Bestia - Los Angeles, California

Address: 2121 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Items Ordered:

• Pan-Roasted Chicken Gizzards: roasted beets. belgian endive. aged capra sarda
• Roasted Marrow Bone: spinach gnocchetti. crispy breadcrumbs. aged balsamic
• Salumi: chef’s selection of house-cured meats. pickles. mostarda. chicken liver bread
• Alla‘nduja: housemade spicy ‘nduja. san marzano tomatoes. mozzarella. wild arugula
• Cavatelli alla Norcina: ricotta dumplings. housemade pork sausage. black truffles. grana padano
• Spaghetti Rustichella: sea urchin. squid ink bottarga. garlic. calabrian chiles. breadcrumbs
• Spagetti Chitarra: calamari, clams, mussels, wild fennel pollen, chili
• Lemon tart with whipped cream and freeze dried marshmallows (?)

Hi friends!! I'm sorry I've been so MIA in 2014--what's my excuse? LAZINESS. I'll try harder for the rest of the year, BUT one of my New Year's resolutions was to spend less money, so that means less awesome eating adventures. I had to share this one with you guys though--Bestia!

I've decided that rave reviews on restaurants in L.A., won't really bring me there, but if my friends personally recommend a restaurant, then I'll visit. Bestia on a Sunday night was packed so it made visiting the sketch area of downtown a little less scary. We ordered a bottle of Italian wine to start, an Old Fashioned, and Aromatic #2 all of which were great drinks. As far as the food, I think the appetizers were actually my favorite dishes of the meal. Please try the fatty and luxurious bone marrow mixed with spinach gnocchi--it is truly heaven on a plate, and the best preparation of bone marrow I've had to date. The chicken gizzards were surprisingly beefy tasting and the chef's salumi plate (half portion) was amazing. I liked our choice of pizza, but the whole pie is a little soggy so just be forewarned, this isn't a crispy slice that you can eat with your hands; it is definitely a knife and fork affair (perfect for Bill de Blasio, no?). I don't love uni, but my dining companions loved the briny and creamy Spaghetti Rustichella. I think the Cavatelli was my pasta winner for the evening, and the squid ink pasta with seafood was definitely my least favorite. The seafood tasted gritty to me, like the shellfish hadn't been cleaned properly. Lastly, dessert is probably passable. The lemon tart was frozen and kind of sloppily presented. Overall though, Bestia really does Italian food right. I would definitely return for more appetizers and pizza. It's a great place to dine, laugh, and enjoy with friends.

-y