When entering Campo Italian Bistro & Bar in McCormick Ranch, you feel like you are entering a resort dining hall. The ceilings are high, the space is light and airy, and the food is modern and inviting. There are several live plants both indoors and on the patio at Campo which make the entire restaurant feel like a true oasis in the desert. It’s totally cliche to say this, but the acclaimed Chef Alex Stratta has done it again.
To start, I highly recommend the Limoncello Margarita; it’s lively and true to the great taste of a meyer lemon. It’s not too sweet and pure in flavor, whoever makes the limoncello there knows what they are doing. I haven’t tasted Limoncello that great since our honeymoon in Italy at La Giostra’s in Florence. It’s legit. I had several. To start John and I shared the oven roasted cauliflower with raisin vinegrette and pine nuts. The cauliflower came hot from the oven in a cast iron skillet, still sizzling when we started to eat it. It went down by the forkful. Next we dove into the Rovey Waygu Beef Carpaccio. We do love beef carpaccio when we can get it and Campo delivered. The Beef was succulent and filled with a solid amount of marbling. Paired with arugula and sherry vinegrette it was quite delectable on the seeded table crackers that accompanied it.
For dinner we decided to share the baby gem Caesar salad with white anchovies and Bianca pizza with ricotta, roasted fennel, prosciutto and arugula. The Caesar presented the most amazing brininess brought on by the salty white anchovies, as it should! If you don’t like anchovies on your Caesar, you might be BASIC. Traditionally, Caesar salads are always served with anchovies. The Bianca pizza had the most amazing mellow and sultry disposition. The creaminess of the ricotta with the warmth of the fennel were wonderfully ambrosial.
And how can I forget, John’s bonus panini! On days were John works through lunch, he tries to catch up for lost meals at dinner. Once we had finished the pizza, John ordered the Salumi panini with fries. If you are a lover of cured meats, this sandwich is for you. Salty and slightly sweaty, this sandwich provided much needed respite from a full day’s work in the sweltering AZ heat.
We have been back a few times since my original visit. Please be sure to book a reservation as it’s always full, you will be glad you did. To Campo Bistro & Bar I would impart a resounding: Motto Bene!
*Reservation recommended
