M'tucci's Bar Roma is a delicious and classic birthday meal

This Nibble review was for my birthday dinner, and I needed a quintessential restaurant to celebrate a trip around the sun: a fun, classy atmosphere with delicious and robust meals.

Bring in M’tuccis. More specifically, M’tucci’s Bar Roma in the heart of Nob Hill. I don’t often make my way to Nob Hill, minus the occasional lunch date with my gal pals, but for the special occasion, I made the drive.

Each M’tuccis location has a different menu. I traveled to Bar Roma to dig my fork into one of my favorite pastas in the city: the Pasta Tartufo.

Before I get ahead of myself, I have to talk about M’tucci’s antipasti, their appetizers.

I always start with an order of the Caprese Classica ($9) — tomatoes marinated in a fresh balsamic vinegar, sea salt and hearty chunks of mozzarella cheese. I hate the taste of tomatoes usually — they’re just a tad too slimy and flavorless to me, but Bar Roma’s caprese makes me eat my words every time.

This time, the tomatoes were a great size, but the slices were slightly too wet. Nonetheless, the huge slab of mozzarella cheese paired just right with the other ingredients and was a refreshing start to the meal.

Continuing on the tomato-based appetizer theme, I ordered a plate of the Bruschetta Al Pomodoro ($8).

It’s essentially a dressed up version of the Caprese Classica — diced tomatoes marinated with a balsamic reduction mixed with small slices of parmesan cheese — but the way the tomatoes are tossed with balsamic vinegar and layered on a piece of grilled sourdough that is crunchy on the edges and fluffy in the middle adds flavors and textures that make it worth ordering.

The Pasta Tartufo ($17) seems underwhelming on paper — a simple mushroom pasta with cracked pepper — but with one twist of the fork and one delicious bite, you would be proven wrong. The pasta comes tossed in a smooth, creamy sauce that melts on the tongue, and the fresh herbs and truffle bread crumbs add a unique texture and an additional burst of flavor.

For an additional $7, I added chicken to the pasta. The pasta stands by itself but the addition of the chicken turned it into a hearty meal. My waitress suggested beef tips and the next time I go, I’ll try that.

Converted from an historic Nob Hill building that was once a car dealership and gas station, Bar Roma’s aesthetic has a little bit of everything. Near the bar, the decor is darker and reminds me of a jazz club. But the heart of this M’tuccis is its chic patio during the summer, when the sun warms the skin and music — sometimes from live performers — plays in the background as fresh pasta is served right on Central Avenue. It wasn’t quite patio weather, but I’ll return to dine outside soon enough.

All in all, I picked Bar Roma as my birthday dinner for a reason, and I wasn’t disappointed. The dish of Tiramisu 2.0 that was topped with a giant sparkler, normally $8 but on the house for my birthday, certainly added to an already great birthday meal.