It may be early to be making holiday plans, but if you want a reservation at Carpaccio Ristorante Italiano, you’d better make it now. Manager Rosario Valencia said the Antioch restaurant is so popular during the holidays that she already has a reservation for December 2010.

“Business has been slower because of the economy, but when the holidays come around, people are willing to spend a little extra for a nice meal,” Valencia explained. “You’ve got family coming in, and you want to show everyone a good time, and when people in this area want a nice dinner, they think of Carpaccio.”

Carpaccio has been in Antioch for nearly eight years, but it’s easy to overlook as it is sandwiched in a little shopping center on Lone Tree Way. However, the restaurant’s reputation for quality fine dining makes it a standout if you know where to look.

“I think Carpaccio remains a favorite restaurant in Antioch because of the quality of our food,” Valencia said. “We make everything fresh. We never use anything frozen. We make the sauces and even the bread. I’ve had customers come in just for the bread.”

Valencia, who has been the manager for two years, said the greatest compliment she’s received about the restaurant came from a customer who’d recently visited Europe.

“People have always had such nice things to say about our food,” Valencia remembered, “but this one woman asked to speak with me one day to say that she’d just returned from Italy and our Caesar salad was better than what she’d had during her trip.

“We strive to present the most flavorful meals possible. We want you to be able to taste each individual ingredient. Our head chef has 25 years of experience, and he makes sure our customers get the best.”

The head chef also happens to be owner Manuel Munoz, who prefers to stay in the kitchen. Valencia runs the dining room, but there’s more to her job than making sure everything runs smoothly; She also waits tables and tends the bar, but says she doesn’t mind multi-tasking.

“I really enjoy what I do,” Valencia said. “I like meeting new people and I believe there is something new to learn from each person you meet, so this is the perfect job for that because I get to meet all kinds of people.”

Valencia said her other favorite part of her multifaceted job is providing quality meals for families to enjoy. Carpaccio recently added a kids menu so that the entire family can come out for a nice dinner.

While mom and dad can have something fancy like vitello marsala, kids can munch on mac and cheese or chicken nuggets. There are also several types of pizza, which are also a hit with younger diners.

Valencia said the veal dishes are the most popular at Carpaccio. Vitello piccata, veal sautéed with capers, garlic, parsley and lemon in a white wine sauce, served with fresh vegetables, is one of the top choices. The vitello saltimbocca is also a favorite with its sautéed veal, tossed with garlic, butter and white wine, covered with prosciutto, mozzarella cheese and sage. All entrees come with soup or salad.

For those looking to have a quality fine dining experience, Carpaccio also offers a selection of more than 70 wines, including imported wines from Italy and local wines from Hannah Nicole, Tamayo and Bloomfield vineyards.

Carpaccio Ristorante Italiano, located at 2741 Lone Tree Way in Antioch, is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more information, call 925-777-3321.