Aperitivo’s Corn Pudding with Black Truffle and Buffalo Mozzarella
Summer’s Don’t-Miss-Dish
This dish, listed in Italian as Mozzarella di Bufala, Tartufo Nero e Budino di Mais, has become a local summer favorite at Aperitivo on Haley Street. Tucked just off State Street, this intimate Italian gem brings the authentic “meeting for wine and bites” culture of Rome and Milan to Santa Barbara.
The experience is driven by the partnership of its owners: Sommelier Andrea Girardello, who curates a deep list of sustainable Italian wines, and Executive Chef Brian Dodero, who focuses on handmade, seasonal dishes.
The two partners are a real lemons-to-lemonade story: After being furloughed in 2020 from food and wine positions at Santa Barbara’s Four Seasons (which hasn’t yet reopened), the pair set about creating their own neighborhood hangout spot for drinks and delicious food. They started with a small, manageable menu of dishes with real Italian roots paired with wines from the same regions. They also offered several versions of the classic Italian spritz to-go (which we all needed) and make-at-home pasta nights, which made them a local favorite during the COVID shutdowns.
Today, Girardello manages the wine side, picking unique bottles from small Italian producers, and Dodero manages the kitchen, doing most shopping at local farmers markets for vegetables, herbs and whatever is available for the season. He also grows his own herbs at home, including mentuccia, an herb popular in Lazio (around Rome), something he couldn’t buy fresh here.
Dodero says their success has come from being so involved—being there every day—plus a priority for freshness, changing the menu frequently depending on what’s in season. This is also what makes it fun for them in the kitchen. Aperitivo is well-known for its rotating lineup of spritzes, typically four to eight on the menu, alongside house-made shrubs crafted from local fruit and flowers.
The space is a classic “hole-in-the-wall” enoteca: romantic, laid-back and very small. You can grab a seat at the indoor bar for a personal chat with the staff—and a view of the open kitchen—or enjoy the fresh air at a few outdoor tables. Its size makes it feel less like a commercial restaurant and more like a private homey gathering spot. Starting small showed the pair there was a demand for this kind of eatery, and they have recently opened a larger restaurant around the corner, Manifattura, with a menu of pizza, more pastas and truffles galore.
This summer, check out the original location with this fresh, unctuous corn dish of local corn, Italian mozzarella and summer black truffles (these are paler and lighter in aroma and flavor than winter truffles). To make Dodero’s version, cut the kernels off a fresh ear of corn. Sauté them in a skillet over medium heat with a little butter until sweated down, then add a little cream. Blend this with salt until smooth and spread onto a plate. Slice some fresh buffalo milk mozzarella over the top of the corn. Use a mandoline to slice the truffle and sprinkle it over the cheese (or drizzle high-quality truffle oil). Top with coarse sea salt and chopped chives.
