Impasto by Terun

What a lovely first experience at Impasto! We came here on my friend's recommendation and were sat outside by some heaters. The menu had familiar names of dishes but some that intrigued us. We enjoyed the super freshly fried calamari and that lemon sauce was amazing! I had the octopus pesto pasta dish and all the specials looked yummy too! Parking is in downtown San Carlos , which can be hit or miss depending on timing. There are a few spots dedicated to the restaurant in the Caltrain lot but don't count on those. This would be a great spot to check out for a special event, as we were treated with great hospitality too!

We came here for lunch on a Friday. Reservations is a must because they are open until 2:00 . We ordered calamari; ciabatta bread : fried eggplant -- delicious . We ordered branzino and carbonara pizza. The branzino was delicious! I would come back for this! Tiramisu for our birthday ! Yummy! Service was great!

I ate dinner here. The location is really out of the way, which I like, at the San Carlos Train Stop. A little away from the hustle of Laurel Street. The food was quite interesting and see my take on the different items below. I ordered the Specialty Pizza which came with big peppers on it and a specialty doe- tasted somewhat like buckwheat. It is a new refined pizza. I really like the old San Remos (closed now) which used to be across the street, or the existing Toto in San Bruno (the Belmont one is just ok). I am also somewhat impartial to glamorous places like Vespa on Broadway. I like the deep dish one, but unfortunately Paxi's closed. Blue line is just ok. Pazzo is also just ok. I do like Chicago Pizza in south PA but it is too long a drive. Not sure if I have reviews for all of them. I tasted two of their pizzas and three of their pastas. Tried to put a table in the review but that is too advance for Yelp at this point. Only simple text. Restaurant, Calabria Pizza, Spaghetti, Penne, RavioliTaste 4 , 3, 2, 3Quality 5, 3, 3, 4Quantity 4, 4, 3, 4Aroma 5, 3, 3, 3Presentation 5, 2, 2, 4Appetizer 3Service 5 Parking 5 Atmosphere 4 Selection 4 Alcohol 3 Dessert 4 Value 4 The Maître d' was particularly nice and I think it was the owner who was also very attentive, making the service a 5. We were lucky and had parking right there in the train station- which in San Carlos and Redwood City is an issue these days. All in all a somewhat expensive but reasonable experience. The place was packed so I guess it does appeal to the masses. I would give their pizza a 4.5 and the pasta(s) a 3. The penne was very andante (under cooked) so mediocre taste. The desserts where also relatively good, but again a bit expensive. At $32 for a medium size pizza is pricey for me. I would recommend the place since the exotic tastes were well thought out. I liked the pepper and cheese combination (dairy reduced the effects of spices). Did not like the wine selection since they were all Italians. Would have liked at least one red and white from Napa. Had the Calamari appetizer which was also just ok. Not sure about the sauce. All in all, somewhat pricey but good. I really liked the fact the the owner was there trying to make everything work.

I had dinner here with a larger party so I got to try a good variety of options. The pizzas definitely stood out as much better than the pastas. Serving size for the pastas also seemed much more limited. Of the pizzas I did try, there was no skimping out on the toppings, plenty of meats and cheeses.The staff were also incredibly helpful. Our waiter came around numerous times to refill waters and check in. The owner even stopped by to make sure we were having a good time. We were seated outside in January by our own choice and I've never seen a restaurant with so many space heaters. We actually requested they turn one down it got so warm. Impasto made for a fun and tasty night overall.

Came here last month for an early Christmas celebration with 5 couples total. We were able to get lunch reservations and first off - the service was so warm and friendly. It really felt like coming to a beautiful family restaurant!! I'm so glad we got to try this place. EVERYONE who works there was warm and welcoming.There was 10 of us and we tend to like family style so we can try a bunch of different things - and given we were seated in a long table - we found it easier to order in a group of 4 and then my group of 6. It was perfect since the group of 4 wanted specific things that the rest of us weren't as hot on...So overall - both groups started with the Focaccia Puglese! MY OH MY! Note - the ONLY serve this at Impasto. Terun does NOT offer this (I tried when I went there a month later) so this is an absolute MUST. Even for some of us who are watching our carbs - devoured their little piece and we all debated if we should order another. Growing up in SF, I've had focaccia from North Beach in SF as we lived close by to the little corner shop so I have HIGH expectations of focaccia and I will say - this version is even better than what I remember growing up in SF from that little focaccia shop!! Light and fluffy on the inside, infused with tons of flavor on the outside with just the PERFECT textures! My mouth is watering just thinking about them! Next time we will not split one for 6 but I'd go for at least half!! LOLWe also got the Eggplant Pulpette! This was recommended by my sister (who btw LOVES Impasto and would eat here daily if she could). This dish was a PERFECT BITE... the crunch on the outside - the tender flavorful eggplant in the center with that delicious creamy sauce. I can see this also being a MUST ORDER!! It's not overwhelming with the eggplant - it's just a perfect hint of the flavor with all the other complimentary textures and flavors!!We also got the Pulpo (Octopus) - Now this too is a must order if you like octopus. We are huge octopus fans - ate octopus every change we got in Mexico City as they had the most tender flavorful and I think this was on par with what we get in Mexico City!! And you can dip in their lemon-avocado sauce if you like spicy or their regular sauce but the key here is how TENDER they make their octopus. Was so easy to cut up for all to share and the bite was so tender and would practically melt in your mouth!! YUM!!For salads - we couldn't decide and decided to be healthy and got two. The Grilled Romaine and the Tuna Salad... Ok both were delicious but I will say the Tuna Salad was my absolute favorite and definitely something I would crave. They actually added a little bit of beets into the salad (as I had voted for beet salad but got outvoted) so I was a super happy camper!! And the tuna didn't have the "fishy" smell or taste - definitely a high quality... and combined with everything - with the crunchy chopped romaine lettuce and that lemon vinaigrette. YES - definitely my FAVORITE! I loved the grilled romaine as well - as the grill gave it that smokiness but it definitely came in 2nd to the Tuna Salad.Main courses - the Gnocchi which is made out of beets. I thought this was perfect as it didn't taste too heavy or rich which most gnocchi's are which is why I could never JUST have gnocchi as the only thing I eat. Definitely a shareable dish and super tasty - nice spin with the beets - made it less heavy.The one dish I was so so on was the Margherita Pizza. Don't get me wrong - the flavors were amazing and the outside pizza crust was delicious - a nice compliment but it's the center... it got all mushy and soft - definitely had to use a knife and fork - I assume it's because of the mozzerella they use but I'm not a huge fan of soft mushy pizza centers - so that would be a pass for me... Flavors all there just that texture...We also got the Rigatoni - I will say this was delicious as a typical Rigatoni would be. Wasn't unique or special but it did hit the mark in the right flavors and al dente of the pasta... The table of 4 had also ordered the Parmigiana Di Melanzane (Eggplant Parm) and they seemed to enjoy it tremendously. If I weren't so full on our side I would have asked for a bite. It looked small at first glance but I was told it was VERY filling!! The other main course they ordered was the Pollo ALLA Milanese. Milanese style is a thin pounded chicken breast, breaded and fried. They seemed to be very happy with this dish as it also came with salad and skinny fries!Overall - This is the place to come for delicious Italian food (especially for the Focaccia and Eggplant Polpette) as these are dishes you typically don't find in other Italian restaurants!! I can't wait to go back and try other dishes!! I'm hoping another pizza won't be as soggy in the middle - as the Pera sounds amazing... Till my next visit.... OH and of course the WONDERFUL and amazing friendly staff and service!!!

New restaurant located in downtown San Carlos! We started the night with grilled octopus drizzled with lemon-avocado sauce. It was soft and juicy! For our main courses, we had the spaghetti and rigatoni. Both were delicious! The spaghetti was on the tangy and sweet side. The rigatoni had a good amount of beef-pork ragu. Excellent choices for cozy Italian food! Lots of parking spots available where it says "Restricted." Staff was friendly and welcoming. Our server was knowledgeable of the menu and answered our questions. I would definitely come back to try the pizza next time!

This restaurant is beautiful, I loved the decor & lighting. My friend made reservations online for us to sit indoors but unfortunately we were not able to be seated right away. A server came over & offered to sit us outside, we were both hesitant due to the cold weather but after he showed us the table & plenty of heated lamps, we decided it would be fine.We started off the night with some calamari & it was just the right amount of crispy, the lemon sauce that came with it was to die for, so delicious, I could've had that on its own lol I opted for the daily special, risotto with salmon & it was flavorful & satisfying.This restaurant was worth the try, I like that you can see into the kitchen when you walk into the restaurant, I eyed the wood fire oven & I'm sure I'll be back to try the pizza.

Came here with some friends on a Friday night and this spot was packed! Good thing we made a reservation! The portions here are pretty generous! We got two pizzas to share and then shared some pastas! The calamarata pasta is a must get! My fave the entire night

Best pizza place on the peninsula--don't miss it! Go there for amazing pizza and wine. The pizzas are very thin, and the recipes are fantastic. Our favorite is the Pera (cheese and pear), but honestly, they all taste incredible.The Italian wine list is excellent--thoughtfully curated, truly authentic, and pairs perfectly with the pizza. Another highlight is the interior design at their San Carlos location: fresh, modern, and incredibly cozy. The team is knowledgeable and friendly, creating a welcoming experience. While waiting for our table, the sommelier graciously offered us Prosecco--a sparkling start to our meal!Overall, it's delicious and authentically Italian.I took one star off because the quality of the steak didn't meet our expectations.

Impasto had been on my list to try for awhile for three reasons. The focaccia, the fries, and the nutella pizza. Spoiler alert: we were too full for the nutella pizza.We made a reservation for 7:30 PM on a Sunday and since all the tables were still full, they gave us some prosecco at the bar for the few minutes we did have to wait. The service here is great! Very attentive and personable. The place had cleared out by the time we left. What we did order:Appetizers/SidesFocaccia pugliese - Besides one super doughy part, this focaccia was AMAZING. I could have just eaten this for my dinner. Apparently the focaccia is so popular that they ran out of the original one that evening. With the fresh tomatoes, you don't even need the butter. Cauliflower (fancy name but it's cauliflower) - this was really nicely cooked Fries - the fries were very thin and yummy but needed a little more saltPizzas Margherita and Pera - Impasto has the same pizzas as Terun. Sadly, by personal taste only, their crust is good but never my super favorite. It is always a solid pizza, but I prefer just a little more chew/doughy. Again, personal preference. I was really satisfied with my focaccia though and very full.My friend also got a pasta that I didn't taste.Fancy Italian restaurants in the Bay Area are never cheap so just take note. Everything (including appetizers) somehow costs $20+ (besides my focaccia and fries).Overall, I would come back to try the nutella pizza and get the focaccia pugliese and some apps again!