With recipes from Milan and a view of the Village, Vigilucci’s Ristorante is a local favorite in San Diego County

If it’s all about the sauce, Sills recommends the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese: Fresh homemade pasta tossed in a classic bolognese-style ragout. “The fresh ragout is cooked for hours with beef, chicken and veal; and simmered down,” Sills said. “The recipe came from Roberto’s family — it has not been altered and it’s still a favorite.”

Even with some popular dishes like lasagna, Vigilucci and his chefs say they find ways to improve upon some classics. During a recent trip back to Italy, Vigilucci tasted a local lasagna so irresistible he brought back its recipe. His restaurants now serve Lasagna Pugliese: Fresh homemade pasta sheets filled with mortadella, Parmigiano, fresh mozzarella and besciamella sauce.

“This lasagna has mortadella (a style of Italian sausage) making it different, and other ingredients like a creamy béchamel sauce, nutmeg flavor and aged mozzarella.” Sills said.

Traditional Italian entrees like veal are also prepared with extra care, said Sills, who recommends Piccata di Vitello: Pan-seared veal scaloppine in a lemon caper sauce, served with spaghetti tossed in garlic and olive oil, and a side of seasonal vegetables.

The veal is seared, browned and simmered in a lemon, white wine and caper sauce with butter. Sills said “the veal is tender and juicy because it’s thin-sliced across the grain, gets pounded out, and soaks up all that flavor cooking in the sauce.”

Another popular meat dish is Agnello del Colorado, which uses highly regarded Colorado lamb — touted for its flavor and texture. The dish serves a 10-ounce seared Colorado lamb chop, finished with a port wine reduction, and laid upon a bed of mushroom-saffron risotto.

“Risotto is something we really love to do here,” Sills said. Vigilucci’s makes its risotto with Carnaroli rice — considered “the king of rices” — instead of the more common arborio rice. Carnaroli’s higher starch content and firmer texture allows for “al dente” risotto.

Seafood lovers will want to try the cioppino. Unlike many places that serve cioppino in watery stock, Vigilucci’s uses a long-held family recipe and prepares it like a thick seafood stew — also arriving in a large, steel serving dish at one’s table. The generously-sized dish is filled with fresh seasonal mussels, Manila clams, jumbo prawns, calamari, fresh fish, and diver scallops sautéed with roasted garlic in a zesty — and thick — tomato sauce.

“The seafood is simmered in a spicy tomato sauce that thickens itself with fresh seafood stock that we make fresh every day,” Sills said. “The marinara makes a difference; the stock you use makes a difference — all these things add consistency, texture and flavor to your dish. When all the seafood and ingredients simmer together, you get a nice, thick soup — it’s superb,” Sills said.

Consistency in its food quality is also important to the Vigilucci’s philosophy. “If you come here and have a cioppino on Monday, I need it to be just as fabulous on Saturday,” Sills said.

“Beside using Carnaroli rice which absorbs more flavor; the rest is cooking technique and product. We use fine-aged Parmesan and soup stock that we make here every day. Timing is so important with cooking risotto — it has to be baby sat, constantly stirred, and watched until the point it’s not absorbing anymore; then you know it’s done.”

Coming up with contemporary, California-modern dishes allow Vigilucci’s chefs like Sills to express their creativity in offerings like Capesante ai Pomodorini Secchi. Pan-seared diver scallops are sautéed with minced red onion, pancetta, cherry and sundried tomatoes, cream and Cajun seasoning; served atop risotto cakes and sweet corn.

“Where we especially let our creativity flow is in the cooking-demonstration events and wine dinners,” which are held periodically with special, off-menu dishes paired with appropriate wines, Sills said.

“Beside using Carnaroli rice which absorbs more flavor; the rest is cooking technique and product. We use fine-aged Parmesan and soup stock that we make here every day. Timing is so important with cooking risotto — it has to be baby sat, constantly stirred, and watched until the point it’s not absorbing anymore; then you know it’s done.”

Coming up with contemporary, California-modern dishes allow Vigilucci’s chefs like Sills to express their creativity in offerings like Capesante ai Pomodorini Secchi. Pan-seared diver scallops are sautéed with minced red onion, pancetta, cherry and sundried tomatoes, cream and Cajun seasoning; served atop risotto cakes and sweet corn.

“Where we especially let our creativity flow is in the cooking-demonstration events and wine dinners,” which are held periodically with special, off-menu dishes paired with appropriate wines, Sills said.

• On The Menu Recipe

Each week you’ll find a recipe from the featured restaurant online at lajollalight.com

Just “click” the “Get The Recipe” logo below. This week: Vigilucci’s Seared Scallop and Fennel Risotto