A look at Osteria Al Mare, a new old-world place in Monterey.

On Wednesday evening, Maurizio’s Cutrignelli's family, friends and fans gathered to celebrate his latest endeavor: the new restaurant Osteria Al Mare in Monterey.

Down by San Carlos beach on the edge of the pier, the venue sits quite literally al mare (at the sea). The beautiful view of sea lions floating, boats bobbing and the endless horizon of deep blue brings just the right atmosphere for sipping on fine wine and savoring little samples of the old country.  

At the ribbon-cutting event, a few dishes hinted at the menu that is now available: bucatini amatriciana with pancetta, tomato sauce and pecorino cheese; paccheri e. menta with pancetta, peppers, fresh mint, tomato, toasted almonds, bread crumbs and pecorino; and gnocchi al pomodoro, homemade with tomato sauce, fresh basil and mozzarella.

It's familiar stuff for Cutrignelli. After a solid career that began with years of training and working in Bari, Italy, he spent the last 15 years sharing this love of food at his Italian restaurant—Maurizio’s—in Morgan Hill.

So even at a ribbon cutting, the experience showed. Starters like La Romana Caeser salad and lemony fried calamari set the stage. Next came the pastas, which shared similar characteristics as they all arrived in tomato-based sauce. No complaints on the sauces, mind you, as they all brought something different to the table.

The kitchen is willing to shift gears. The paccheri popped with mint, riding ahead of zesty spice from peppers.

Perhaps the most popular dish (as it kept disappearing) was the gnocchi, showing off homemade tenderness in a simple and fresh tomato sauce highlighted by cooling basil.

The drink list does however feature two dozen impressively-affordable wines (ranging from $5-$12), many of which are Italian. A handful of beers appear too, but the most interesting beverages may be from the cocktail section, which includes the Not So Dark and Stormy with dark rum, lavender simple syrup and ginger beer, or the Seaside Spritz with gin, fresh lemon, grapefruit and sparkling wine.