Cafe Firenze in Moorpark, California

Moorpark California is not known as a culinary Mecca. Thirty years ago it was orange groves and horse ranches. In 1983 it was incorporated as a city. In 1992, the original Wood Ranch BBQ opened (and it's still there today). Moorpark College has one of the few Exotic Animal Training and Management programs in the United States. Moorpark also boast an annual "Third of July Fireworks Extravaganza."

It's one of those little cities that has enjoyed a sleepy little existence.

Until Season Five of Top Chef.

Top Chef is a reality TV cooking competition on the Bravo Network. In Season Five, Fabio Viviani was one of the contestants. While he did not win the competition, he was voted the "Fan Favorite."

He is the chef and owner of Cafe Firenze in little ole Moorpark, California.

Fabio made a comment that was aired (on two episodes) about his confidence in being able to serve anything, including the hind quarter of a certain exotic animal. It's nice to see he still has a sense of humor about one of his most quoted comments from the show.

For most Italians, Sunday means a big family dinner. And for my family, it means Pasta will be served. Last Sunday, while visiting my Italian Momas, our dinner plans led us to Cafe Firenze in Moorpark.

Momas had been there before and had really enjoyed her meal. "And," she added, "all of the pasta is freshly made in house." There is no refuting the Momas.

I was surprised to find that the restaurant was located in a strip mall with an Albertson's grocery store and a three screen movie theatre. Right next door, in the same building, is a Baskin Robbins.

But as we entered the restaurant, I was taken in by the frangrances of pungent garlic, fresh basil, and rich olive oil. We took our seats at the end of a counter facing into the open kitchen. A young woman worked the saute station in front of us. The first thing I noticed was that her chef jacket was patched in two places with fabric covered with a musical score.

The second thing I noticed were the hotel pans stocked with dried pasta. The kind you buy at the grocery store, not looking the least bit house made.

So I asked the server. "Yes," she replied, "most of our pasta is made in house: the lasagna...the ravioli..." It seemed she was flustered by the question and fumbling for the answer.

"Perhaps you can just tell me what pastas are not made in house," I offered.

"The spaghetti, fettucini, linguini and angel hair."

"Ah," I replied. The Momas furrowed her brow.

While many of the pasta dishes sounded lovely, we eschewed them for want of avoiding a mediocre pasta dinner. In a way it gave us license to try some more adventurous things.

Momas ordered the Green Apple Vichyssoise, which turned out to be served hot. It was quite delicious, served with small cubes of pork as garnish. I started with the Baby Octopus served in a spicy tomato stew, garnished with a parmesan toast point. It was so tender they must have beaten it senseless before cooking it.

For entrees Momas ordered the beef special, a seared loin served over sauteed baby spinach and truffle mashed potatoes--pedestrian but satisfying. I ordered the wild mushroom risotto with house made sausage--a dish so rich and hearty I could finish less than half of the portion. I was surprised that such unseasonal dishes were executed so well, but that's what you get in California. The growing season is practically year round. Beef and risotto are heavy dishes for such a warm time of year, but evenings in this part of California can get rather chilly. And obviously some people were ordering the entrees.

We had been sitting, eating and watching the show in the kitchen before us, for about two hours by the time we had leisurely finished our entrees. We had seen almost of the the desserts listed on the menu, and decided we had to try a few. We ordered the sampler (molten chocolate cake, bread pudding, and cheesecake), and the cannoli.

The sampler was mostly unimpressive. The bread pudding and chocolate cake were completely forgettable. But Momas loved the cheesecake. It was as savory as it was sweet, more like an Easter Pie than what one thinks of as a traditional American cheesecake. Mom gobbled it up and considered ordering a whole slice to go. The cannoli were almost perfect--delicious cannoli cream, not too sweet, with mini-chocolate chips in the cream, and the ends of the cannoli dredged through chopped pistachios. The shells were fresh and crisp. It was lovely.

Alas, no Fabio sightings, which didn't particularly disappoint me, but the Momas always enjoys talking to the chef. Especially when it is a man. Especially when it is an Italian man. So we will have to come again, the two of us, so the Momas can enjoy not only dinner, but a show. Although most of the seats in the restaurant were empty, I'm feeling fairly confident that Cafe Firenze will be around for more Sunday dinners, with or without the pasta.