Dine and Dish: Valentino's in Downtown Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Rafael "Rafa" Ramirez creates authentic Italian dishes at Valentino's inside the Galleria in downtown Fresno.

"I've been told by a true Roman sitting here at the bar, saying this is just as good as back home," he said.

Bacon and garlic form the base of his creamy sauce for the pesto tortellini.

"Butter, cheese, cream, milk and heavy whipping cream," he said. "The tortellini is basically just a little pouch. It's filled with parmigiano reggiano and pecorino."

Rafa also adds pesto to turn the white sauce green.

"It makes a big difference and taste-wise, it's just incredible how it all comes together," he said. "What it does is it just softens the pesto. The cream and the pesto, once you marry them, that's what you get."

He sought to bring high-quality Italian food downtown.

"People work hard for their money, and not everyone can afford to go up north to the other white linen restaurants," Ramirez said.

Rafa then removed the fluffy insides of some soft bread.

The meatball sandwich special now has a new name: "The Dale."

The meatballs are smothered in red sauce and covered in cheese.

Rafa suggests a Sanpellegrino sparkling beverage to cleanse your palate between bites.

Rafa goes through two large trays of lasagna every day.

"First of all, our lasagna, we do not put ricotta," he said.

His daughter, Gracie, took care of the bread.

"Put some more flavors, oils, special kind of cheese blend that we kind of pepper on top," she said. "Then, we put it in the broiler and then it comes out nice and toasty on top but still soft on the inside."

If you notice, many of the dishes that are Italian are red, white and green, like the flag.

Rafa named his restaurant in honor of his late friend, Anthony Valentino Fabbiani.

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