Author: Linni Kral
There’s nothing more Italian than the red-checkered tablecloth, and when I began my search for the best Italian around Oxy, I kept this fact in mind. I was on the lookout for many things-the plump man, full of character and corpulence; the angry grandmother who serves pasta that could make a grown man cry-but above all, good food.
I had to include Casa Bianca in the search, with their constant cluster of fans loitering beneath the glowing “Pizza Pie” heart. This family joint’s reputation preceded it. They had appropriately dim lighting, casting an orange glow over wood floors, green leather booths and of course, the tablecloths. If the food was as good as they say, this would be perfect. Alas, it wasn’t. My spinach ravioli with meatballs failed to impress-two small meatballs floated in a sea of ravioli whose already-lacking flavor was drowned by a humdrum tomato sauce. Things improved with the shrimp pasta, whose heavenly butter sauce saved the meal. The preached-about pizza, aside from a wholesome crunchy crust, fell short of the perfection I had heard so much about. I’m from Chicago, home of the deep dish pizza, but I can spot a good thin crust and this was not it.
My taste buds led me to Avanti in Old Town next. This restaurant boasts wood-fired pizzas, and I opted to try the glazed apple pizza, which had roasted baby garlic, glazed sliced apples, roasted and peeled red peppers, gorgonzola cheese, leeks and roasted almonds. The crust was lackluster and the gorgonzola, my favorite cheese for fondue, lacked flavor in this setting. The rest of the toppings went beautifully together, with the crunchy almond slices complimenting the squish of the apples.
They served us a pesto pasta with sun-dried tomatoes that disappeared almost instantly, as did their popular bite-size garlic breads, which we popped like Tic Tacs. They also succeeded with the classic Caprese salad-artistic mini towers of buffalo mozzarella, basil leaves and Roma tomatoes topped, with whole peppercorns. The chefs at Avanti take creative risks, with dishes like their chicken tequila fettuccine and seafood pizza with shrimp, scallops and pesto.
Avanti did not, however, have the best atmosphere. The cramped space had no tablecloths and was almost unpleasantly bright and cold-we were seated near the door and left our jackets on during the meal. I began to wonder if good Italian food could be found in our little corner of California.Enter Mi Piace, a Colorado Boulevard showstopper that far exceeded the other candidates. Lively waiters drip with charisma as they bring you their trademark herb bread, delicious on its own but amazing when dipped in their vinegar-olive oil mix.
The fried zucchini appetizer, fiammiferi di zucchini, was only okay, but our other appetizer, the calamari fritti with a housemade lime, cilantro and jalapeno sauce, more than made up for it. The next course, the insalata di spinaci, featured baby spinach with dried Michigan cherries, strawberries, caramelized pecans, goat cheese and a star anise apple cider balsamic dressing. The description alone is a mouthful, and the taste was equally overwhelming in the best way.
Next came ravioli al burro e salvia-ricotta and pumpkin ravioli in brown butter and sage sauce. The creaminess of this dish prompted me to close my eyes, the strong hints of sage made my lids flutter. The ravioli, made entirely from scratch, was featherlight, just strong enough to hold its heavenly pumpkin interior, which tasted exactly like Thanksgiving. The main courses were great, but the side pastas stole the show. The osso bucco di vitello featured a delicious mushroom risotto, and the petti di pollo, a roasted free-range chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella, pesto, and basil, was upstaged by the accompanying vegetable couscous in a roasted garlic sauce.
American Italian restaurants tend to load you up with enough pasta to feed a family of marathon runners, and many would argue in favor of this tradition. Mi Piace, however, knows how to do perfect Italian in manageable portions that leave you ready and willing to tackle the desserts. We threw caution to the wind and ordered a dreamy mango mousse, New York cheesecake, the mysterious banana pyramid and mini apple pie. These sound basic but trust me, they were not.
The apple pie hid a savory dash of rosemary, which elevated the flavor to gourmet status. The cheesecake came in a neat circle on a brownie crust, rolled in chocolate sprinkles, capped by decadent chocolate frosting and caramelized pecans. The mango dish was a kind of airy petit four surrounded by thick mango sauce. The mystery of the banana pyramid was solved, much to my delight, when we discovered a banana cream filling on a thick chocolate crust, rolled in almond chips.
These are not typical Italian desserts, and Mi Piace certainly falls into a more modern, trendy category than your average red-tablecloth joint. What I was really looking for, however, above all atmospheric needs, was quality of flavor. With their homemade pastas, Mi Piace can execute classics and innovative dishes alike, and they do both with pleasure and ease. It may be blasphemous to reject Eagle Rock’s beloved Casa Bianca, but if someone asks me for the best Italian around Oxy, Mi Piace is my number one place.
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