Angelini Osteria

I never thought I would find such authentic Italian food in Los Angeles ... truly a rare gem !!!!! My hairstylist had re-commanded it . I impressed my girlfriends with this small but sophisticated family ran business ....

Honestly... the best restaurant in LA. The thing I love about angelini is that they are always accommodating. As a vegetarian, its hard to find gourmet restaurants that will create amazing dishes for me. At angelini - every time I go, its a culinary experience. Make sure to take a stroll into the kitchen where you can find chef Ori Menashe. He is not only the best chef in LA but is super hot!

I'm officially on the Angelini crack wagon. It hasn't even been 24 hours and I'm already craving to go back.

I've been having a FML type of week and Angelini really knows how to satisfy a girl. Luckily I had the honor of coming with Erik (friend/neighbor/hunter/spearfisher) and he always raves about this place and sometimes he likes to bring in the fish/animals he's hunted for the chefs to prepare. Nothing like eating your fresh killings. MmMm blood.

Which would explain why everyone seemed to treat him family the moment we stepped in the door :D

At first glance, the tables at Angelini are extremely close to each other but later you don't even notice it and you never feel cramped. We started off with some prosecco and a nice variety of bread and I browsed the menu in confusion. With full page of specials, I was overwhelmed before I even opened the real menu. So when E asked if we should just let the chef cook for us, I happily agreed. We decided that five courses would suffice and yes it did. I was so stuffed toward the end, i don't know how ANYONE can manage bigger tastings.

(Warning. I don't know the proper terminology no do i remember everything we ate)

1) Grilled octopus salad - this was the best octopus i've ever had. So soft and tender but had a really nice charred smoked flavor/texture.
2) Charcuturie plate with duck prosciutto, cheek on toast tips, other meats and sausage - wow! the cheek on toast was so good. in E's words 'it tastes like pure fat'
3) Tuna in orange sauce over italian rice - This was like Italian sashimi. Very good.
4) Pasta with italian sausage and white truffles - Three of my most favorite things! Very delicious and light.
5) Foie gras, melon, lobster - when this first came out i was like cool, its a piece of steak because of its charred outer crust but it was foie gras. It was sinfully fatty.. so much that it was overwhelming. Until you eat it with the melon and lobster. Mmmm. Perfect.
6) Ravioli with shrimp - The sauce deserves to be bottled and worshiped.
7) Lamb chop + melon - Top 3 lamb chops I've ever eaten (other two are melisse and chaya beverly)
8) Branzino (fish) and zucchini blossoms - Very good. The zucchini was amazing.
9) Cheese plate! - loads of variety but we barely finish.
10) Dessert - had the 'tiramisu in a cup' and some sort of cheescake/ice cream. Both good but I was so stuffed.

WTF5courses right?! The portions are amazing and it was way more food than I anticipated. Angelini has officially became one of my favorite places in LA. I was with great company. The service was so nice and we were well taken care of.

It definitely made my day. week. month.

Until next time Angelini. Until next time.

First time there, but eaten at some great Italian restaurants, and it was good not great. Probably too popular, serve same dishes, and too many people. Suspect it was better 6 or 7 years ago. A restaurant is better at first when it experiments and is surprising. The dishes I ordered were recommended but didn't taste that extraordinary - e.g.. the lasagna verde, seemed slippery, didn't like ragu in it and the grilled lamb chops, meat excellent, didn't have enough flavor in sauce. What was surprising to me was the amount of young people who could afford the prices even though we are supposedly in a recession.

First of all, this is an Osteria - it's not the Rex and it isn't Melisse. Second, the food is consistently marvelous. In my years of going to Angelini's, only once have had a meal that was not excellent. For example, my last meal started with a so-so sushi appetizer (how excited can one get about raw fish?), then launched into a series of delicious courses: foie gras with fava beans and spatzle; squid ink gnocchi with lobster and cherry tomatoes, filet mignon with a parmesean cream sauce and kale; sepia with a little frisee and porcini; pizza with gorgonzola dolce and porcini.

Anyone can have a bad experience anywhere. Call ahead - tell them you want the chef to choose some number of courses to try and let them cook. Tell them directly if you are not crazy about something; my guess, you will have at least two courses that will be best in class.

Chef Angelini is the best in LA. I have been to Angelini many times and every time is fabulous. I would recommend this place to everyone, make a reservation all days of the week are busy.

I discovered Angelini's a few months after it opened in late 2001 - back in the day when you could walk in without reservations - to enjoy one of the best Italian meals that I have ever had here or in Italy. Exquisite unique primi, Mediterranean squid that was so soft that you could cut it with a fork alone, fabulous desserts, brillant service, a visit from the Chef to hear our raves about the food and service, and very good and fair wine list. Then, by 2006, the restaurant had become much more popular, the menu had become noticeably more standardized, and the service was markedly diminished, but the food was still great, there were Italian beers, and a still a very good and fair wine list. So, I was still a fan. But, in my last 2 visits in the last 2 years, the food has become cookie-cutter and even though more standardized the food is actually sliding in quality while service, with the exception of a waiter who works the back of the house (this stupid review tells me that his name is inappropriate), is unacceptable, and the interior is too crowded - not in a cozy way. Courses are served on top of each other, the food is over salted, the presentation is sloppy, and there is not enough room on the tables to share dishes. Further, the dessert menu is absolutely uninspired and has not noticeably changed in at least 3 years. This is a business - pure and simple. This is a radical departure from 2001, but with throngs of people willing to accept this standardized, poorly prepared food and poor service, there is no need for Angelini to return to its initial glory. Angelini, by its actions, pays more attention to getting people in and out than to providing a relaxing trattoria atmosphere with uncompromising food and service. It breaks my heart to say, but Sr. Angelini, thank you so much for the exquisite meals and dining experiences that I had through 2006; however, it is time to say ""Ciao"" and to find an Italian restaurant rather than a high-end Olive Garden.

I had the pleasure of being introduced to Gino on my first visit; the friendly, hands-on approach to food and service has never waned in the years since. I've gone here consecutively for my past few birthdays - indicating that this isn't an inexpensive osteria, but for a special occasion it's worth every dime.
The dining room is snug to begin with - do make a reservation - and the din can get borderline unbearable when at full capacity but if you're prepared for that you'll have no room to complain otherwise. The waiters are attentive, despite sometimes needing to thread through the tables.
I studied abroad in Italy for a semester, and my heritage is proudly Italian, and I consider myself a dilettante chef. That all said, the food is divine! The standard menu has some gems (the prosciutto-arugula pizza is incredible; the lasagna bolognese, topped with flash-fried spinach leaves, left my lasagna-loving dad and sis groaning with glee) but the specials are spectacular. If you're lucky enough to be there when ""stinco"" is the day's meat special, do try it. Gino or your waiter will carve it tableside, and it will melt in your mouth guaranteed!
(note: not actually guaranteed)