Cafe Rustica
10 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley, (831) 659‑4444, caferusticacv.com
At one point in Once There Was A War, the characters Lorraine, Capellini and Flammekueche are fussing with dynamite and… gotcha! Those aren’t Steinbeck characters, they are gourmet pizzas and a pasta dish at Cafe Rustica, where all the intrigue and drama that make for good storytelling are confined to the plate. Dynamite has no fuse, but it does include fennel sausage, Black Forest ham and pepperoni. Flammekueche is an Alsatian‑style pie. They do a lot more than pizza and pasta at this popular venue – and they do it all well.