From the LA Weekly:
What enters your mind when twirling fennel pollen–dusted spaghetti around your fork? Probably not much more than “Just how quickly can I get this into my mouth?” And that’s fair, because L.A.’s emerging renditions of Italian cuisine are incredible. But there’s a story behind all that beautiful bread and cheese. Italian food wasn’t always held in the high esteem it is today — certainly not $30-plate-of-pasta esteem.
An interesting read, which you can find here.