A recent visit to L.A.’s
Angelini Osteria produced several highlights,
including a vitello tonnato that inspired
one couple to change travel plans from
France to Italy… but that’s
another story.
Chef Gino Angelini’s
newest venture is Angelini Osteria,
and after a stellar career of culinary
accomplishments, this eponymous spot is
certainly his most personal incarnation
of the cuisine he has spent a lifetime
mastering.
The food is so good and
seems so effortlessly on-point,
that it is easy to overlook the pristine
balance and depth of flavor that characterizes
each dish. From perfectly crisp and flavorful
Pizza Margherita to a lusciously rich
tagliolini with bottarga, to that silky,
addictive vitello tonnato, everything
we tasted in this simple, understated
space was right on target – delicious,
heartwarming and exceeding expectations.
An osteria is historically
a casual, even slightly rustic, meeting
place for sharing food, wine, life, information,
that communal retreat feeling is certainly
evident at Angelini Osteria.
We will certainly be back
to enjoy the moist, flavorful Branzino,
roasted whole in a casing of sea salt
– we ate every single bite. Tender,
pink bistecca alla Fiorentina was greedily
wolfed down by the enthusiastic carnivore
at the table.
We were unreasonably pleased
to see one of our favorite casual Italian
desserts on the menu – affogato
(vanilla ice cream topped with a steaming
hot shot of espresso) – even if we
were too full of food and wine to actually
order it.
Given the quality of the
food, and the conspicuous consumption
of the town, we were pleasantly surprised
at the reasonable prices. Not inexpensive,
but certainly not as high as it could
have been. Appetizers at dinner run $8-$15,
entrees fall in the $18-$25 range, with
slightly lower prices on the lunch menu.
The wine list is mostly
Italian and affords plenty of pleasure.
We particularly like the selection of
Italian whites that ranges from crisp,
casual Verdicchio to the impressive Gaja
Chardonnays. Carefully chosen reds from
Piedmont, Tuscany and other areas of Italy
offer plenty of affordable choices, along
with a few high-end Barbaresco and Amarone
bottles. As with the menu, the wine prices
are entirely reasonable – particularly
when you consider the quality and care
that has obviously gone into the selection.
(august 2003)
Angelini Osteria
7313 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: 323.297.0070
