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IT ALL DEPENDS UPON YOUR APPETITE<br />
The setting at Gina’s Italian Restaurant in Arroyo Grande is one of cozy<br />
familiarity: a quintessential neighborhood place with exposed wood beams,<br />
a copper bar, and dependable comfort food. The restaurant has remained<br />
this way for decades, in part because owner Manuel Estrella purchased the<br />
property from its original owners and kept everything the same–including<br />
Gina’s famous bread and tomato dip.<br />
“It’s just tomato, basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper,”<br />
says Estrella, who started as a cook in Gina’s kitchen. “It’s very simple.”<br />
He explains that the French-style bread is baked fresh in house, and then<br />
he brings out a basket for me. With the soft, sliced bread, he includes a<br />
little dish of tomato dip, which is not unlike a bruschetta topping. The<br />
flavor is tangy and tart, with juices that soak into the bread, turning it pink.<br />
With a bottle of red or a bottle of white, this simple combination could<br />
constitute a very satisfying meal, indeed. >><br />
82 | <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> MAGAZINE | DEC/JAN <strong>2020</strong>
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