Semola

Food so delish you shake your head and stop breathing as you enjoy every dish. No joke, that’s how I judge food you want to keep coming back to, the type of food you remember…

This is what Semola is made of, the best thing I ever ate, type of food. Lucky for me it started seven ish years ago, when I would order her bourbon bread pudding every shift (best thing I’ve ever eaten).

The food is so thought out, the flavors, the structure, the techniques, with the feeling of comfort food but still light. The story behind each dish and the influences from Italy and Argentina and how she incorporates her family traditions really makes the experience. It’s not often your chef is able to run a kitchen, bring her own creations out, and still connect with the people coming to eat her food. I could keep going but you just need to experience it.

We ate the entire menu just about:
Semola
Panzanella
Carpacci Wagyu
Carpacci Melone
Amatriana
Arrabiata
Gricia
Fugazetta
Fritti Dalla Terra
Profumo di Primavera
Tiramisu Cioccolata Fredo
Pesca Frizzante
Piccolo Pasticceria

Semola is tucked away in a faux New England-esque little plaza on Fay Avenue, one of the nicer and quieter streets in the La Jolla Village. As others have commented, it is outdoor seating only. I love the large and majestic tree which climbs to the sky in the middle of one of the patios.

Beyond the front door to the interior of Semola is the reception area and the small kitchen of the restaurant. Upon entering, it was great to see the smiling face of Andrea, whom I knew from Ambrigio-15 in Pacific Beach. He is warm and gracious, and he kindly and with expertise guided me through the exciting menu during the evening of my visit.

While not extensive, the wine list offers some interesting possibilities. From the list, I selected a bottle of 2015 Sagrantino di Montefalco, which Andrea described as “super dry”.

Before I ordered, Chef Daniela Martinez came out of the kitchen to speak with me. We discussed her growing up in Argentina, her culinary background, and the concept and what she is aiming to achieve with her cooking at Semola. It was evident from speaking with her that Daniela’s ideas and the dishes as executed by her that are delivered to the customers are cerebral and based on sound culinary principles and the best products, upon which she places her distinctive and talented touch.

I will leave it to others to describe the food in detail. The focus of my reviews is always to seek out the essence, the feeling, the soul of a restaurant. Rest assured, at Semola , you will discover what it means to be the pampered guest in the home of two consummate professionals—Andrea and Daniela– who have joined together for our great benefit to create this little corner of paradise on Fay Avenue which is Semola.