by Alyssa J. O’Brien

The open kitchen at It’s Italia in Half Moon Bay

 
Step into It’s Italia in Half Moon Bay and enjoy homemade pasta, fresh local fish, meat and pizza in a warm ambiance. You might even be brought a glass of wine by owner Betsy del Fierro — a woman of many talents and a gentle spirit on the coast.

A music teacher, restaurateur and mother of three, del Fierro makes time to nourish her creativity and give back to her community. Every Monday, she directs the children’s choir at the Methodist church in preparation for monthly concerts, despite the busy pace of running a successful Coastside restaurant and planning the move of It’s Italia from 40 Stone Pine Road to  its new location at 401 Main St.

Restaurateur, musician, teacher Betsy del Fierro. Photo credit: Alyssa O’Brien.

“It’s so exciting but I don’t know what to anticipate,” says del Fierro. About five times a day, she’s asked the big question, “When are you opening?”

Looking back 11 years to when  she launched It’s Italia with husband George and another couple, del Fierro says, “We were those rare, lucky people who happened to hit this town at the right time with a product the town needed: gourmet pizza.”

As for the move to Main Street, del Fierro says, “It had been a wish of ours for many years. We feel very lucky to be there.”

Del Fierro says the history of the Main Street building goes back to Prohibition days. There’s the mystery of an underground tunnel, and her builders have found strange drainage patterns in the basement, lending credence to the old stories.

Above ground, the new space will enable It’s Italia to double in seats; it will have 80 inside and 20 outside, good news for locals and visitors who love the restaurant. A new feature will be the full bar, but the menu will remain the same. Del Fierro is even bringing over the well-seasoned sauté pans. “We don’t want to lose the taste of the restaurant,” she says.

Caring attention to ambiance: famous olive oil and vinegar with focaccia bread. Photo credit: Alyssa O’Brien.

She’ll continue to source local produce including fresh fish, meats, vegetables and Farmer John’s herbs. “It’s like having all the herbs in my back yard since the farm is across the creek behind the restaurant,” she said.
Del Fierro calls the taste Cal-Italian and considers herself a wannabe Italian. Born and raised in Hawaii, she moved to the Bay Area to attend Mills College. With her husband, whose roots go back to Italy and Spain, she landed on the coast in 1993. “We wanted to be by the ocean,” she remembers and so, together with their children Rene, Maile and Camille, they made the change that in turn changed the town.

A teacher by training, del Fierro learned the restaurant business from being in it — and being good at it. “It’s such a fun career. It allows me to be creative in all aspects,” she says.

Her creativity shows in the design  of the new space. The biggest construction element is the open kitchen. Del Fierro removed a wall so diners can see the cook line, a hallmark of the restaurant’s current location. She’s using local artists and craftspeople, including Greg Stone (who built the original It’s Italia building) and Steve Barber (who supervised the remodel of the Half Moon Bay Inn about five years ago).

Adriana Guzman, one of the It’s Italia family. Photo credit: Alyssa O’Brien.

To fulfill her creative vision, del Fierro purchased a new rotisserie grill and she traveled to Bellington, Wash., to purchase a woodstove pizza oven for cooking entrées such as salmon on a cedar slab and grapes on focaccia bread. Del Fierro thinks the oven will produce a nice  wood-burning smell and atmosphere.

Having a teaching background also helps in the managerial part of the business, del Fierro says, especially understanding human behavior and how people operate. She gets the most satisfaction from helping people grow — from busboy to server, dishwasher to line cook. Most of her staff has been with her for five to six years. “They’re kind of like my kids,” she says.

Del Fierro’s love for her staff extends to Half Moon Bay. “It’s so nice to be in this town. It’s like a family community; it’s a treasure.”

So when is the opening? Del Fierro’s target date is February 7. She wants the space to be a happy, comfortable place to go for delicious food at a good value.

For del Fierro, it’s not just eating, but the whole experience. “You feed the soul as well as the stomach,” she says. “In a restaurant, the spirit is just as important as the taste of the food and the quality of the service.” The Coastside certainly is lucky to have Betsy del Fierro as the spirit behind It’s Italia.

Local Specialty: Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
 
Get some nice local Brussels sprouts. Clean them and toss with a little olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Secret: Don’t use too much olive oil; just a little to coat them and keep them moist. Put the coated sprouts into a sauté pan.

Chop pancetta into cubes. Secret: Use uncooked pancetta so the fat will coat the Brussels sprouts while cooking.

Roast for 30 minutes in the oven or until al dente; it will start to bubble. Take out and toss. Shave Parmesan cheese on top and serve.
 
Vegetarian Winter Dish: Butternut Squash Fingers
 
Cut squash into finger-size slices. Roast plain until almost black on the corners. Serve sugary and delicious.

It’s Italia Specialties: seasonal Dungeness crab linguini with baby shrimp and meat lasagna. 

Photo credit: Alyssa O’Brien.