It has a nice smokiness from the grill. My preferred way of eating it is chopped up on crostini drizzled with that yummy dressing, but it’s also really good as is. Enjoy!
Well, whaddya know. It’s not just a catering space. It’s a restaurant after-all…
I meant to send that to you when I read it the other day!
I thought of our convo too. I edited to include the link.
Are you forgetting the tasting menu at Stinking Rose?
They built-out, brightened and prettied-up the former Little Next Door space on W. 3rd St and turned it into Oste, an Italian restaurant with an extensive menu featuring Roman-style pizzas and dishes.
Let’s eat…
Carciofi alla Giudia - Fried Baby Artichoke, Parsley, Lemon, Salt, Cracked Pepper
Trivia: The name translates as Jewish-style Artichokes. This starter is originated from and still served in most Roman Jewish restaurants. The artichokes were perfectly cooked, light, crispy & tasty, but the parsley oil didn’t add anything and made it drippy to eat. The menu listed Bagna Càuda as an accompaniment. I guess the parsley oil was their take on it?
Main course and salad portions are large…
Pan Seared Branzino, Fregola Sarda, Red Bell Pepper Coulis, EVOO
This is a delicious dish. The fregola was cooked really well and everything was seasoned perfectly with the light coulis, fresh greens & herbs as a nice accompaniment. The branzino skin lost a little crispiness sitting under the greens but not a deal breaker. I would definitely order this again.
Cacio e Pepe
How do I put it nicely? It was a disaster. Super peppery, not typically a bad thing but this was off-balance, too saucy, too salty and pasta was sticky stuck together making it hard to eat.
Vigne Surrau, ‘Limizzani’ Vermentino di Gallura ’20
Delicious Sardinian vermentino.
2nd Visit…
Insalata di Radicchio e Finocchio - Radicchio, Fennel, Asian Pear, Gorgonzola, Candied Walnuts
Crisp, salty, sweet, nutty, fennel, soft rich funky cheese.
Funghi Pinsa - Scamorza Cheese, Wild Mushrooms, Parsley, Garlic, Parmigiano, Truffle Oil
Tagline should be Must Love Mushrooms. It’s loaded w/shrooms and complimented by the stretchy, piquant scamorza cheese & tangy parmigiano. I forgot to ask them to go very easy on the truffle oil. The crust was the real highlight for me. I’m not a Pinsa Romano aficionado but could become one lol. I love the airy, crispiness from incorporating rice flour in the dough.
Budino
So good!
Macchiato
Lots of inviting spaces…
Not sure what happened to Little Next Door but Oste is a nice addition to W 3rd St.
Happy Italian Eating!
We had a good delivery from Oste, but that pasta does look like a disaster. I liked the mushroom pinsa. Mushroom is my go to pizza flavor.
I ordered the “Tagliatelle alla Salsiccia” at Angelini Palisades last night and it was up there with the best pasta dishes I have eaten in LA, and for those who know me…I have eaten a LOT of pasta dishes in LA.
Small tangent but has anyone been? Specifically to tomato Wednesdays…
Saw this on a food writer’s socials. Trying to suss out whether it’s a hidden gem or kitsch.
Sal and his brother Mario are LA institutions. You should definitely do tomato Wed if you’ve not done it before.
I think @chewchow is a huge fan of the chef/restaurant?
As am I. Sal and Mario run a fantastic Italian restaurant.
They used to run Il Grano in West LA, which was also much loved.
I concur and was about to write that @J_L is a Marino and Tomato Wednesday fan but he spoke for himself lol. Marino is a sentimental favorite of mine as it was one of the first white tablecloth restaurants I went to without my parents. I felt so grown. That they’ve survived all these decades flying relatively under the foodie radar is a testament to the food and how great the Marinos are as restaurateurs.
This would be the ideal spot for a FTC Meetup.
Disclaimer: Sal has been a friend since high school. Not a completely unbiased opinion.
Ah, Il Grano…how I miss that place. Some pretty epic wine dinners there some 25ish yrs ago. Sal does love the fermented grape.
Also of note, the CAULIFLOWER MUSHROOM raw foraged mushroom, pistachio, pistachio oil, chives is an absolutely fantastic dish and glad to see it remains on the menu. I remember a dinner at Marino where Sal served our group and nobody guessed it was a mushroom dish.
Thanks y’all! Will have to try tomato Wednesday before the season ends.
We’re in!
Been in LA nearly my whole life and had never heard of Marino, can’t wait to try it! Does seem like a perfect meetup spot….and maybe just a tad less expensive than Kato
i just discovered the thread due to the recent post, and i find it odd that no one’s made the distinction of the differences in regional cuisine; if someone posted a question as to a recommendation for best chinese restaurant, a few of us would have immediately responded seeking clarification for what region. given how china’s cuisine changes quite drastically based on region, etc. i’d imagine that italian regional cuisines are quite different as well. IIRC the olive oils from tuscany are quite different depending on where the olives are grown. so even just tossing pasta with garlic & olive oil could yield very different results.
The menus at most Italian restaurants in the US are pan-Italian. Few have a strong regional focus. One exception in LA is Mother Wolf, which is pretty Roman.