Backstory: Hatfields has been high on my hit list for well over a year. We just hadn’t made it until now (we’re not eating out as often as we used to or as much as we’d like to) I decided it was the place I wanted to try for my birthday dinner out, which was last night.

Three of us went after a movie last night (Forgetting Sarah Marshall - it was quite funny), so we didn’t go for the whole three courses or drink very much as it was late when we got there (after 9.30pm).

We each had one entree and a dessert (but I was given a free dessert because I’d told them it was my birthday and sensibly opted not to order one - I’m no dummy!)

Also we each had one drink, namely beer, a glass of prosecco ($11) and a very nice Cotes de Rhone ($11) with my perfectly pink, date & mint crusted lamb cutlets ($38). My guy raved that his slow cooked beef ($33) was the most incredible thing he’d eaten since a highly memorable Christmas Eve dinner at a fancy place in Paris (Le Carre des Feuillants) where we were served rare lamb that you could virtually cut with a spoon.

Our friend had the Olive oil poached halibut which was truly sensational. This is something I’ve seen a lot on Iron Chef but have never made myself. It had a fresh sheen of citrus on it, which was yet another example of this fantastic chef’s restraint (Quinn Hatfield; Karen Hatfield is the pastry chef and I believe often runs front of house). Also our friend was going to ask for the mushrooms to be omitted, because he never eats them, but I urged him to try them and it turned out he really liked them!! None of us had heard of shimeji mushrooms, but I assumed they were a japanese variety.

I think it worked out to approx $60 pp
Not bad for such high quality fare.
Everything — I mean everything – was outstanding, from the amuse (a shot glass of warm celeriac soup plus a devilled quail egg with smoked trout on a tiny spoon) to the best little bread rolls EVER to the magnificently prepared, presented and perfectly cooked meals. The desserts were great - I loved the crispy napoleon.

Just WOW.

Oh, here’s the other thing - I am not a huge eater and generally take food home. The portions (also our ordering) were so spot on that we all cleaned our plates. The only thing that wasn’t consumed was one of the little petit four that we were given with our bill. One tiny cake. Every dish went back empty. If I were a chef, that would be proof positive I was doing something right, right?

But I don’t know if this is just a special occasion, birthday place.
The place seemed very small (we were seated right in a front window and I didn’t go exploring, but I believe they have a patio) There was nothing remarkable about the decor or ambience.

It’s more like a really great and unpretentious place to dine out every once in a while.

The thing about Hatfields was, yes $32-38 entrees…
With three courses and ample drinks, you could rack up quite a bill…
So I thought it was fairly reasonable and comparable in price to (one of our favourite places) Lucques, I would say, and slightly more impressive in result.
Loved it!

Open 6pm till 10pm or 10.30pm Fris and Sats
Closed Sundays

Hatfields
7458 Beverly Blvd, between La Brea and Fairfax (actually between Vista and Gardener, on the sth side)
(photos via Hatfield’s website)
tel — 323 935 2977

Both times we sat out on the patio area. The patio does not feel like an outdoor area, since it is surrounded by a high stone wall and covered by a canvas roof. The weather, however, feels like outside. We were nice and cozy next to the inside wall with a heater, but two parties seated near the outside wall requested to be moved inside due to being chilly, so something to remember when making reservations in winter.

We reluctantly had to set aside the cocktail menu, as we knew we were going to be getting the tasting menu with wine, but the cocktails looked excellent. On one page was classic cocktails, along with a credit to the inventor. On the other page were house cocktails. All looked delicious and the house cocktails looked very unique. I would have had a hard time deciding between old favorites and trying something new.

But we steeled our will-power and set it aside so that we could order the nine course full tasting menu with wine pairings, and then we commenced to eating. The meal was well-paced so that I never felt full or overwhelmed. However, it also took over three hours, so make sure you have time to spare if you do this!

The meal started with an amuse bouche that lived up to its name by being very entertaining. It was our substitute for cocktails - there were three small bites. One was a gin and tonic gelee candy, then a “mojito”, which was a sphere with a rush of minty, rummy liquid in the center. Finally, there was a fennel and saffron soup with the fennel bisque on top of a saffron syrup underneath. You were to eat it by downing it like a shot, so that the flavors mingled. The saffron was a little much, but other than that the amuse was very fun.

(Bold = food; Italic = wine)

bigeye tuna (hawaii)csergszegi fuszeres, craftsman 2006: I’m normally not much of an eater of raw fish, but I make an exception for really good tuna. This tuna was thickly cut and lightly seared, and came with a sauce of blood orange and jalapeno-infused olive oil, green onions, and little pearls of avocado. The heat of the oil was perfect - surprising at first, but not overwhelming. The wine was a Hungarian white, made by a female winemaker. It was what I would call a friendly wine. It’s not expensive and is easy on the mouth - fruity, crisp and floral.

nancy’s down-east scallops (deer isle, maine)sauvignon blanc, craggy range 2006: The scallops were fat and buttery, and they came with zuckerman farms delta asparagus, and a sauce of almond infusion and pedro jiminez sherry. Wine Spectator has called Craggy Range one of the best all-around wine producers from New Zealand. I also appreciated that this was another wine choice that I could go on to purchase for myself. A bottle is in the $20 range. The zesty citrus flavors went well with the scallops.

razor clam and japanese sword squid risottochablis, domaine william fevre 2006: Next up was a bright green risotto, served in a bowl that as whimsically large compared to the food. The color appeared to come from parsley, and also in the dish was preserved lemon which gave it a nice tang. The risotto was served with a chablis that while probably very good, was not my thing. I am not so much a chardonnay fan, unfortunately.

cod (chatham, mass)jurancon sec, charles hours 2005: I am afraid the cod has been completely obliterated in my mind because of what it was served with. The cod came with basil, spring onions, and courgettes and a puree of artichokes. The puree of artichokes was somehow so intensely flavorful that it was a shock to my system. I wasn’t expecting so much flavor and it was a little like getting shot in the head. The whine was a white bordeaux, that was a mix of two somewhat obscure grapes. It was again a decently priced wine that was unique and therefore something to remember for wine shopping, which I liked in the wine pairings.

arctic char (new zealand)pinot nero, j.hofstatter 2006: The artic char was nice, but not as memorable as some of the other dishes. It came with shimeji mushrooms, radish, cinnamon espuma and mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley). The mushrooms were amazing - really savory with a nice soft/crunchy texture. I did not get the cinnamon flavor though, which was a bit disappointing. I was happy to start on the red wines, this was a Pinot Noir from the Alto Adige region of Italy, also known as a Blauburgunder, which is just fun to say. It means “blue burgundy.”

tenderloin of vealcotes du rhone, montirius 2006: The final main course was a tenderloin of veal with roasted salsify, petit pois (peas), himalayan truffle, and jus de veau (veal stock). This was the highlight of the meal for me. I am not normally a veal eating person but this was … well … a tiny log of tender, juicy, pink veal. I hate to use on internet meme in my sophisticated restaurant review, but I think NOM is an appropriate way to describe this dish. OMNOMNOM. I was getting a little full at this point, but I ate it all anyway. The wine is a biodynamic wine from old vines (1947) near the village of Sablet. It is 100% grenache and unoaked. And like the others, very affordable.

market cheesescorvina, palazzo della torre, allegrini 2004: The next course was the cheese course, and I’m afraid to say I went a little nuts with the cheeses. But he let us pick out whatever we wanted? And then anything I even expressed interest in he would cut off and put some on the plate. But we ended up with a nice mixture of soft, and hard, pungent and mellow. The wine is a huge big juicy tannic red that was nice for the strong cheeses.

tangerine and vanilla: This tasted like a fancy creamsicle. Need I say more?

milk chocolate-passion fruit chantilly banana and spiced peanut pureetaylor fladgate, 20 yr tawny: This dessert was basically the best thing in the world. You could smell the passion fruit from across the room, and it blended well with the chocolate and banana. The spicy peanut was something I’d love to learn how to make for myself. And the port was a nice finish. I’ve not had a 20 year before, and to be honest, I’d drunk so much that I can’t say I noticed the difference between 10 and 20 year. I would probably have to taste side-by-side.

Whew. And that was it. We stumbled out into the blessedly crisp and cool night in a cloud of wine and food satisfaction. It’s definitely the kind of think I’d reserve for special occasions, but we also thought that going to the bar for a cocktail, some clam chowder, and fries would be a fun thing to do for a regular night.

Providence
5955 Melrose Ave.
(323) 460-4491

One email did catch my eye this week. From a PR company, I got a cleverly titled email, “Recession Concessions at Table 8″. Hm, sounds enticing, Table 8 is certainly one of the more talked about restaurants in Los Angeles. The “Recession Concession” is priced at $38 and looking at the options, it is a reduction of Table 8’s normal prices, but is it prudent financial advice to go drop $100 for two (after tax and tip) if you are facing tough financial times? Isn’t this what got us into financial trouble in the first place? Spending more than we should?

In fairness to Table 8, here is what they are offering (Monday through Friday only)

Appetizers
(choose one)

local baby oak lettuces with feta, roasted beets, sweet onions and black olive oil
pan-roasted baby broccoli with confit potatoes, flaked salt cod and parsley hollandaise
kobe beef carpaccio with celery root salad, treviso and truffle aioli

Entrees
(choose one)

grilled baby chicken on short rib hash and cipollini onion jus
olive oil poached sea trout with shaved artichoke salad and caramelized onion mash
estancia grass fed rib eye with pea tendrils, potato puree, roasted baby carrots and pearl onions

Desserts
(choose one)

vanilla panna cotta with honeyed blueberries
dulce de leche chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream

Note that this doesn’t include wine, cocktails or sparkling water (maybe cut those out in order to pay your mortgage?)

Here is my la.foodblogging Recession Concession advice. Rather than dropping $100 for lettuce and beet salad, grilled baby chicken and vanilla panna cotta, head over to Zankou. Split a half chicken with pickled turnips, hummous and pita for under $10 then go splurge on dessert for another $5 at Scoops. (That’s a dinner for two!)

Money “saved”? $85!

So where would your Recession Concession meal be? How much would you spend? Are you cutting back on eating out?

The reviews on this place has been mixed, and from my pre-reading on this place, I was already armed with the knowledge of complaints of long waits and less than stellar food.

I went on a weekday morning, so I had no wait for a table and problem with service. As one of only three tables that were filled that morning, we actually had multiple people paying attention to us. Reviews on user sites like Yelp and Chowhound indicate that the kitchen still hasn’t established how to ramp up for busy times and if you go at a popular time you may find yourself waiting hours to eat at this point.

I think the biggest area where The Waffle suffers from a user-review standpoint is that they need to be careful in how they market themselves. It seems that many internet-denizens went here expecting someplace like Square One based on their menu and some of their marketing, but The Waffle is closer to a diner than the type of boutique breakfast establishment represented by square one.

An example of where the restaurant’s language runs away from them into misleading territory is the dish that I ordered while I was there. I order the “multi-grain waffle with low-fat organic vanilla yogurt and seasonal fruit.” From that one might expect something that looks homey and artisanal - a thick grainy waffle with a thick tangy yogurt and fruit fresh from the farmer’s market. What you get is … not that. I was perfectly happy with my breakfast, but it was also standard diner fare. The waffle tasted healthy but good, the yogurt, I am guessing was grocery-store organic. Most noticably, the fruit was not seasonal. It was your standard restaurant fruit salad - a pile of melons with some overripe pineapple and a few berries drenched in sugar water.

My breakfast was good, just not comparable to the more upscale breakfasts that people seem to be expecting. It was satisfying diner fare and probably a bit healthier than what may be available in just any old diner. My husband ordered the pancake breakfast (which was GIGANTIC - a hint for those reviewers who complained of small portions). His meal took up half of the table and he said the pancakes were excellent. They looked very good - more golden than brown and they looked like they had that slight bit of crunch on the edge that I love. I have no beef with the portion size - if J. is pushing his bacon on me, and I am actually refusing, then you KNOW that we are not lacking for food.

In fact, my biggest complaint on my trip was actually the unwelcoming exterior. The Waffle is located in an office building and the outside wall is made up of tinted windows. When we arrived, they had their doors closed and … we couldn’t find them. We first walked into the lobby of the building only to discover we had to go back outside and examine the outside for doors. When we found them, we weren’t sure which one we were supposed to use so we just picked one. If they would keep open one door for customers to enter it would be so much more welcoming.

Other than that, I thought it was fine. If I’m going to weekday matinee or movie and want a breakfast or late dinner, will I stop here again? Yes. If it’s a weekend morning, will I head over to this place while it’s packed and wait an hour for my breakfast? Probably not. I would rate this restaurant as worth going if you’re in the area, but not worth an enormous effort.

The Waffle
6255 W. Sunset Blvd.
http://www.thewaffle.us

• Yes, you still need to call 30 days ahead. Lighting up the phones right at 10:00, and continuing through 10:50, Suzy was able to get us a four top at 6:00
• The dining room is beautiful, subtly decorated and classy
• This really should be called Nancy Silverton’s place, with Mario consulting. She’s there keeping the place humming.
• Knowing what I know now, I would recommend skipping the Secondi. For each couple who is dining, order two appetizers, one or two cheeses, two pastas and a side or two. Then order a dessert. The Secondi’s are good, but the appetizers, mozzarella bar and pastas are where it’s at.
• DO NOT miss the brown butter topped ravioli stuffed with ricotta and an egg yolk. It’s unreal.
• The Crispy Duck was a major misfire. Ours wasn’t crispy and serving it on a cutting board was a bit odd
• The much talked about octopus dish lived up to the hype. Charred and flavorful on the outside, tender on the inside.
• You can’t go wrong with the Burrata and the Buratta-Ricotta hybrid (Burricotti)
• The tagliatelle pasta was perfect. I don’t think I have ever had pasta cooked so well.
• Osteria Mozza is not cheap, but is worth it for the quality food and dining experience. The biggest deterrent is the hassle of getting a reservation. Maybe they do that to save your arteries.

Osteria Mozza (menu)
6602 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: (323) 297-0100

My mom wrote her own review of their dinner, so here it is, mom’s guest post:

Thanks for the recommendation to Fabiolus. It was terrific. The ambiance was cozy, bistro with just the right amount of buzz. No loud music or talking altho’ it was pretty packed. When we arrived, a bit late for our reservation, they graciously seated us and propped a place card on our table with all of our reservation info. Service was attentive, efficient and friendly. The chewy, airy Italian bread was accompanied by the most amazing basil/pesto/dipping sauce. I ultimately used some to enhance my already delicious and tender double chicken breast. The food came out quickly but there was no sense of having to rush. It is evident that the staff is in tune with the theater crowd which is reassuring. Erin [my sister] had a melange of seafood, the base of which was a generous portion of Dover sole in a white wine sauce. Just her kind of thing and I scored the succulent mussels that were part of the seafood mix. We passed on dessert thinking we didn’t want to be too full for our sit at the Pantages. The tray was very tempting with a large tiramisu, a pear and almond tart, a cheesecake, an apple tart and at least one other cake that I have forgotten. We now know that it is very easy to get in and out with a full meal eaten at a leisurely pace in an hour or less depending on the number of courses.

The restaurant was easy to find and just a few blocks from the freeway offramp. The theater is 2 easy blocks away. The parking behind the restaurant allows one to park for both dinner and show; also a convenient perk.

Thanks mom!

The Fabiolus Café
6270 Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 467-2882

The decor is cool without being cold. They’ve successfully folded together the concrete jungle that is LA with mellow, natural elements reminiscent of, well, a park. Designer beehives buzzing with warm lights hang from the large tree in the main dining area. The rich wood accents throughout add a strong, sophisticated feeling to the space.

There are 3 champagnes offered by the glass on the “champagne & caviar” menu. We ordered 2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot. My dining companion was a true wine guru and thought their list to be quite interesting and impressive for the size. Our waiter genuinely enhanced the entire experience as he had considerable knowledge of both wine and food. A complimentary sunomono style salad made with Persian cucumbers was served first. It was fine but uninspired.

Our server recommended we order 3 or 4 items to share between the two of us which was perfect. First to arrive, the Artichoke Boursin Fritters with Jalapeno Ponzu Aioli. This dish was my least favorite of the night. It lacked in both presentation and flavor. The 3 fritters, served on a wilted piece of lettuce, were fried to a crisp golden brown, but any artichoke was overshadowed by the rich cheese. The aioli was watery and reminded me more of a store bought cheese dip. I know that’s harsh but honesty is the best policy right? :)

Moving on to the Beet “Noodle” Arugula Salad with Crumbled Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Dressing; This presentation did have more zest, but reminded me of gourmet cuisine from the early 90’s “plate painting” and “tower” designs became super popular. The al dente texture of the beet noodles was outstanding and a great pairing with the creamy goat cheese and spicy arugula. It was a touch over dressed but still very enjoyable.

My favorite plate was the Clay Pot Chilean Sea Bass, baked with black pepper, caramel and scallions, then topped with crispy onions. The tender bass was resting in a sweet, delicate broth and the batter browned fried onions made this dish pop!

Last, we had Burg’s Grilled Lamb Chopettes marinated and grilled with a rosemary Port Ginger Sauce. The lamb was butter knife tender and I enjoyed rich, comfort food flavors with each juicy bite. We opted out of dessert to catch Wicked at the Pantages. I guess I’ll have to revisit for caviar, cocktails and dessert.

THE BOTTOM LINE ~ Better than good, yet not great Asian French fusion tapas … go for the scene, ambiance, wine and cocktails, not for an exquisite gastronomical experience.

PARC
6683 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: (323) 465-6200
Cross Street: Las Palmas Avenue
Hours: Daily 6pm-2am

Celadon is a beautiful restaurant and bar/lounge that offers a unique experience. This is definitely the kind of romantic venue you could take someone special to, though the menu is actually skewed towards shared plates, hence ideal for groups of 4-5 or more.

Adjacent to the main bar are a few lounge rooms, where anyone underestimating the kick of the various sake or soju-based and other Asian cocktails can recover on one of the comfy-looking antique daybeds.

The dining room is large and glamorous (without feeling at all stuffy) and its walls are lined with dozens of flickering crimson votive candles. Along the walls, the booths are comfortable, though a little more brightly lit than the four-top tables set within the muted dining room.

Executive Chef Danny Elmaleh apparently hand selected the many South East Asian artifacts that decorate the little alcoves and nooks of his gorgeous restaurant. This same attention to detail can be found in his distinctive cuisine, offering a selection of small plates that meld traditional Asian tastes with ingredients from Europe and the Middle East.

The main thing to note here is his tendency to serve fairly generous portions. In this era of “small plates� dining, many establishments are taking advantage of this trend to offer minuscule portions with hefty entree prices.

Not so Celadon.

Two must-try appetisers are the Tuna Tartare Lollipop(s) and the citrus Hamachi starter. A long glass platter arrives bearing five substantial-looking portions per $15 (or so) plate, which is fantastic.

[Eight-18 in Toluca Lake – I’m thinking of sending you a photo of Celadon’s plated fare. $9 for two lousy shrimp with pomegranate reduction just doesn’t cut it.]

Poised on slender bamboo skewers, the ‘lollipops’ are tasty cubes of spicy tuna tartare and rice, layered with tempura seaweed, adding a satisfyingly oily crunch.

The fresh and nicely substantial cuts of hamachi are paired with citrus salsa, minced jalapeno, ponzu gelée and citrus dust. Funnily enough, the citrus powder sent me on an (ascorbic) acid flashback; this sweet and tangy dust tasted exactly like crushed orange froot loops!! I swear!

Almost every dish arrives garnished with micro greens, pansy petals or flowers and a brush of sauce reduction. The crispy shrimp toast fingers are crammed with a layer of black and white sesame seeds.

There was a fantastic toasted pepita and microgreen salad to accompany perfectly pink and perfectly cooked plump slices of Maple leaf Roasted Duck ($18 - from memory), on a bed of pureed purple potato which nicely contains a puddle of the duck juices.

We didn’t like the Grilled Octopus dish ($16 - from memory), though. But it is important to note, this is not baby octopus (a pertinent fact that eluded us at the time), therefore these slices are well-cooked but extremely chewy and, to my mind, indigestible. Flavourful but quite rich, with pesto and paired with a rather greasy sweet potato fritter. The only ‘miss’ among so many hits.

We skipped dessert, though the choices looked promising.

One thing we have to come back for is the “Saraudon� sizzling crispy noodles and rice ($18) – spied at the next table. A large, rustic stone pot (like an oversized mortar) comes to the table then sizzles as they serve the noodles and seafood (shrimp, scallops and bok choy) in front of you. Dramatic and impressive!

We enjoyed a delightful sake, the Daishichi Kimoto Honjozo, which arrived in a gorgeous bamboo carafe ($30).

Total for two was $108.00 (before tip). Dining at Celadon is sure to put a smile on your face.

Celadon
7910 W 3rd St., just West of Fairfax
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Tel: 323-658-8028

Dinner, Tuesday – Sunday

I rotate through my favorites, Moishes for skewered chicken wings, Pampa for Brazilian or Loteria for platains and tacos.

Some people trash the Gumbo Pot, but my sample of one cup of gumbo warmed my tummy in a positive way. Magee’s Kitchen is the original food stand that started the influx of restaurants in the market, but I haven’t tried it. Du-par’s Restaurant followed Maggie’s, and is recently open after being closed for renovations. Reviews after the renovation are mixed, however.

The Farmer’s Market is a unique spot where a group can divide up, grab their favorites and meet back at one of the outdoor picnic tables scattered around the grounds. You can even pick up a pitcher of beer or bottle of wine and I have seen people bring in their own libations from time to time.

And that leads to my question. Where do you eat at the Farmer’s Market? Do you mix it up, or stick with your favorites? Dessert at Bennets, or a donut at Bob’s?

Let us know in the comments.

Sometimes dinner isn’t just dinner.
I had a dear, freaking close as can be friend to reconcile with. It’d been almost a year since our last face-to-face, and for mysterious reasons, we had drifted. I’m of the opinion that pasta can change the world, so Italian was on the menu for a re-bond. Beloved Chowhound peeps have often given warm raves to Vivoli, so the date was inked.

Vivoli is in a strip mall across from the Virgin Megastore on Sunset. She’s pretty nondescript, and oh so very cozy. I waltzed in a bit early - immediate impressions:
“Wow, this place is small. This place is busy. It smells goddamn good.”
Our table was ready (yay) but had to be jostled from the back edge so I had room to squeeze past the other nearby tables. I say nearby like it’s a big thing. We’re talking the length of a matchbook here. It’s a good thing I showered.

The menu is quite lengthy and loaded with Italian standards and interesting combos. I wanted to try the Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings with Browned Butter and Sage - but alas, no, they had none. Boo. The recommended second choice delivered - details below.

Service - well, hmmm. That’s a mixed bag. Landsakes the men in here are lovely, truly Italian, and nice as can be. I adored the service - when we actually had it. Very slow, unfortunately, but I’m so forgiving because A) Piz and I had much to discuss and B) did I mention how bloody nice they are? Seriously.

Vivoli really is the neighborhood pasta place that transports you to Italy. All the dishes tasted fresh, grandma-style delish. I would definitely go again, just never when I was in a hurry.

Now, on to le details:

Drinks:

Prosecco, by the glass - house. GOOD stuff.

Bread:

Crusty, a wee overcooked, but well seasoned and served with olive oil.

Appetizer:

Baked Eggplant

– Thinly sliced eggplant slathered in tomato sauce and mozzarella. Baked up and served a tad too cold, but really flavorful. Outstanding tomato sauce - crazy fresh, with notes of herbs and spices. The consistency of the eggplant was off the hook too - not too tough, melty and delicious.

Entrees:

Mine (pictured above)
- Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Marinara and Parmesan
Ohhhh - velvety delicious. Ravioli can be quite bland, but these pillowy creatures had a gorgeous spice, thanks to that divine tomato sauce. This is what comfort food is all about.

P’s
Wild Mushroom Risotto

– Also magnificent. Hints of olive oil danced with the woodsy, exotic mushroom flavors, and the risotto was cooked to complete perfection.

These boys can cook Italian goodies. Heck yes.

Dessert:

Blueberry Tart, with Chocolate and Caramel Sauce

– This little honey took eons to finally arrive, but surprisingly, she was worth the wait. Very delicate, not too sweet, and loaded with juicy blueberries. The tart had a strong citrus twang and the texture gave me goose bumps. Me likee.

Damage for 2 glasses of Prosecco, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and 1 dessert about $80, before tip.

RESTAURANT REPORT CARD - Vivoli Cafe and Trattoria, Visit 1

Ambiance - B
Service - C+
Food (Taste) - B
Food (Presentation) - C+
Wine/Drinks - B- (Nice Italians and Californians)
Value - B
Vibe/Energy/Scene - B

Overall Experience - B

Final word - despite flaws, I’m a fan. Down home Italian gems in an authentic and lovely environment.