"Those looking for the perfect little neighborhood Italian restaurant might look to Osteria Vera from seasoned chef Nicola Mastronardi, a jolly gray-haired cook who seems to relish this second tenure in Brentwood. Mastronardi was the chef of the neighborhood revered Vincenti for 22 years, serving grown-up pastas and other pan-Italian specialties to the tony neighborhood. With Osteria Vera, he’s opted for a lovely little brick-lined space that was Pecorino for 17 years, a fully open kitchen where he and five cooks plate excellent starters of roasted beets with burrata, roasted octopus legs, and tempura shrimp with tomato agro dolce. The chitarra pasta is tossed tableside in a wheel of pecorino cheese for a textbook cacio e pepe while the lobster paccheri is so delicious you won’t want to share it with the table." - Matthew Kang, Eater Staff
