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"Cosetta, a Cal-Italian restaurant from chef Zach Pollack of Alimento fame, beckons from a sparsely occupied business park off Ocean Park in Santa Monica. Don’t let its humdrum location fool you: This is a neighborhood restaurant through and through, with droves of locals already embracing its relaxed string-light-lit patio and crowd-pleasing menu. The dish lineup seems to merge the easy seasonality of Alimento with the nostalgic Italian American riffs that made Pollack’s Cosa Buona a bona fide hit in Echo Park. The standout might be the latter’s revived mozzarella sticks, which come in a Jenga stack with marinara sauce that cuts through the richness of the smoked cheese. It’s a dish that lends to the fun and conviviality of the restaurant, ideal for splitting with the rest of the table. — Nicole Fellah, cities manager" - Matthew Kang
