Jame Enoteca UPDATE - El Segundo

Revisiting a local favorite, a legit fine-dining-level Italian pasta house situated in El Segundo's Main Street strip. 

The goal is to try new things, and although the menu has stayed fairly static for several years, much of it is new to me. 

My choice of Ospi's Crispy Provolone proves to be quite unwise as giant sandwich-sized blocks of mild, stringy cheese with a hard fried shell settle in the stomach with the lightness of a brick. The creamy vodka sauce is no standout, and this brick most bland needed something sharp.

The cheese is so heavy I can't fully enjoy the other items. A shame as both pastas are just amazing. The Tagliatelle al Ragu is deeply savory, a significant quantity of simmered meat that grips the ribbon strips and lingers very long.

It's first encounter with Mandilli, these floppy, pocket-squares of softer-than-al-dente sheets. The texture and the look, the way they flap and fold on the fork is enchanting, even more so as they're running with a silky jade-green pesto.

The apps are alright, and the sandwiches look fun, but the perfection is in the pasta. Just revel in the texture and savor all the sauce. 

Sunday Gravy - Inglewood

Any way you slice it, Sunday Gravy is sweet. A classy-casual, semi-diner serving Italian with some southern, even the name evokes something soulful to set the stage.  

Staples like Shrimp & Grits are substantial, and this one is all sorts of special. Looking like spilled tomato sauce over grits, this dish is the ultimate ugly-delicious. The shrimp are succulent, and the Calabrian chili collaboration adds a bit of sweetness, a dash of spice, and a whole lot of depth. 

Use generous slices of the city's best Garlic Bread to sop up the extra grits for a little extra wow. 

Beet & Citrus Salad is bland, but it serves me right for ordering it here. Pistachio adds an earthiness that falls flat without any acid. Labne has some tanginess but not enough. Even with oranges inside, the citrus is seriously lacking. There just needs to be a sharp squeeze of lemon on top to make it all more tolerable. 

The Ragu, however, is alright, a softer sauce with a tinge of tang. It's exact what you'd expect from a slow-cooked meat sauce, rich stuff that gets stuck in the little penne pasta grooves. 

Most memorable is their Crab Mafalda, crinkle-ribbon pasta so thick you'll need to use the tongs. The crab carries a breeze sting of the sea in an ample amount to add texture and adorn. 

A lovely meal. All rich and filling, heavy in a way that is heavenly. One of several interesting finds from Inglewood, this is one I wouldn't skip. 

Raffaello Ristorante - San Pedro

Need a place in San Pedro to feed out-of-town guests at 3 PM on a Sunday. 

Challenge. Accepted. 

Raffaello is up to the task, and judging by several other large tables of multigenerational parties, we're not the only ones in the know about this family-friendly, open-all-weekend, picky-eaters-welcome house of Italian hospitality. 

 

The Grilled Octopus is quite tender, simply seasoned with some citrus. 

The pasta is quantity over quality but the quality is still good. They even throw in a simple salad. 

And a plate of roasted peppers to start. 

Spaghetti and meatballs is quite nice and comes with some seriously savory tennis balls.

I do love this restaurant, but if I am to be honest, I didn't love the Manicotti alla Bolognese. It’s a tub of ricotta but it’s encased in a tube of pasta instead of a plastic tub. There is such a thing as too much cheese, and when the pasta to cheese ratio is 1:500, it’s too much of a good thing. 

Those who had entrees enjoyed them - I tried a bite of the swordfish special and found the unforgiving fish to be skillfully prepared. I may have enjoyed an entree more, but having so many dishes that kids can share with their parents is truly a blessing, and for that I love them. When in the area, would absolutely come here again with family. 

Pasta Stories - Torrance

I want to love this place, but so far I only like. I usually love simple and affordable, but I find their construct confusing. Their fast food-like setup implies good speed, but every plate takes forever, and it could be closer to an hour during the lunchtime rush. The menu boasts of regional specialities, with hard-hitter words like wagyu and matcha cream, but the sauces are rather light, and frankly the flavors aren't all that fetching. 

I tried my friend's Osaka, a sweet and beefy bolognese-style sauce. The sauce tends to slide off the spaghetti, but the finish is savory subtlety, and this one is so far the best of the lot...which I don't think I liked a lot. 

Fukuoka has an even layer of roe all around, just enough fishy finish for a well-balanced dish. Only for those who like mentaiko, but fortunately, I'm a fan. 

Ehime is another example of their well-balanced sauce, a tomato base carries a comfortable air of seafood. There's an impressive selection from this tiny stall, with shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams; a couple of each and all quite fresh. 

Avoid the Okinawa. Chunks of bland pork in unseasoned tomato sauce look and taste like something I'd throw together with kitchen leftovers and forgot to salt. 

3/4 so far, but I just can't get enthused. I want to try the rest, especially the more unusual options like tuna-avocado and matcha cream. I don't mean to be so dour - they're overall enjoyable enough, and I plan to come back as they're close to work, but I just don't see them topping my list with what I've seen so far. 

Unico Tokyo Pasta - Redondo Beach

Fascinating. A clean and simple menu, just two little pages of pasta and sauces, and they only serve spaghetti. A sweet little spot tucked away in the shadow of Japonica in a quieter corner of a Redondo Riviera street.  

For starters, their mocktails look so good I have to try one, but the bar is low because it's hard to get excited about an eight-dollar juice-mix. Expectations exceeded, would absolutely have either again. White Peach Beach is sun-sweet nectar, lightened by carbonation, Lime Lychee is a refreshing citrus, made juicy by lychee sweetmeat. 

The pastas are fantastic. Uni Truffle is an expected hit, dressed with ingredients that are meant to impress. It is expectedly heavy but also beautifully balanced; uni rich and gooey, cream sauce clingy with citrus for a lighter lift, extra umami from a truffle hit. 

The show-stealer is this simple Yuzu Peperoncino, where the little pancetta bits hit with a bold and salty fat, yuzu pepper pops, and garlic collaborates with red chili to bring on the (addictive) heat. 

The Yasai Bolognese gets overshadowed, lost in the shuffle between two absolute standouts. It's the only one we fail to finish, but the microwave transforms it into a steaming, savory and sweet sensation. It may be the savoriest, most polished bolognese I've had to date, and the addition of asparagus brightens the sauce a bit. 

Every item from this menu has been mesmerizing, and even a "boring" bolognese is an exceptional example of a tried-and-true. I have yet to try the rest of the menu, but I suspect it is spectacular.

Jon & Vinny's Slauson - Los Angeles

I've been watching a lot of Top Chef lately. I don't know if it's increased my knowledge, but it's definitely increased my snobbery. 

So I don't know if that's why my review of the Slauson Jon & Vinny's is so lukewarm or if it's an issue with the location because I remember liking the one at Fairfax. Or maybe it was the Doordash, but something about Slauson just didn't sync. 

Starting with their menu, I don't remember it being so massive. It's a bit of a mess as you slog through the mire  - they seem to make every pizza, every pasta, with every imaginable combination of toppings and sauce. When you try to please everyone, you often please no one.

I love bruschetta, and I love ricotta on toast, but this Ricotta & Orange Blossom Honey Bruschetta is so very one-note. Loose cheese and sweetness, sugar and cream in desperate need of an acid.

The pizzas have a pretty good crust, chewy and airy. The White Bronco is a cheese-pool of caciocavallo, mozzarella, and ricotta. A lovely lake of textures ranging from stringy to chewy to creamy-smooth. With garlic and a a good oil, what's not to like?

Sadly, there's nothing super about Sarah & Shiri's Super Shroom. It's as generic a mushroom pizza as I'll ever get. The mushrooms are fresh, but I've had even fresher from the farmer's market. 

I think this will be the last time I order agnolotti. I have honestly never found one I liked, not at any fine dining establishment, not even at Otium. This Corn Agnolotti languishes in a lake of oil, and the supposed sage parmesan is overpowered by a tidal wave of butter. I'd call it one-note but it's more like no-note. 

The Wood Grilled Broccolini has stayed on their menu all these years, and it just might be the best thing they make. The char enhances the flavor of the best green veg ever grown. Raisins add sweet and goo, lemon brings the acid, and a chili vinaigrette turns on the heat. 

Oh man, I used to love those guys, but their remaining establishment is a far cry from the icon that was Animal. Even Son of a Gun had a stronger showing for seafood, and I feel like Jon & Vinny's just isn't what it used to be. I know some quality gets lost in transportation with the distance of Doordash, but I don't think it'd lose that much. What I got was a sad representation of the dashing duo that helped shape the dining scene in LA.

Colapasta - Santa Monica

Casual Colapasta, a sidewalk cafe serving scrumptious pasta. 

The Squid Ink Bavette fits the beach vibe, with long murky strands mired in a tangy-fresh tomato. Cushions of crab add some sea-sting, and it's a simply lovely combination. 

Our server described the Casarecce al Pesto as a salad, and I don't disagree. The double tube texture holds onto the garden-fresh basil, a pesto pureed so finely you think the pasta itself is green. Cherry tomatoes are popping bubbles of sun-soaked tang, and mozzarella pearls add a supple silk. 

Silkworm shells of Malloreddus alla Campidanese are a savory, sausage-saturated texture of creamy-cheese tomato sauce, with saffron to make the flavors linger. 

Casunziei is sauced tableside, brown butter sizzles on a saucepan and settles into every crevice between the sweet beet-filled ravioli. A better dessert has never existed. 

I don't have much to say about Colapasta - the food speaks for itself. There is something about what they do here that transports you, and for the entire time that pasta touches your tongue, you actually believe you're on a patio in the Italian countryside, twirling your late lunch a fork, watching vineyards as far as the eye can see. The sauces are simple and the flavors so straightforward, yet the sheer skill required to cook so captivatingly clean is anything but. 

Mother Wolf - Los Angeles

The dining room is abuzz, even on a Tuesday night, and I think Vanessa Hudgens is sitting diagonally behind us. The decor is pure luxury, like an Italian villa if it were owned by Jeff Bezos. This place wasn't started on a shoestring, and the menu full of fine ingredients is written proof. 

But I am pleasantly surprised at the sweet simplicity of these small but hearty starters. The Suppli Al Telefono are simply breaded croquettes filled with risotto in tangy tomato dotted with savory guanciale specks.

You can see and feel the shreds of juicy oxtail in the Polpette di Coda. The tomato is smoother and more subtle here.

Even their signature special, La Mortazza, is spectacular yet straightforward. A chewy pizza crust doubles over like a pita to pocket paper-thin ribbons of supple mortadella atop a creamy ricotta cheese. The pistacchio adds some crunch to the cream, and lemon agrumato adds a lifting splash of citrus.

The Filetto is what a food critic would describe as a "sleeper hit". The description doesn't sound like much, and it's "just" a cheese pizza. The result, however, is an incredibly satisfying slice. The cheese has stronger, nuttier, slightly pungent notes, and the tomatoes are the sweetest, most sun-kissed I've ever tried. 

Onto the pastas. The cream sauce of the Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe is more like a solid, a shawl around each individual strand. The black pepper is prominent and perks up a heavy base.

Rigatoni All'Amatriciana is floppy folds of textured tubes. A little tomato, a little cream, a little spice, spotted with the crispiest, most fantastically fatty hits of guanciale.

Rigatoncini All Vaccinara; littler tubes covered in shreds of oxtail ragù, a super savory sauce. 

A simple Tagliata Di Manzo makes a simple entree, the most tender and juicy ribeye cap you’ll ever have, full of flavor upon a bed of the most perfectly fried potatoes. These may be the only memorable potatoes I’ve had to date. 

Desserts are not a necessity but they are a delight. Tiramisu features a dense mascarpone and a dark dusting of Madagascar chocolate. 

Limone Gelato is a shocking standout, the sweet citrus of Meyer lemons fully realized. 

Despite the obviously upscale vibe, the Mother Wolf menu maintains a mantle of approachability. You know you're surrounded by millions of dollars of decor made to make you feel rich and fabulous, but there is something about these platters of comfort food with their simple presentation and straightforward assembly that still makes you feel you can gather and talk as you spoon up a smattering of delights. And the best part is, all that food added up to a measly $80 per person as each dish ideal for sharing. 

If I am to compare, I do think I favor flagship Felix for the intimacy and variety of pastas, but I did thoroughly enjoy Mother Wolf. I would still recommend it for those looking for a little glamour with their gastronomy.  

Felice 64 - New York, NY

I truly don't know if you can have a bad meal in New York. Felice 64 certainly didn't refute that theory. 

The Burrata e Proscuitto is generous and so enjoyable,

and though the Cozze could be better, we didn't leave any on the plate. 

This is the split portion of Pappardelle, an impressive amount considering it's shared. The pasta is good, the sausage is nice, and the truffle sauce is sufficiently subtle.

A lovely little place for a lovely little meal. There's nothing to dislike, plenty to like. 

Scardino's Italian Restaurant - Torrance

The carb craving hit hard, and we had to find a way. 

Highly rated, touted for their Lasagna, Scardino's saves the day. This meat-mash, tomato-tang, casserole, pasta-pile is hearty, gooey goodness, and it hits the spot so good. 

The Penne Vodka, however, is both a yes and a no-no. The sauce is swell, but pasta is only so-so. The vodka sauce is creamy and complete, but the penne clearly came from a box. 

I liked it, I didn't love it, but I wouldn't refuse more of it. Their pizza looks like it's worth trying, and I would give other pasta sauces a go. I'd still go to Fatto a Mano first for the fresh and hand-made, but Scardino's could serve as a back-up if I ever had the need. 

La Cucina UPDATE - Reno, NV

I'm still quite pleased with this place. 

They make some simple stuff, but it's simple in a really nice way. The Calamari Steak Strips, for example, are exactly that. A sizeable slab of squid, sliced into strips and breaded with a cheesy crumb. The squid is super tender, and the crust isn't crunch but rather, it's all soft from soaking in olive oil. I've never had squid prepared like this, but I don't have any complaints.  

The Shrimp Scampi was also exactly that. Fresh shrimp, a splash of garlic over fettuccine. A bit bland, TBH, but definitely not bad. 

The Grilled Cheese was off the kid's menu. Good bread, good grill lines, though the world's pickiest toddler never touched it. 

Pasta Primavera is a pleasant surprise. The house-made pasta is perfect, and the combination of spinach and lemon adds a lot of citrus to the dish. White wine and olive oil brighten it up some more, and they weren't shy about adding so much garlic it's almost spicy. Plenty of textures and flavors with a mix of meaty portobello, acidic artichoke, sharp sun dried tomatoes, and tender asparagus. I love how bold and bright they make this usually-boring dish, though they could do a little better with the green beans. 

Hey, this was fun. The big flavors and fresh veggies in my pasta were a nice break from the heavy meats we've been having. Still a nice place to go. 

Aptos Trip Day 7 - Doppio Zero & Verde Tea Cafe - Mountain View, CA

I really didn't love Mountain View. The vibe was always off, and the food, advertised as among the best, was truly mediocre. Various websites say you must dive into Doppio for the ultimate Italian experience, but I just can't agree with any. The dishes we ordered were the most highly recommended, the most popular of the house, and I was far from impressed.

The Calamari, for starters, was wildly undercooked. The breading barely hung onto these dingy hair-elastics, and there was a prominently unpleasant texture with no detectable taste. 

The Marechiaro was made with squid ink tagliolini, more for aesthetics than taste, as the pasta was a bit too al dente. The tomato water they called a "light" sauce did it no justice, and the scallops were fishy, not too fresh. 

Fettuccine Wild Boar is more likeable, warm shredded meat in a slightly less watery tomato sauce. The meat is good, and the pasta is great, but I don't think this would make any Italians particularly proud. 

The one thing they did correctly was this kiddie Cheese Pizza with Mickey ears and chewy crust. Toddler test and approved, and by far the best thing we ate.

What the actual heck? This is supposed to be one of Mountain View's most popular places, and it's just not good. Terrible at times, especially for the price and the hype. I will not be coming back here - I just don't respect an Italian restaurant that can't cook fried calamari. 

A caffeinated nightcap from Verde Tea Cafe felt like a continuation of a disappointing dinner. The original Pearl Milk Tea is good, but nothing I would come back for, and they got the crystal boba right, but the overall impression is just alright. It's plenty of milk and sugar, but not much real taste to the tea.