Il PICCOLO RITROVO
15415 W. Sunset Blvd. • Pacific Palisades • (310) 454-2243
Last November, two well-known restaurateurs, Tarcisio Mosconi from Tra di Noi in Malibu, and Nando Silvestri, who owns Spumoni restaurants, opened Il Piccolo Ritrovo in Pacific Palisades. Locals were pleased with the new establishment, located next to the Shell station on Sunset, and have continued to show their support at lunch and dinner.
The restaurant interior has been redesigned with bright artwork of large fruit plants adorning the walls, comfy banquette seating along one wall and a half-dozen wooden tables, while the exterior patio is totally new. There are umbrellas, tall shrubs enclosing the patio from the street, plants and flowers, and vertical heaters to provide a comfortable setting. As the parking is nonexistent, free valet parking is offered, which is a great plus any hour of the day.
But best of all is the food. My son-in-law and I started with a Margherita pizza cooked in the pizza oven imported from Naples, which reaches almost 1,000 degrees, and cooks pizza in about a minute. This simple pizza, made from imported flour, mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil, was a perfect start to our scrumptious dinner.
And nothing beats a glass of wine and a nibble of warm pizza bread with a tapenade of special olive oil and olives. We were intrigued to see owner Tarcisio, suit jacket off and white apron on, stirring a huge cylinder to serve something enticing to customers at a nearby table.
He came by to ask if we would like the same orecchiette pasta (tiny ear-shaped pasta), stirred in a large pecorino cheese wheel to a creamy warm perfection and then topped with wafer-thin slices of black truffle. Not only we, but other tables, also ordered this gorgeous and delicious pasta, specially priced at $25.
Succulent grilled Scottish salmon fillet with herbs and capers ($21) was a perfect entrée, and came with broccoli and those marvelous Italian roasted potatoes.
The menu here is extensive, with a simple bowl of homemade soup priced at $6, while the assortment of antipasti are in the $11 to $12 price range. The 10 salads listed are also moderately priced from $9 to $11, and include a chopped salad, one with organic red and yellow beets; another with baby spinach, Roquefort cheese, black figs and dates in a house dressing; and one with arugula, shaved parmesan and shaved fresh artichoke hearts in a lemon dressing.
Pastas vary in price from $15 to $18, including pappardelle pasta in a white-wine sauce with mushrooms, clams and shrimp ($18), and a risotto Contadina with organic vegetables and spinach in a light parmesan cheese sauce ($15). This is prefect for vegetarians.
There are steaks, veal and chicken dishes as well as a sextet of fish and shellfish selections. The Kid’s, or Bambini, menu with simple pastas, chicken tenders (Italian style) and even mac and cheese are all priced at $6.
And of course, there are the Napoletana pizzas, soft with a slightly charred crust (to be eaten with a knife and fork), and the New York-style pizzas in two sizes with a variety of toppings.
For dessert, we shared a light and luscious crostata with chocolate and fragrant sliced strawberries. Rich coffee made the perfect ending.
Ritrovo is open every day for lunch and dinner, and also offers delivery and take-out. It’s definitely a happy addition to Village dining.
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