I wanted to try Giacomo's before we move out of the River Oaks area in a few weeks. When I overheard one of my coworkers singing it's praises, I decided it was time. We got seats on the patio on a warm Saturday evening. The sky was threatening rain, but it held out, and the atmosphere couldn't have been more welcoming or comfortable.
Our waiter looked young, but he knew his stuff, including the history of the restaurant, the best dishes on the menu, and how to politely deal with the rude and demanding couple sitting at the other end of our long table. Check plus smiley-face for service.
We started out with a reasonably priced bottle of "pink" wine from the extensive list and a bread basket. Bread costs three dollars at Giacomo's, which seemed odd at an Italian restaurant. Half of the bread (focaccia) was good, and the other half seemed like store-bought sandwich rolls. Unless they change their policy and make it free, skip it.
My husband had a house salad with the green goddess dressing, as well as the pork butt with cannellini beans that my coworker so enjoyed. His pork was "aggressively seasoned" with fennel and served over a warm, rustic stew of beans and tomato. The meat was very tender and the seasoning, though bold, was tamed by the meat and the beans. He described his meal as "scrumptious."
I had gnocchi with cream sauce and mushrooms. These gnocchi were light as air, and the sauce was comforting without being too heavy for a summer evening. I ate every bite on my plate and even broke down and sopped some of the sauce up with the bread (which still probably didn't make it worth the $3).
For dessert we tried the hazelnut mocha cream. All I can say is this: real whipped cream. LOTS of it, on top of the thick, cold, creamy, amazingly chocolaty love-child of mousse and pudding. Get it.
Giacomo is a lovely little place that serves authentic Italian comfort food in a cozy atmosphere. My husband didn't think he liked Italian food before we ate here, having spent his life believing that all Italy had to offer was pasta, tomatoes and mozzarella. He was surprised by the variety and quality of Giacomo's offerings, and he left feeling like maybe, just maybe, he liked Italian cuisine. That alone is a huge compliment to the chef, and a good reason why you should try this place.
