Grubtrotters

Ado's Prosciutto di Parma e Burrata

Only in Venice would a neighbor at the next table see me salivating over her truffle pasta and offer me the first bite. It was Saturday night at Ado, the cute little Italian joint in the homey space formerly occupied by Amuse, and Allison was in the mood to share. I happily accepted her offer, even while wondering where on earth they found truffles this time of year. Australia?

Ado, a joint venture between Paolo Cesaro (Hidden and Via Veneto) and Chef Antonio Mure (Piccolo, La Botte, Locanda Veneta) opened last month with little fanfare, but the place already is already buzzing with a distinct party vibe. The space is tiny — only about 10 tables — and a little hot upstairs, but the service is fantastic and the food is pretty darned good.

My only beef about Ado is the price. Vic and I ordered two appetizers, one pasta, two entrees and two glasses of Nerello Mascalese wine. Even without dessert or a full bottle of wine, the meal tab came to $178 with tip. They actually charged us for three glasses of wine, but Vic caught the mistake. Still, the bill was pretty steep for an Italian meal in this economy, and I ate better for less last month on a trip to Florence. Not that the Venetians at Ado seemed to mind. Everyone was having a great time. And I must admit that the appetizer portions at Ado were huge. You could easily save a few bucks by ordering an appetizer and pasta instead of a main course.

When we arrived at Ado, a gaggle of gorgeous Italian men greeted us with “Buona Sera” and showed us upstairs to a table covered in white cloth and a single candle. There seemed to be almost as many servers as diners, which made for highly attentive (but not annoying) service that was rather polished for such a new place. We started the meal with a Parma Prosciutto and Burrata cheese appetizer (pictured above). The cheese was creamy and luscious, the prosciutto a salty winner. You can’t go wrong with this one. We also tried the Warm Baby Artichokes Hearth with Dungeness Crab Meat, Mache salad and Grape Must Reduction. This starter had a boatload of crab meat but could have used a tad more flavor — more of the must reduction, perhaps.

Fillet Mignon with Crispy Prosciutto

Next we shared the Home-made Pappardelle served with Rabbit Ragu, Porcini Mushrooms and Dried Prune. Dried prunes? I was a little concerned about that, but they actually added a sweet little flavor kick that balanced out this hearty dish. The thick ribbons of pasta were cooked quite al dente. Nice overall, but not especially memorable.

My main course, however, was a huge winner. The Grilled Colorado Lamb Chop stuffed with Pesto and served with a Red Wine and Mustard Sauce was fantastic. The meat was tender, cooked flat and then rolled up with the pesto filling. The sauce was salty — I like salty — and complex. So good. Vic ordered the Pan sautéed Beef Filet Mignon served with Crispy Prosciutto and a Pink Peppercorn Sauce. Sounded wonderful, and it wasn’t bad at all. But if you have a choice between the filet and the lamb chops, go with the lamb chops for sure. The sauce was just better, the dish itself more interesting. Both of our entrees were served with a side of carrots, potatoes and sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, which looked like potatoes and tasted sort of like a crunchy root vegetable.

I wish we’d had room for dessert, but like I said, the portions were massive, and we were stuffed by the end of the meal. The service was so friendly, the folks at Ado made you feel like you were stopping by their home for a dinner party. The valet saw us coming down the stairs and brought us the correct car without us even giving him the ticket. What a great place for date night. I have a feeling Ado is going to be hard to get into very soon, but if you do make it, don’t forget to share some truffles with your neighbor. — Jenny

Ado: 796 Main Street
Venice, 310-399-9010.

Potato pizza? Sounds like a far-fetched idea in carb-phobic Santa Monica. I, too, was skeptical, but let me tell you, this creamy pizza with fontina cheese and rosemary is a decadent delight. It’s one of the highlights at chef Jason Travi’s new coastal Italian restaurant, Riva. (Travi also runs Fraiche in Culver City.)

We started our meal with the crudo, thin slices of raw fish similar to sashimi. A dorade with sea salt and olive oil melted in my mouth, followed by fluke with mint and blood orange. Very nice. Next we tried the tradizionale pizza with San Daniele proscuitto, tomato arugula, red onion and pecorino romano. I’m a huge proscuitto fan so I was shocked to discover that I enjoyed the potato pizza more. The proscuitto was sliced a bit thick for my taste, and there was something so rich and wonderful about the potato pizza. Pure comfort food.

Our group of four also shared three entrees, including the pork chop (pictured below), which was moist and tender.  Mine at home never are. I wish I knew the secret. (Writing that, I realize I sound like that cheesy Folgers commercial from the 70s. “Jim never has a second cup at home.”)

The shellfish diavolo (pictured below) was a messy mixture of lobster, mussels, clams and squid in a hot tomato sauce. The dish also contained fregola sarda, which was a new one for me. It’s a toasted breadcrumb-like pasta that’s apparently better for your blood sugar levels than most starches. Not sure if it made up for the potato pizza, but nevertheless. The dish was just OK. Not as much kick as I had expected.

My favorite entree, by far, was the lamb spezzatino (pictured below), a rich, comforting dish with a wonderful smoky flavor from the mozzarella. Definitely a winner, and it worked well with the 2004 Barbaresco.

Desserts were a mixed bag. I wasn’t a huge fan of the strawberry semifredo (pictured), but the ricotta fritters were amazing. They were like tiny, warm doughnut holes. Quite addictive.

Overall, Riva has a nice, upscale vibe, far less touristy than most of the other places near the Third Street Promenade.  It’s got a bar and a pizza bar, and the place was buzzing all night. With Mozza, Gjelina and Riva, I think LA’s reputation for having crappy pizza is finally an anachronism. — Jenny

312 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, (310) 451-7482

OK, so it’s not exactly the Montagues and Capulets, but the owner/wine manager at All’ Angelo, Stefano Ongaro, is about to marry Rosanna Marino, sister of Sal Marino, who owns rival Italian restaurant Il Grano. The two met four years ago, when Stefano worked at Il Grano. When he first saw Rosanna walk into the restaurant, Stefano retreated to the kitchen and told Sal to check her out.

“That’s my sister,” Sal told him. “No you can’t.”

Stefano respected Sal’s wishes for years, but after he opened All’ Angelo last year, he decided to break the vow. Before he did, though, he asked permission to date her from both Sal and Papa Marino. Hey, these guys are Italian. There’s a code.

The two will marry in a church on May 4, and the reception will be held at the Wilshire Country Club. Let’s hope the chef there is on his toes. Jenny

Esquire admits that its feature on the Best Sandwiches in America is incomplete. We will help fill at least one gap.

The only real downside to Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica is that the parking lot during lunchtime is the automotive equivalent of a steel-cage death match. Even that hassle is not enough to dissuade devotees of scrumptious sandwiches from packing the place like a pope’s Mass.

You can reduce your waiting time inside the deli by ordering online or via fax. The deli has a separate area for such pickup orders. If you choose to make an in-store order and wait for your number to be called, be prepared for your hunger to explode exponentially. You’re surrounded by such tempting sights and smells — and other people getting their food ahead of you — that it almost seems unfair. But it is worth the wait.

The menu is extensive, but we have our favorites. Jenny usually chooses the Godmother, a combination of Genoa salami, mortadella, coppacola, ham, prosciutto and Provolone that she tops with Dijon mustard, peppers, lettuce, tomato, olive oil and vinegar. My standard pick is the meatball sandwich with tomato sauce, onions and sliced red bell peppers. But if it’s a Tuesday, I will often opt for the daily special of the sausage and peppers hoagie that looks like it came off the set of “The Sopranos.” Their rolls are excellent. The crust has that nice crunch, but the rest is soft, fresh and tasty.

If you do decide to order online — and this is our recommendation — be careful which buttons you press. We once ended up with two Godmothers instead of one, but I hesitate to call this a mistake because it simply extended a pleasurable meal. In fact, I wonder if Jenny will order two instead of one accidentally on purpose from now on. — Victor

Bay Cities Italian Deli; 1517 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica, Calif., 90401. 310-395-8279. Closed Mondays.