Best of 2000: Best Stromboli

Sorrentino's Ristorante
4726 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Clairemont
(858) 483-1811

Why is the word stromboli familiar and yet hard to associate with food? The answer to the first is that it's an island off Sicily and it was the place where Ingrid Bergman met her destiny, filming a movie of the same name with director Roberto Rosselini. Stromboli, the food item, is at least 100 years old and originated with the island fishermen. Jumping off their boats, hungry from a day of net-hauling, they would grill at open fires the fresh catch of the day, roll it in flat bread, and then bake the rolled-up loaves in stone ovens. Italian immigrants brought stromboli to New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. In these cities, they were prepared with pizza dough, filled with cold cuts, rolled, and baked in pizza ovens.

Sorrentino's is the place to dine in or take out strombolis. One is vegetarian and filled with mozzarella and fortena cheeses, sliced roma tomatoes, broccoli, and roasted tomatoes. The other contains two cheeses, pepperoni, sausage, onions, and peppers. They're rolled and then baked for 20 minutes and served with marinara sauce, which you may use for dipping or to pour over the roll. It's lighter than pizza and makes a perfect meal before a movie. Cold, it's a delightful snack (both types cost $7.25).