Please The Palate |

Via Veneto Santa Monica

In a city like Los Angeles there are restaurants on every corner and new restaurants are opening at record speed. Trying to keep up with new restaurants, it is sometimes easy to forget those that have been open for a few years or more. Let's not forget these restaurants as there are some many gems among them. And one of these gems is Via Veneto in Santa Monica. Los Angeles is blessed to have many authentic Italian restaurants in the city. Tucked into a little space on Main Street in Santa Monica, Via Veneto is one of them. Serving traditional Italian food for twelve years, they still continue to pack the house every night. And from the moment you walk in, perhaps you will feel like you have entered a little trattoria in Italy. The Italian staff will greet you and serve you, and of course, charm you in the process. On a recent visit, we were taken care of by Luca. Originally from Molisa, a region in the south of Italy, Luca has been working at Via Veneto for five years. He knows the menu inside and out and is happy to suggest many of the daily specials. With a combination of regular menu items, as well as some specials, we were ready to go.

07 December, 2015

Sorrento Italian Market Is An Italophile’s Heaven

Driving down Sepulveda Blvd towards LAX, it is easy to not really pay attention to the area around Jefferson Blvd. We are accustomed to seeing large chain business after chain business: from El Pollo Loco, Fed Ex, Big Lots, Pacific Stereo and Just Tires to Buffalo Wings and Pizza, Fast Signs, AAA Pawn and Jewelry and H&R Block. But tucked among all of these rather uninteresting stores is a hidden gem! While other local family businesses have given way to these chain businesses, for 50 years Sorrento Italian Market has been serving the local community with specialty food products and wine from Italy.

The store was opened in 1963 by Alberto Vera and his wife Ursula. Icons in the community, Alberto was the former mayor of Culver City and generations of families grew up going to the store. In 2010 and 2011 respectively, Alberto and Ursula passed away and son Albert Vera Jr. took over the family business.

15 June, 2015

Chi Spacca on Melrose Ave

Chi Spacca is over one year old now but I finally made it....barely! I knew it was near Mozza but managed to pass it three times before I gave up on Waze all together. I found a spot on the street and walked past the Osteria Mozza entrance to where there is a small sign with just the image of the cleaver on it (Chi Spacca means "cleaver" in Italian). Without a noticeable sign, especially one without words, it was a bit difficult to find.

A little further down is a door to Mozza-To-Go. Enter Mozza-To-Go and then through another door and you come to the intimate Chi Spacca with the open kitchen. Tables are rather close so you have to maneuver yourself through the space to your table. We had a lovely little table next to the window but throughout our meal at least three different passers-by on the street stuck their heads into the small square to look into the restaurant and ended up giving us a little shock.

05 May, 2015