LA BOTTEGA MARINO

9669 Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills (310) 271-7274

 

Intimate, airy and dancing in candlelight, Salvatore Marino's gem of a restaurant on the sleepier side of the prime shopping district feels like coming home to an elegant dinner prepared by that someone special. A vast chalkboard displays the daily specials and pours by glass amicably over an open kitchen next to the cozy full bar.

 

The much lauded chef and owner, also responsible for such notable foodie havens like Il Grano, trained and honed his craft for years in the Italian peninsula before seducing the palates of Angelenos with his straightforward, market fresh tratoria style food.

 

Start off with the assorted Crostino plate of which the oxtail, chicken liver pate and pancetta with sautéed onions are lip smacking good on the grilled Ciabatta bread. Also from the Spuntini (appetizers) section is a meaty Eggplant Parmigiana, robust with flavor, and a lightly battered calamari with spicy dipping sauce.

 

Unlike restaurants where the entrees sometimes fail to live up to the prelude of the starters, nothing will prepare you for the exquisite experience of the following course. One bite of the Ai Funghi pizza and you'll forget all others between moans of pure delight. The thin, blistered, extra crispy crust is reminiscent of a fine Indian naan and topped with an orgy of porcini, shitake and oyster mushrooms in pungent taleggio cheese. The night's special was Strozzapreti, literally meaning ‘a priest chocking’ from a legend in Bologna where one actually did when he ingested it. But you're going to have no such problem with the al dente, thick and meaty pasta served up with a ragout of black angus beef. Another notable option is the flakes-to-the-touch Orange Roughy on a bed of wilted spinach with garlic and fennel in a white wine sauce.

 

Need we ask you to save room for the heavenly tiramisu?

 

-Ghalib Dhalla.