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I will admit: I never knew where Gardena was before that day I stepped into Guiliano’s Delicatessen and Bakery (that said, I’ve lived in the Los Angeles area for 24 years, and have lots–lots–to learn).

So it was that came across Guiliano’s, via a friend who decided to take me out to lunch. We drove from Torrance to Gardena and onto Gardena Blvd., where little outdoor tables flocked the entrance to our destination. Places like this drive me wild: as soon as I walked in, my senses were stimulated by the fresh baked bread counter on one side, the display of wines on the other, and all the little aisles of Italian delicacies in between (has Huell Howser been to this place yet? If so, I nominate it as a location for one of his next shows).

At the back you encounter blackboards and small marquees with specials written up. I chose the penne rigata with alfredo sauce, peas and prosciutto. Lunches are large; my container of fresh pasta came with bread and I was unable to finish, as much as I wanted to lap up the very last of the creamy sauce and bits of rich prosciutto. Besides not finishing every last decadent bite, my only other regret is that I didn’t have time to browse the aisles, and especially the bakery counter. I was seduced by the breads while standing at the cash register, but knew that given too much time, I would be purchasing more bread than my pantry can hold, and who wants to waste fresh bread?

As I start a new job headquartered in nearby Torrance, I plan to revisit Guiliano’s on Gardena and make my introduction to it a deeper, more satisfying relationship.

Giuliano’s Delicatessen
1138 W Gardena Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247-5902
(310) 323-6990

By EarthlyDelight (see more of her posts). You can find more of EarthlyDelight's writing at her own website Earthly Delights