Tutti Santi

John Carlos Villani
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 25, 2003 12:00 AM

If you've ever wondered where the saints go to eat after marching in, you may want to peek inside Tutti Santi, the northern Italian restaurant on 16th Street south of Northern Avenue.

Michael Chow/The Arizona Republic Ravioli alla Nina with a bottle of Chianti from Tutti Santi.

This family-owned operation - somewhat formal but still highly pleasant - has two other locations, in Mesa and north Phoenix. All offer essentially the same menu, which lists about a dozen pasta dishes, a dozen chicken and veal specialties and several seafood entrees.

The 16th Street location, at the corner of an upscale strip mall, affords Tutti Santi (which means "all saints" in Italian) a large shaded courtyard with ceiling fans and space heaters to keep outdoor diners comfortable year-round. There are three indoor dining areas, and the walls are tastefully decorated with light shades of terra-cotta textured paint.

A small, dark bar separates the smoking and non-smoking areas. A long hallway lined with framed reviews from newspapers and magazines greets diners as they enter, and at the end of the hallway is a large map of Italy.

The wine list has diverse California and Italian choices, although its lowest-priced selections are in the $28 range for what essentially are house-quality wines. Even middle-of-the-road wines are in the $40-to-$50 range. Tutti Santi needs to bring more rational pricing to this end of its business.

The service was well informed, friendly and competent. Right after we were seated, a basket of Florentine-style focaccia (a slightly raised version of this traditional Italian flatbread) was brought, wrapped in a cloth napkin and tucked inside a wire basket. It was accompanied by a tub of herbed butter, and although both were delicious, we requested olive oil for dipping the focaccia. A cruet of good-quality, green-tinged, extra-virgin olive oil arrived within seconds.

For starters, we ordered Calamari Fritti ($8.95), a large portion of sliced, batter-dipped, deep-fried squid accompanied by a dish of light marinara sauce and lemon slices. The calamari was perfectly cooked and the batter elegantly light, but the dish lacked seasoning and tasted bland.

My dining companion ordered the outstanding Ravioli alla Nina ($13.95), seven delectably light, ricotta-stuffed pillows of house-made pasta. Each ravioli, about the size of a credit card, was covered in a light tomato sauce and sat in a pool of quattro formaggio cheese sauce.

I had the Penne della Casa ($11.95), a large bowl of quality - though commercially made - penne pasta tossed with a savory mix of artichoke hearts, escarole, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and romano cheese. The dish was a perfect balance of textures and flavors, with a nice wallop of fresh garlic.

After the entrees, our waiter brought complimentary flaming shots of sambucca, an Italian liqueur made from anise seeds. It was a wonderfully European way to finish a meal.

For dessert, we shared tiramisu ($6.50), presented as a tall square of cocoa-dusted lightness on a plate swirled with chocolate coulis. The dessert's foundation of ladyfingers was lightly soaked in rum; the top layer was a fluffy blanket of whipped cream.

Tutti Santi does many things right, from its atmosphere and service to reasonably priced dishes. It just needs a more accessible wine list to really make the saints smile.