Love all these pics of our amazing Eat+Drink Italian dinner on May 31st.  If you haven’t been to one yet - you MUST soon!  :)

I can’t get enough of Ross’ amazing pictures so I’m just going to post them all!!!

Headed to Bestia tonight in Downtown LA - can’t wait!!!

I LOVE UrbanDaddy!!!  

I think they have some of the funniest email blasts ever.  Here is the one the sent for the just-about-to-open Bucato in Culver City. I have to go now JUST because of this email.

From Urban Daddy Los Angeles: You probably didn’t dream about pasta last night.

Probably.

But if you did, it might’ve looked a little something like Bucato, a towering shrine to the magical possibilities of flour meeting water. It’s from Rustic Canyon chef Evan Funke—and it’s finally, finally opening Wednesday.

And when Wednesday happens, here’s what you’ll do. 1) Dramatically cancel all Wednesday meetings. 2) Program 310-876-0286 into your phone. 3a) Do some light phone stretches starting around 9:15am—repeatedly curl your dialing finger, that sort of thing. 3b) 9:30am. The phone lines open. And Bucato will only accept same-day reservations. So… procure same-day reservations. 4) Take a moment to silently congratulate yourself on correctly living life.

And then… 5) You’ll walk into the bright light of what could only be called pasta heaven. Two patios. A bunch of knives plunged deep into a towering white wall, their handles making the shape of California. A chandelier made out of rolling pins. And a glass-encased pasta lab upstairs, where things that aren’t noodles become noodles. This lab is doing important work.

So yeah, business lunch. Alfresco wine date. Quick dinner. Special-occasion dinner. It’s all happening here, over squash blossoms, nectarines and fresh strascinati… or tagliatelle with pigeon ragù.

Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is. 

Bucato

3280 Helms Ave

Culver City, CA 90034

310-876-0286

Bestia

Bestia (beast in Italian) is getting rave reviews pretty much everywhere so you don’t really need me to tell you how amazing it is.  But it is.  It’s pretty damn amazing.  

Bestia is the brainchild of husband and wife team Chef Ori Menashe of Angelini Osteria fame and Pastry Chef Genevieve Gergis.  It’s located a bit off the beaten path in the downtown arts district but it’s worth it.

The decor is pretty spot on for where the world is going and what people want to see and be a part of.  Part industrial warehouse.  Part steampunk revisionist.  Part twinkly lit French cafe.  I loved it.

The staff was perfect.  Our party was four people but someone made the reservation for two people.  Instead of telling me there was nothing they could do, they figured something out and within 10 minutes or so we had a table.  Love.

The food is delicious.  Pastas are tasty.  Pizza made me want to over-indulge.   The tomato and burrata salad made me want to smother myself in it.  I had to stop eating before I exploded.

I have only one gripe - it’s loud.  And I’m not so old that I think every restaurant should be silent so I can have a conversation.  This was LOUD.  I highly recommend eating on the terrace, outdoors where the decibel level is a bit lower.  The terrace is really where it’s at.  Trust me.  Or go with someone you don’t really like so you have a reason not to talk to them.  But that just seems wrong when the food is THIS good.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Over and Over (on the Terrace)

Bestia

2121 7th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90021

(213)514-5724

Open: Sun-Thur: 6:00p-11:00p, Fri & Sat: 6:00p-12:00a

Reservations

SUPERBONARA

There are few things in my life that I actually crave.  One of them is a double double with cheese, spread and light onion with animal style fries and a small coke.  Another is the freshest sushi at least once a week.  And the other is a really good carbonara about once every couple of months.

My quest for great carbonaras has been a rather lengthy one. One that started out in Manhattan in the late 90’s.   Places like Po, Gradisca and Lupa have always been on my short list consistently offering the traditional, delicious and expected carbonara. In Chicago, there’s RPM and San Francisco – SPQR and Locanda Osteria.  Here in Los Angeles, Fraiche, Enoteca Drago and Angelini Osteria (lunch only) offer their versions of a carbonara which I do truly enjoy.  And lastly Vito’s on Ocean Park in Santa Monica makes a valiant attempt, but far from the “out-this-world-make-me-crave” attempt that I’m looking for (I just happen to like the old school feeling of the interior).

And then there is Superba.  Critically acclaimed, written up in about a gazillion epicurian media outlets with an Eater proclaimed best chef of 2012 recognition in Jason Neroni.  I first experienced Superba about a month after it opened.  It was divine and the vibe was ultra-cool and relaxed.  I enjoyed everything from the Porchetta di Testa with Pastrami on Rye and Dill Pickles to the Fried Duck Egg with Patatas Pravas (fancy for fried potatoes) with drizzled truffle vinaigarette and tuna prosciutto.  Dinner was topped with delicious s’mores - a chocolate pudding, graham cracker and smoked marshmallow glass jar of heaven.

But it was really the carbonara from Superba that left an indelible mark on me.  It’s a craver.  And I can’t shake the habit.  Home-made smoked bucatini pasta that is thick and fresh.  The egg is meticulously poached at an exact 55.7 degrees Fahrenheit in a device called an Emergence Circulator.  Plus if you happen to be at Superba on a Thursday night, your chances increase that you may be eating an egg laid that very morning from Eclectic Acres in Menifee, CA.  Of course I cannot forget to mention the chunks of salty pancetta.  Every single time I’ve had this dish, it is consistently good – really really good.  Not one thing wrong and everything right about this carbonara.

Greatest thing about it is that I have plans with my regular Superba dinner partner this Monday night which will of course include satisfying one of my 3 cravings.

Liezel’s Rating: Worth Going Back Over and Over

Superba

533 Rose Ave, Los Angeles 90291

(310)399-6400

Open: Mon-Thur 6:00p-10:30p, Fri & Sat 5:30p-11:30p, Sun 5:30p-10:00p  -  Sat & Sun Brunch 10:30a-2:45p - Thur & Fri Lunch 11:30a-2:45p

Reservations