The restaurant scene is changing. Lately, I’ve noticed that many of my favorite lunch spots are no longer open for lunch. Plus, the menus are changing, and lots of new restaurants are opening with unique and varied offerings compared to the usual fare.
I was surprised when I learned that Casa Nostra on Sunset closed for lunch a while back. I also felt a pang of sadness when I found out that Modo Mio, one of my favorite lunch spots, just closed for lunch. Other spots, like Cinque Terre, closed for lunch after a long decline in patronage, but fortunately, their excellent deli is still open for takeout.
I can’t keep up with the closures in Santa Monica. One major change I noticed is that restaurants in Los Angeles are starting to copy the European preference for eating outside. Many of the outdoor dining venues are in converted parking spaces, which is not often very aesthetically pleasing. However, a few restaurants, like Fia and the Draycott, have wonderful patios with floral arrangements and cool spaces that make the dining experience even more enjoyable.
There are a few other bright spots: restaurants offering new ideas and good quality food at reasonable prices. I love places that offer new dishes instead of the usual hamburgers and pasta.
I recently visited a wonderful Japanese restaurant run by an excellent Korean chef, Maru Sushi at 331 Wilshire. It boasts an extensive menu and top-quality seafood. Because the seating area is small, it is quiet enough to carry on a conversation.
I also recently dined at Papille Gustative on Main Street. It’s owned by a Hungarian gourmet and staffed by a lovely Russian waitress. It’s like nowhere else I’ve eaten in Los Angeles. I had a plate of sea urchin (six) served on a slice of cucumber on delicious rye bread and topped with trout roe. Delicious. And not too filling. My friend and I then shared a seafood platter. This was more than enough for the two of us — smoked sturgeon, smoked salmon, sardines, anchovies, tuna salad, that same wonderful rye bread, and flavorful mustard — I can’t begin to convey how wonderful the entire dining experience was. The only downside for me at my age: it’s hard to remember the restaurant’s name.
I finally got to Colapasta on 5th Street, which boasts a mention in the Michelin Guide. My friend and I each ordered different pasta dishes to try two diverse plates. I had noodles with crab meat in a slightly spicy tomato sauce. The sauce overpowered the few pieces of crab, so the crab didn’t add much, and while the sauce was good, there was too much of it, making it soupy instead of complementing the pasta. My friend ordered noodles with anchovy paste and tossed it himself to coat the noodles properly. It was good but not great. Making pasta correctly is more difficult than people think, and there are almost as many names for noodle shapes as there are French cheeses.
Colapasta does a good job making fresh pasta and should be commended for that effort, but overall, I would rate Colapasta as "OK." Some of my friends love the pasta there, but I found the menu limited, the wine list by the glass too short, and I didn’t find the options very exciting. I don’t see any particular reason to prefer that place over other Italian eateries in the area, like Felix, Orto, and Angelini. However, variety is the spice of life, so I would encourage you to try it and see what you think.
Merv Hecht’s latest book “The Instant Wine Connoisseur” is available on Amazon.
