gnocchi

I should’ve written about the greatness that is Maccheroni Republic years ago. Why? Not only did Jonathan Gold review it last year, he just added it to his list of Great Italian Restaurants in Los Angeles. The secret is out! The hidden Italian gem across from Grand Central Market has now become the hottest ticket in town, and for good reason! The dishes are superb, the service is pleasant, the patio is beautiful, and they don’t charge a corkage fee. They keep things simple here with their humble decor, and small dining room, but they truly let the food speak for itself. You taste the difference in their handmade pasta, authentic nduja, and decadent desserts. Check out some of my favorites:

The Linguine Al Frutti De Mare is a bowl of clams, bay scallops, and shrimp in a light tomato sauce. It is my mom’s absolute favorite pasta dish!

The Maccheroni Stellari is a meaty star shaped pasta served in a spicy garlic and herb tomato sauce. It is just the right amount of spicy and the star shaped pasta is the perfect thickness to balance out the strong flavors.

This gnocchi is the best gnocchi I have ever had! It is melt in your mouth amazing! It filled with meat ragout and forest mushrooms and it just the right ratio or potato pasta to meat.

The Ravioli Di Zucca and Bianchi and Neri are next on my list to try! If you’re looking for a place to take the parents, a girls wine night out, or a casual date night downtown, Maccheroni Republic is perfect for every occasion.

The longer I live on the LA/OC border, the more I appreciate the immediate area around me. My discovery of Restauration is a great example of this. They opened on 4th street in Long Beach this past July and are serving the community with their farm-to-table California cuisine. I had heard raves about their brunch, but photos from their dinner menu looked amazing. My family and I had planned a movie night to see St. Vincent’s and we needed a place to eat close by, Restauration immediately came to mind. I’m glad it did.
Upon walking in, you are greeted by a friendly staff and a small bar, but once you walk through to the patio you feel as if you are walking in to your best friend’s backyard. The patio is beautiful and homey, not extravagant, but quaint and beautiful! There are succulents lining the right wall, a back bench with bright colors, a wood-fired oven, local iced coffee on tap, and it’s dog-friendly! I am glad we are having a drier Fall/Winter, so I can enjoy this patio more often.

First, we started with lightly fried onion rings served with a ketchup and chipotle aioli that I could spread on anything and it would make it more delicious.

I have a sweet spot for Brussels Sprouts. I love them. LOVE them! More often than not, they are served quite simply with butter, garlic, and another herb of some sort. However, this place made the brussels sprouts only one component of the dish. They added basil, tarragon, roasted corn and peppers, and micro greens. It was like a brussels sprouts salad and it was absolutely DELICIOUS!

My mom ordered the Clams+Chorizo. I didn’t know what to expect from this one, but it ended up being my favorite. It was pulled pork braised in chorizo spices with manila clams, roasted bell peppers, fingerlings, and smoked paprika. Do yourself a favor and ask for extra bread. You will thank me when you have eaten all of the clams and you discover how delicious the juice is by itself. You will want to pick up the bowl and start sipping. Trust me.

I saw someone’s Instagram photo of the Braised Short Rib and Ricotta Gnocchi and knew I had to order it. Served with kale, herbs, and parmigiano reggiano, this dish was divine. The kale was cooked just right with a slight crisp in each bite and the gnocchi pieces were melt-in-your-mouth smooth. And the short rib, oh the short rib. They packed in a hell of a lot of flavor into that piece of meat. This dish was definitely a favorite.

I can’t wait to visit for brunch and to introduce my friends to this neighborhood gem. For more information on Restauration, visit their website: http://restaurationlb.com/.

*pictures taken from Restauration.

Tag: gnocchi

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