In Search of Lunchtime Pasta, from Disappointing to Excellent - Knead & Co., Pasta Sisters, Cento Pasta Bar, Bulgarini, Factory Kitchen and Drago Centro

Can I hire someone that speaks the requisite languages to call places? lol

Not all of us speak the right languages to get that depth of information from staff sadly.

Have a friend who speaks Mandarin with you.

Yes, Dai Ho is legit. Go.

For all of my many types of friends, the only friend I have who speaks any Mandarin lives in SF and rarely comes to LA =/

I am on my intrepid own.


My Chinese friends don’t speak Chinese. And the one that actually went to Chinese school is busy being married and having babies.

The menu is also in English, so you can always just point
 :slight_smile:

Two places in LA that make noodles in house. Lee’s Noodles for korean style chinese noodles and Hangari Kalgooksu for korean soup noodles.

Gnocchi is not pasta, FYI- it’s a dumpling.

People in the restaurant industry. Not necessarily restaurant workers.

Update 5:

The Prince of Venice

Thanks to the link to an article in the LA Times from @Aesthete, we heard about a new venue for lunchtime Pasta, The Prince of Venice food truck. Hearing “food truck,” I was expecting the worst, but reading the article gave me hope. Initially I thought The Prince of Venice was referring to Venice Beach, California, but it turns out this mobile eatery is the brainchild of Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, the grandson of the last King of Italy(!). He would’ve been a Prince if the monarchy continued I suppose. :slight_smile:

He then hired Chef Mirko Paderno (Officine Brera) to create the recipes, and The Prince of Venice food truck was born.

Bucatini Cacio e Pepe:

Featuring Handmade Bucatini, the Pasta is cooked perfectly al dente. For a food truck, this is impressive. However, the actual Cacio e Pepe Sauce left much to be desired. It was mainly liquidy, milky, creamy. But it lacked enough depth. While visually it looked like it had a lot of Black Pepper, after mixing it up, there was only a taste of the Pepper, barely there; it turned one note after a few bites. :frowning:

Tartufo (Fresh Black Truffle, House Made Truffle Butter, Light Cream Sauce, Chives):

The Tartufo is a Handmade Maccheroni Pasta, which looked more like a fat Rigatoni. It was sufficiently al dente as well, which was nice. Good chew and heft. However, after that, the flavors were disappointing: Taking a whiff, you could smell a faint hint of Black Truffle, but taking a bite, you tasted nothing. :disappointed:

All you could taste was Cream & Butter and Pasta. :frowning: For $20 (+ tax & tip), and their claim that this was Black Truffle as the centerpiece, it was non-existent in flavor.

Maccheroni alla Bolognese (100% Beef Ground Bolognese Sauce, Parmesan):

The Pasta texture turned out great again here, with a good texture and bite. Thankfully, we finally found one of their Pastas that was a hit: The Bolognese Sauce was delicious! :slight_smile: It had a deep, meaty flavor, nicely salted, and satisfying. The Bolognese wasn’t as nuanced as a few others we’ve tried in the past (e.g., Cento or Pasta Sisters), but it was pretty good and the best thing we had on the menu here.

It was also $14 (+ tax & tip) for a portion that was smaller than Pasta Sisters (which runs $8.75 (+ tax & tip)), and you have no dining space (it’s a food truck, so you stand).

Overall an interesting concept that I suppose could be good if it was near your office building, but so far, it feels lacking, with 2 of their recommended signature Pastas falling short in terms of flavor, and with high prices for a food truck.

The Prince of Venice
Schedule & Locations Change Daily:
http://www.princeofvenicefoodtruck.com/

Cento Pasta Bar (Revisit)

It was time for another visit to Chef Avner Lavi’s Cento Pasta Bar.

Spaghetti Bolognese:

Today’s Bolognese looked totally different from the previous (amazing) Bolognese we had months ago. This one was watery and seemed to be all Beef. It was still quite tasty, but not as good as the Bolognese we had last time (which looked like it was more long-stewed and tasted of different types of meat (Beef & Pork?)). The Spaghetti was cooked perfectly, al dente, with a great bite.

Squash Risotto:

Chef Avner had a new Squash Risotto on the menu, featuring a gorgeous hue of gold-orange, the Risotto was spot-on. Nice toothsome chew, although this leaned more on the sweet side (from the Squash) and the Homemade Whipped Cream(!). It worked, but it felt like a borderline dessert. :smile:

Spaghetti, Beets, Goat Cheese, Poppy Seeds, Chives:

And they brought back the most visually stunning Pasta we had last year: Their Spaghetti & Beets Pasta! :slight_smile: Just like before, there’s an earthiness from the Beets, but it doesn’t overwhelm the Pasta. The Goat Cheese is a milder variety, and mixed with the Poppy Seeds and Chives and the whole thing works. Delicious! :slight_smile:

Wed - Sat
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Cento Pasta Bar (at Mignon)
128 E. 6th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Tel: (213) 489-0131

https://www.instagram.com/centopastabar/

Pasta Sisters (Revisit)

Hearing about the Mortadella Sandwich from all the FTC’ers, I knew we had to order this. :wink:

Mortadella Sandwich (Pistachio & Pecorino Cream Cheese):

Served on Housemade Bread, they source their Mortadella from a brand in Italy - Due Torri - and it’s served thinly sliced. It is as others have said, a fantastic Mortadella Sandwich. :slight_smile: The super thin sliced Mortadella gives it a nice mouthfeel, and the Pistachio & Pecorino Cream Cheese is funky and salty and just right. Definitely a nice surprise. :slight_smile:

We didn’t find it as crave-worthy as Gjusta or Wax Paper’s Italian, but it was quite good.

Bolognese Tagliatelle:

It had been a while, so I wanted to see how Pasta Sisters’ Bolognese was. First, their Housemade Tagliatelle Pasta is made without Semolina (as some FTC’ers in our other thread were discussing), so as a result, while their Pastas are Handmade fresh, they aren’t going to be as al dente, with a noticeable bite & chew as a dry Pasta / one made with Semolina.

In light of that, Pasta Sisters’ Tagliatelle was still cooked just right (for a fresh Pasta), having a slight toothsome quality, and their Bolognese Sauce was still as delicious as ever! :blush: There’s a real humble, “home cooked” quality about it. It’s satisfying, perfectly seasoned, and just a great classic Bolognese taste.

It was definitely much better than the one we had at The Prince of Venice and Cento, and the portion was much larger than either of those places. All for $8.75 (+ tax & tip). Amazing! :slight_smile:

Pasta Sisters
3343 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
Tel: (323) 870-5271

http://www.pastasisters.com/

Rose Cafe

The iconic Rose Cafe, has been serving Venice since 1979. Its menu has changed over the years, and one wouldn’t think of Venice’s Rose Cafe as a Pasta destination if it wasn’t for Chef Jason Neroni (Superba) having taken over Rose Cafe last year. With a remodeling and a revamping of the menu, Venice’s Rose Cafe now serves Chef Neroni’s famous Pastas for Lunch and Dinner. It was time for a visit. :slight_smile:

As we were walking to our table, we passed by Rose Cafe’s Bakery section and their plain Croissant caught my eye. Having done a Croissant Journey, I’m always hopeful of finding another great Croissant in Southern California, so we had to order one. :slight_smile:

Croissant:

This was a disaster! :frowning: Dry, crumbly, slightly stale Croissant with no perceptible buttery taste. :weary: Definitely avoid.

Clearly, Chef Neroni can’t do everything in the kitchen and their Croissant is the result.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts (Dashi Broth, Poached Egg, Scallions):

I read a few recommendations for this, and I’d have to thank all the FTC’ers who recommended it. While the Brussels Sprouts looked overcooked, they were actually pretty solid, fragrant and with a nice Dashi flavor coming through. The Poached Egg added a nice creaminess to the dish.

Curry Fries:

Their Curry Fries were French Fries with a Curry Seasoning. There were serviceable, with a slight crunch on the Fries, but they were way too salty. :frowning:

Market Lettuces and Cucumbers (Green Goddess, Sesame, Furikake):

Delicious! Fresh Farmers Market Lettuces, and their Green Goddess Dressing was herbaceous but not overpowering. The Sesame and Furikake seasoning on top added some nice nutty spice notes to each bite. :slight_smile:

Smoked Bucatini Carbonara (Bacon, Egg Yolk, Parmesan, Cream, Black Pepper):

Our server said this was the most popular and famous Pasta at Rose. Taking the first bite and we could tell why:

It’s smoky, bacony, creamy and cheesy with each bite. The Housemade Bucatini is a perfect al dente here as well, a great bite and chew, and it’s slightly thicker than a standard Spaghetti. It’s hearty and definitely fills you up. One of my friends loved this Pasta the most, and I can see why.

However, it’s also $25 (+ tax & tip), which puts it in the upper echelon price point for Lunchtime Pastas we tried on this journey, the second most expensive after Angelini Osteria.

Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe (Miso, Pecorino Toscano, Cracked Black Pepper):

And then we get Chef Neroni’s version of Cacio e Pepe: The Housemade Spaghetti is fantastic, and it’s cooked just right as well, with a nice bite, but still being supple.

But it’s the addition of Miso (just a touch) to the Pecorino and Black Pepper that makes this version of Cacio e Pepe sing! There’s a real deliciousness to each bite, and a good peppery kick as well. One of the best Cacio e Pepe we’ve had recently. :blush: (And far better than the one from The Prince of Venice.)

This was my favorite Pasta we had at Rose Cafe. :slight_smile:

Rose Cafe has that beachy, Venice, relaxed vibe. It draws the Venice crowd, and at the same time, it’s serving some serious Pasta, at a level you’d see at a proper, quality Italian restaurant. The price point makes regular visits a bit prohibitive for some, with Pastas for Lunch ranging from $20 - $28 (+ tax & tip), but they are excellent and more nuanced than some of the other places we’ve tried so far.

Rose Cafe
220 Rose Ave.
Venice, CA 90291
Tel: (310) 399-0711

6 Likes

Great report! Thanks for the heads-up on the Prince of Venice truck. I’m planning to go this week, so I’m glad to know what to avoid.

And I had no idea about the Rose Cafe chef switch. I’ll have to check it out. I saved the market lettuces description to my notes, because that sounds like a pretty fabulous combination I can throw together, next time my csa box goes crazy with the lettuces and cucumber. :slight_smile:

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Thanks @Bookwich. Looking forward to your report on The Prince of Venice when you go. :slight_smile: And yah, definitely check out the Cacio e Pepe at Rose Cafe if you go back there. It’s so close to us and like you, I never thought about going to Rose for Pasta until they revamped the menu with Chef Neroni.

i hope this isnt a stupid question, but:
is the pecorino cream cheese on that mortadella sandwich cream cheese with pecorino mixed in, or literally cream cheese made from sheep’s milk?

many thanks.

Hi @linus,

Not at all. :slight_smile: It’s a special cream cheese made from sheep’s milk from Italy.

Doin’ work!

Shanxi Noodle House in City of Industry

3 Likes

thanks again. i wonder if they sell it in any of the tonier cheese shops here in l.a. i hope it has that sheepy flavour.

Update 6:

Time for another Pasta Journey, as more and more options started to appear recently. :wink:

Pasta e Pasta by Allegro

Allegro started with their first store in Hyogo, Japan back in 2006. According to their menu, they’ve since expanded up to 12 shops around Japan.

Our dishes arrived with complimentary House Salad and Bread:

The House Salad looked like a typical offering, but their Housemade Onion Dressing was fragrant, bright and delicious! :slight_smile:

Their Bread was warm and tasted like a Sourdough Roll.

Uni Pasta (Allegro Special Rich Uni Cream Sauce with Fresh Uni):

Glancing at the menu, their price was initially surprising - $24 (+ tax & tip) - especially for lunch, but when it arrived we could see why: Their portions are massive. This is easily 300% the size of Cento Pasta Bar and more like 350% the size of a place like Jon & Vinny’s. :open_mouth:

Before getting into the taste, @TheCookie, Sushi Lesson that @PorkyBelly and others were pointing out: If you see Uni that looks like this, you know you should run away. :stuck_out_tongue: :disappointed:

The Uni looked pretty dark and decomposing. Mixing the Uni and trying the Pasta
 yup. Old, old, bad seawater tastes flooded my mouth! :weary: :confounded:

This was easily the worst Uni I’ve had in years! :frowning: It was awful. Trying to scoop away the rotting Uni, the incorporated Uni in their Uni Cream Sauce wasn’t any better. The whole thing tasted like funky, pungent ocean water. And the waitress had proclaimed this their #1 Pasta and House Specialty. :sob:

Beef Ragu Sauce Spaghetti (Beef, Onion and Tomato Original Ragu Sauce):

The waitress went on to state that this was their #2 best Pasta, with their Ragu Sauce recipe being over 10 years old (since their inception).

The taste was thankfully much better, but it was watery. :frowning: Their was a good tomatoey flavor, tart, acidic, but also fragrant.

The shocking part was their “Beef” in this Beef Ragu: It turned out they used entire chunks of Beef Short Rib(!). :open_mouth: Normally this might be pretty good - and it was tasty, and tender - but it felt a bit odd eating a Ragu Sauce with massive chunks of Beef Short Ribs that you had to cut and break apart while eating.

Pasta e Pasta doesn’t make their own Pastas; they use dry Pastas bought from Italy.

At $21 (+ tax & tip) this was slightly cheaper, but like their Uni Pasta, it was balanced by the quantity: This was even larger! Easily 400% the size of a plate of Pasta at Cento Pasta Bar! :open_mouth: Any more and it would’ve bordered on Bucca di Beppo Family Style Platters.

Currently, I’m not sure we’d return to Pasta e Pasta. It’s a good value for the quantity / price, but the execution is lacking.

Pasta e Pasta by Allegro
432 E. 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: (213) 265-7003

Maccheroni Republic

For some reason, we’ve just never gotten around to stopping by Maccheroni Republic, but we finally made it for this Pasta Journey. :slight_smile:

Maccheroni Republic handmakes all of their Pastas, but it’s done at an off-site kitchen and delivered to the restaurant as needed.

Agnolotti di Osso Bucco (Tortelloni filled with Osso Bucco Meat & Marrow in a Salsa Verde):

This came strongly recommended by our waiter. He proudly stated that this was “one of our best pastas!” So we decided to order it.

I’m not sure why their menu lists this as Agnolotti, and then describes it as Tortelloni, but either way, they were too al dente: Slightly undercooked(!), they were too thick, and it tasted like we were biting into uncooked dough. :frowning:

The Osso Bucco was fine, nicely seasoned. But their “Salsa Verde” wasn’t that interesting. The waiter said it was like a Pesto, but not quite. :confused:

Rigatoni Pom’Amore (Rigatoni in a Creamy Tomato Sauce topped with Burrata):

Their Rigatoni were slightly better: Still very al dente, with a lot of chew. Their Creamy Tomato Sauce was OK. I think this would be a fine local lunch spot, if you didn’t want to go very far. But it lacked the depth of flavor and refinement of other places we tried on this Pasta Journey.

But with their Pastas ranging from $10.95 - $17.95 (+ tax & tip) it’s a nice affordable, local spot, with Handmade Pastas.

Maccheroni Republic
332 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tel: (213) 346-9725

http://www.maccheronirepublic.com/index.html

Local Kitchen + Wine Bar

I’d never heard about this place, but thanks to @ipsedixit and @CiaoBob’s exploration into Chicken, we decided to give it a try. :slight_smile: While we went there to try their Chicken, it turns out they also have Handmade Pastas, so this fit nicely in our journey.

Brussels Sprouts (Agrodolce, Citrus Breadcrumbs):

We decided to start with some Brussels Sprouts. These were quite delicious, nice and citrusy, with a good textural contrast with the crunchy Breadcrumbs and the tender, yet firm Brussels Sprouts. :slight_smile:

Pappardelle (Prosciutto and Veal Bolognese, Parmesan):

Their Bolognese Sauce had a good, long-stewed flavor coming through. It was comforting and tasty, not too salty, even though they use Prosciutto in the Sauce. However, it lacked that deep flavor that exudes from the best Bolognese Sauces we had on this journey, like Pasta Sisters, Bulgarini and Cento.

Also, their Pappardelle (while not using Semolina) was just too soft and overcooked. :frowning:

Pecorino Malfatti (Black Truffle, Black Pepper, Brown Butter, Sage):

We knew there was something wrong when this Pasta featuring “Black Truffles” was the cheapest Pasta on the menu(!). :open_mouth: Something seemed off.

Then it arrived, and the Black Truffles looked very odd. Taking a sniff, there was zero scent. Taking a bite, and there was no flavor from the Black Truffles. :cry:

Clearly these are probably the fake Chinese Black Truffles, or something else. :frowning:

The Malfatti were decent, doughy Pasta dumplings, sort of like Gnocchi; very soft, and plump.

Ricotta Cavatelli (Blue Lump Crab, Lemon, Chile, Parsley, Breadcrumbs):

This was delicious! :slight_smile: Much better than their Pappardelle and Malfatti, their Cavatelli was still soft, but it wasn’t overcooked like their Pappardelle. They gave ample amounts of their Blue Lump Crab. It wasn’t fresh Crab (but understandable given costs), but the Lump Crab meat was still tasty enough.

Chicken Under Brick (Balsamic-Chile Glaze, Charred Onions and Peppers, Jus):

But the reason we originally came here was for their Chicken Under Brick. As it arrived, it smelled wonderful, with the Balsamic Chile Glaze, fragrant and pungent even before I took a bite. While most of the skin wasn’t crispy (I’m used to Brick Chicken dishes with crispy skin), it was cooked / pressed enough to render out all the fat.

But @CiaoBob and @ipsedixit were right: This was delicious! :slight_smile: The flavors were a nice balance of piquant, savory-saltiness, Balsamic undertones, the use of Oven-Roasted Shishito Peppers was wonderful! :slight_smile:

Their Lunch Pastas range from $15 - $23, reflective of the neighborhood / rent. We’d go back for their Brick Chicken, Veggie Plates and maybe their Cavatelli. I’m curious how their Pizzas are as we noticed a nice wood-burning pizza oven.

Local Kitchen + Wine Bar
1736 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Tel: (310) 396-9007

Rose Cafe (Venice) (Revisit)

We quite enjoyed Chef Jason Neroni’s (Superba) Handmade Pastas from our last visit, so we wanted to try some other Pastas we missed last time.

The Rose Breakfast Burrito (Scrambled Eggs, Smoked Cheddar, Peanut-Poblano Molé, Crispy Potatoes, Braised Bacon, Avocado):

Before the Pasta, we took a detour, remembering someone on FTC (@wienermobile?) recommending their Breakfast Burrito. :slight_smile:

This was hefty! A massive portion, it had all of the Breakfast favorites - Eggs, Crisped Potatoes, Bacon, Smoked Cheddar, Avocado - but what set it apart was the use of their Peanut-Poblano Mole Sauce. It gave the Breakfast Burrito a touch of nuttiness and sweetness (just a bit), with some spiciness as well. :slight_smile:

Wakame Spaghetti (Dungeness Crab, Uni Butter, Yuzu, Scallions):

I’m not sure if it’s just micro-trends, or restaurants inspired by each other, but Crab Pastas seem to have been sprouting up all over the place, with Rose Cafe being another place offering it as well.

The Spaghetti was perfectly cooked, al dente, with a nice chew, but still pliable and tender enough. The Dungeness Crab was better quality than the Blue Lump Crab at Local Kitchen, but it still tasted like frozen Crab. At least it was better than Bestia’s Spaghetti Rustichella with Dungeness Crab (which runs about $38 for wholesale bought, dry pasta, and frozen Crab that tasted briny and old):

That was the worst of the Crab Pastas we had recently. :frowning:

Rose Cafe’s version was quite tasty overall, the best one locally, but we were spoiled by the recent Fresh Dungeness Crab Pasta we had at Cotogna, where they cook the Dungess Crabs and deshell them for the pasta(!).

For Rose Cafe’s Lunch Pastas, we enjoyed their Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe the most; a great place to grab pastas in the area. :slight_smile:

Rose Cafe
220 Rose Ave.
Venice, CA 90291
Tel: (310) 399-0711

Angelini Osteria (Revisit)

“Nonna Elvira’s” Lasagna Verde (Beef, Veal Ragu):

The striking green color is the first thing that catches my eye. But then taking a bite, it’s delicious! :blush: Layers of Pasta, Cheese, Beef & Veal Ragu. It’s got that perfect balance of meatiness, a delicious Ragu that’s well-seasoned, and just the right amount of Cheese. Thanks @ipsedixit for the recommendation. :slight_smile:

After the disaster of the Fake Black Truffles at Local, I was wondering if Black Truffles at this time were just “bad”; perhaps Local was just suffering from a bad batch that’s plaguing all of Southern California? Seeing Angelini offer a Black Truffle Pasta, we had to find out.

Homemade Spaghetti Chitarra alla Norcina, Black Truffles, Sausage, Parmigiano Reggiano:

As soon as the waiter brought out an entire Black Truffle and started shaving it fresh over our plate, we could smell this amazing, unmistakable fragrant scent! :blush:

Then taking a long inhale - wow! Complete night and day difference. Angelini is using Umbrian Black Truffles (Umbria, Italy).

Taking a bite, amazing! :blush: Fantastic, deep Black Truffle flavor and scent in every single bite of this Pasta. Yah, whatever Local Kitchen was using was something else entirely.

Their Handmade Spaghetti Chitarra is a thinner version of the traditional Spaghetti, but not as thin as Angel Hair. It was delicate, soft, but not overcooked. The Sausage felt like overkill, however, unnecessary to enjoy the beauty of the Umbrian Black Truffles.

Angelini’s Pastas have the depth of flavor and nuance that’s missing in places like Maccheroni Republic, but their prices are significantly higher as well. The Lasagne Verde was $20 (+ tax & tip) while their seasonal Black Truffle Pasta was a whopping $55 (+ tax & tip) for lunch.

Overall, some excellent Pastas for lunch, but at a premium.

Angelini Osteria
7313 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA, 90036
Tel: (323) 297-0070

Bulgarini Gelato (Revisit)

With the weather warming up, it was a perfect time to revisit Bulgarini Gelato, for their amazing, unparalleled Gelato, but also for their fantastic Handmade Pastas & Sauces that most customers don’t seem to realize they serve.

Owner Leo Bulgarini excitedly lets us know that he just got in some wonderful Sheep’s Milk Ricotta from Rome, Italy. He said it’s his favorite Ricotta, and he was finally able to get some in stock. :slight_smile: So we let him prepare something for us:

Roman Ricotta Spaghetti:

As basic as it sounds, Leo Bulgarini asked us to trust him, and he served his Roman Sheep’s Milk Ricotta, warmed through, simply tossed with his Handmade Spaghetti.

It was delicious! :heart:

The Sheep’s Milk Ricotta was light, delicate, giving each bite a creamy, lightly pungent cheesiness that Sheep’s Milk Cheeses can impart; just spot-on perfect. :slight_smile:

Pappardelle Bolognese:

Like his amazing Gelato, Leo Bulgarini creates some wonderfully focused Pasta Sauces. There’s something beautiful, elemental, and simply amazing in the way he can create a pure concentration of great flavor (be it Gelato or Pasta Sauce)!

It’s absolutely delicious! :blush:

Our friend came along, and tried Bulgarini’s Pastas for the first time today, and was completely blown away. And his Pastas are cooked a perfect al dente.

Crimson Pear Gelato:

It’s ridiculous how concentrated and pure his Gelato are. The Crimson Pear Gelato tastes like you’re eating a bushel of Crimson Pears perfectly ripe, and fragrant, distilled into a frozen bite of deliciousness! :blush:

Stracciatella (Chocolate Chip) Gelato:

A beautiful balance of a creamy Milk-based Gelato, mixed with quality Dark Chocolate chopped up. So good! :slight_smile:

Nocciola (Hazelnut) Gelato:

Absurd.

I have never experienced Gelato or Ice Cream that has such a pure distillation of the core ingredient before. Ever. His Nocciola Gelato tastes like you’re eating a bunch of fragrant roasted Hazelnuts, except in awesome frozen Gelato form. :blush:

Bulgarini Gelato is now offering a Lunch Special where you get an order of any of his Handmade Pastas + 2 Scoops of Gelato for $20, which is a bargain! :slight_smile:

(Note: If you’re going early, be sure to call ahead to confirm if they’re open - They’ve been known to open slightly late from their posted hours.)

Bulgarini Gelato
749 E. Altadena Drive
Altadena, CA 91001
Tel: (626) 791-6174

http://bulgarinigelato.com/index.php

Gjelina

I had completely spaced out that Gjelina offers up a variety of Handmade Pastas for Lunch! So off we went to relax along Abbot Kinney and try some Pastas. :slight_smile:

Roasted Romanesco (Anchovy, Caper, Mint):

There’s something special, truly magic with the way Chef-Owner Travis Lett and his staff at Gjelina can transform Vegetables into something stunning. Their Roasted Romanesco is tender, bursting with flavors from their Caper, Mint and perfect roasting. The Anchovy adds that wonderful nudge of umami and brininess. So good! :slight_smile:

Semolina Fusilli (Hokkaido Uni, Little Neck Clams, Garlic, Chili):

There’s something really neat about Gjelina incorporating seasonal ingredients, and exotic ingredients, and in this case, the Hokkaido Uni is creamy, gorgeous and a complete 180 from the near-rotting Uni at Pasta e Pasta Allegro. It’s bright and tastes fresh, and the Little Neck Clams add nice brininess that accents the Uni. :slight_smile:

But their Handmade Fusilli is just a bit too rustic and thick. It’s perfectly cooked through and al dente, but fundamentally it’s just very rustic (very handmade), and rough-hewn. It feels like the ingredients would’ve shined better with a more delicate Pasta. Otherwise, quite delicious. :slight_smile:

Einkorn Bucatini (Nettle, Chili, Garlic, Parmesan):

Wow! Also made in-house, the Einkorn Bucatini is using an ancient grain (Einkorn Wheat), and there’s a subtle grain / almost nutty quality. It’s perfectly cooked al dente, with a nice bite, but beyond that, the flavors are just wonderfully balanced.

Stinging Nettle, really fragrant Garlic, a little bit of heat from the Chilies, and judicious use of Parmesan. When mixed together, it’s just balanced and so delicious! :heart:

@MaladyNelson this one’s a must order! :slight_smile:

Gjelina’s Pastas usually run about $20 - $22 (+ tax & tip) during Lunch, and along with their amazing Cooked Vegetable dishes, it makes it one of our favorite places for lunch. :slight_smile:

Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
Tel: (310) 450-1429

http://www.gjelina.com/

14 Likes

I am betting those cheapo truffles came out of a can!! Truffles from China would be an upgrade.

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@Chowseeker1999 Fantastic, as always! Thanks for being so detailed and diligent.

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Hi @aaqjr,

I thought you were joking at first, but Googling
 wow, they actually sell canned truffles?! :open_mouth:

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