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SETTECENTO DTLA IS A LOVE LETTER TO ITALY

Writer's picture: Jose MartinezJose Martinez

Most Angelenos are probably not familiar with Maguire Gardens but they may be aware of the nice little area next to downtown’s Central Library. That’s Maguire Gardens. And for more than 20 years, it was home to Café Pinot, beloved for fine dining in the busy metropolis area.


For the last five years, the space was empty but now it is home to the impressive Settecento Ristorante, a beautiful space for wining and dining and relaxation. Thanks to the Global Dining Inc. group (1212 Santa Monica and La Boheme), the busy area now has a place to escape where guests can indulge in a fine meal, enjoy a good drink, appreciate live entertainment and get lost in the beauty of Los Angeles.



Walk into Settecento and relax in its library-like bar where books decorate the walls and instruments hang from the ceiling. Then take in the beautiful patio view or venture outside for al fresco dining and drinking.


Start with the Italian Dragon—a lovely mix of Whole Whale Gin, Italicus, dragonfruit puree, lychee juice, house made sour mix and decorated with an orchid flower. The drink is very pleasant and goes down so very easy.



 Another lovely libation option is the Situationship with Dos Hombres Mezcal, fresh lime juice, house made honey pineapple syrup, fresh golden pineapple, hella spicy smoked bitters with an agave worm salt rim.

 


All of the restaurant’s ingredients are flown in from Italy. The powers that be like to think of their menu as a celebration of traditional recipes refined through the ages. The pizzas and pastas are made entirely from scratch in house, crafted with flour imported from Italy, free of GMOs.



For starters, opt for the Uovo “Bazzotto” Fritto—a magnificent fried egg with spinach and parmesan. The presentation is lovely and the taste is just as impressive. Likewise, the Polpo Grigliato—octopus with green beans, potato and olive—is very, very nice.



For pasta lovers, the Pappardelle al Tartufo with truffle, butter and parmesan is a crowd-pleaser. All of these dynamite dishes pair perfectly with a glass of Verdicchio—a favorite Italian white wine of mine that is very rare to find on a restaurant menu.



If you’re looking for meat dishes, the Guancia Brasata—beef cheek braised with wine, served with celery root potato and baby carrots—is out of this world good. Not to be outdone, the Gnocchi with Ragu alla Napoletana with slow cooked ragu with pork, beef, tomato, carrots, onions, celery and parsley is fantastic. Both to these dinner options pair perfectly with a glass of Nebbiolo red wine.



If you save room for dessert, I recommend the Cannolo Sicilliano as it’s the perfect way to top off a great night out. As is a Naked & Famous cocktail with Del Maguey Mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse, fresh lime juice, home made oleo saccharum fee foam with a luxardo cherry if you prefer liquid dessert. But, honestly, you can’t go wrong with the cannoli.

 


Settecento is a welcome destination to downtown LA, which hasn’t landed firmly on its feet since the pandemic. This is a bold step forward. Here, the idea is to immerse ourselves in the heart of Italian culture, where every bite and sip and smile is steeped in tradition and innovation.

 

Settecento Ristorante is located at 700 W 5th Street. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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