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e daily chalkboards list rotating offerings, which include three to four hot pasta dishes and a few appetizers, like Prosciutto di Parma or house-made burrata. I ordered the burrata, and it was some of the best I've ever had. e cases below the chalkboards display the gorgeous handmade pastas — and did I forget to mention the focaccia? Arrive at opening time and the counter is lined with half- sheet pans overflowing with beautiful, puffy, blistery, pillowy focaccia fresh out of the oven. Make sure to order a side to have with your dish, as I did with my lasagna, and then take a bag home to have with dinner. It's cake-like, holey, moist, and melty inside and a great vehicle for your sauce — or drenched in some of the high-quality olive oil on the table. Pastaria Vivi will soon start monthly wine dinners and offers a monthly subscription box that includes two varieties of handmade pasta, two sauces, and a curated pairing, such as cheese or other Italian ingredients, to complete the meal. If you love beef tartare, Bosforo, a new restaurant featuring Mediterranean-Turkish cuisine, makes a beautiful version you absolutely must try. is Normal Heights spot, by owner and head chef Seckin Sage, is not to be missed. When the server drops the Cig Kofte Tartar tableside, you might think it's a dessert because, at first glance, it resembles a tart. e wonderfully seasoned minced beef takes shape in a "shell" made of baked bulgur and spices. e beef is gently seasoned with Urfa pepper and pomegranate sauce, then topped with a quail egg yolk. e menu, which is comprised of Chef Seckin and Chef de Cuisine Ibrahim Ozdemir's renditions of family recipes, also includes lamb chops, beef meatballs, stews, and a variety of breads and pizzas from their wood-fired pizza oven. Another very interesting and standout dish is the Lahmacun, or "Turkish Pizza." While the menu also offers traditional- style pizzas, venture out and try this dish. A very thin, yeastless dough is sparingly topped with a minced beef, onion, red pepper, and Aleppo mixture and baked for under a minute in the wood oven. It is delivered practically still crackling and eaten by hand with fresh condiments of red onion, parsley, pickled peppers, and lemon wedges. I recently discovered Lumi Rooftop, which is located downtown on 5th Avenue — perfect for pre-Padres — perched above Huntress, which I will be talking about in another issue. Guests reach the deck via an elevator at the entrance to Huntress, which takes you on a very slow ride to the roof. e doors open, dramatically revealing beautiful light (Lumi), gorgeous décor, and a lovely city top view. Most of the tables are covered with a canvas shade, and there are heaters for the winter, so it's a year-round dining option. I tried several of the dishes created by award-winning and Michelin-starred Chef Akira Back. While the menu features a hefty list of sushi options, he created a rounded-out dinner menu of small plates, sharing plates, and what the menu calls "Warm Plates," which include Japanese-inspired dishes like Kimchee Chaufa (fried rice) with Pork Belly and Tempura Cauliflower. It also offers Baby Back Ribs, a Wagyu selection, and the Huntress Dry-Aged Ribeye Steak. One of my favorites — and considered a house specialty — is the Akira Back Pizza, which is a crispy corn tortilla frosted with ponzu mayo, then draped with thinly sliced tuna, serrano, red onions, and micro shiso, and drizzled with truffle oil. Yes, it tastes as delicious as it sounds. Bosforo BOSFORO: PHOTO BY KIMBERLY MOTOS LUMI: PHOTO BY SAM WELLS Lumi Rooftop Bosforo Bosforo @ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2026 75