco Osteria, a culinary temple…” (and the rhymes go on).

This makes me happy for the owner Ali Yıldırım. He works hard; We know him as the former partner of the Mediterranean-themed Tarla Grill and Napkins in Napa and the current owner of Carpe Diem. It is the driving force of the Bricco experience that greets its guests with an enthusiastic hello, directs them to the tables like a mother hen and promises them a “very happy evening”.

The third-generation restaurateur is also well educated. He grew up in Gaziantep, Turkey, went to culinary school in Istanbul, then worked in hotels, restaurants and on cruise ships while traveling to New Jersey and California.

There are many upscale Italian restaurants in Napa Valley, but this is not one of them. The concept is simple: satisfying comfort food in generous portions at generally reasonable prices. The presentation sometimes feels retro, with many dishes drizzled with balsamic and others smothered in lightly sweetened cream or vodka-kissed tomato sauce like most of us grew up with.

But keep in mind that the breads, sauces, sauces, and desserts are all homemade, and Yıldırım hires a sous chef to make all the pasta fresh by hand. You can taste the difference.

The 200+ bottle wine list also kicks things off, with some French, Italian and Hungarian selections scattered among California staples. There’s a 2019 Opus One Napa Cabernet Sauvignon for $660 per bottle, while fine wines like the Ferrari-Carano North Coast Fumé Blanc for $40 or the 2018 Olabisi Napa Valley Proprietary Red for $45 can be had for under $50.

Dinner starts with the appetizer misto, which can be a full meal or a happy hour meal for two. The plate is filled with fresh mozzarella di bufala served hot, sliced ​​tomatoes, prosciutto di Parma, soppressata, assorted roasted peppers, Parmigiano-Reggiano cubes, mixed olives, dried apricots, buttery garlic focaccia and marinated mushrooms. Complete with balsamic reducing drizzles, Grove 45 Napa Valley olive oil, and a big pinch of fresh basil leaves, it’s a $22 deal.

Arancini start at $14 for three golf ball-sized spheres of fluffy saffron risotto, laced with melting mozzarella under a blanket of tomato sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano and more basil leaves. A hearty bruschetta pomodoro features three large slices of house-made focaccia, heaps of diced tomatoes, garlic basil pesto, oregano, Pecorino Romano and balsamic, plus, you guessed it, basil leaves ($14).

The kitchen needs to go through a garden’s worth of basil every night. This is great for me as I love tangy herb and it adds spark to more common dishes like chicken Parmigiano. This cozy, familiar recipe gets even richer with Mary’s organic bird and tagliatelle instead of spaghetti, plenty of mozzarella, and as much freshly grated Parmesan ($29) as you’d like your server to add.

The lasagna is more substantial than it appeared at my first stop, pleasant with homemade noodles, silky meat and layers of béchamel in an ocean of Bolognese sauce ($30). There are fancier lasagnas, but this version is delicious and filling.

I also got the short rib special ($42). How could I not, after wandering around the Yildirim dining room displaying a plate of impossibly tender meat that had been braised for 24 hours and then topped with a parsnip purée delicately topped with crispy parsnip curls? A man at the bar took one look and said, “Yeah, this is for me.”

My favorite dish, though, was the linguine alla chitarra ($34) because it had the bold spice I was craving. A large bowl filled with flat-cut noodles and plenty of perfectly cooked chunks of shrimp, oysters, Mediterranean mussels, and Chilean sea bass swimming in a light tomato sauce broth kicked up with beautiful back notes of fiery chile ($34).

After all, Bricco isn’t the most interesting Italian joint in Wine Country. But that’s okay. There’s plenty of room for an ultra-friendly neighborhood spot where Yildirim will approach your table and ask if you want anchovies in your classic Caesar salad ($14 and yes, please) or if you’d like to see anchovies. Secret menu for your kids with chicken strips, burgers and butter noodles.

And when you dig into a giant bowl of expertly braised lamb osso buco over perfectly creamy saffron risotto and don’t break the bank ($44), what’s not to cheer about?

Carey Sweet is a food and restaurant writer living in Sevastopol. Read restaurant reviews bi-weekly in Sonoma Life. Contact her at [email protected].