M X.
Yelp
YES! Finally, an affordable Italian restaurant that slaps! I will be back!
Service: 5 stars. Juan was on it, and checked in with us at least 8 or 8 times within the hour we were there. The managers (plural) also popped in here and there. We felt comfortable.
The Food: oh my, heavenly. In general, the food came out fairly quickly. It was impressive sitting by the kitchen glass, seeing the chef's work in lockstep to get all the orders out. Speaking of which, compliments to the entire kitchen staff for doing Italian right. Round of applause! They use real garlic, then they put in whole cloves of garlic, then they chop up even more garlic. Let's just say everything is fresh, and it shows.
Finally!, as well, this is a place that doesn't use dried oregano where they're not supposed to. Thank god!
Hot, fresh bread came to the table right away with butter. I love how they do that. It's really crusty, reminds me of Il Fornaio bread that you would buy at Ralph's.
Steamed Mussels: 10 large per order, real garlic in a flavorful broth. Winner! The mussels are huge, and bright orange in color, which shows how fresh they are and how they're supposed to be. I love how they give you a half a lemon to squeeze into the broth. Definitely a big bread Dipper for sure.
Linguine & Clams Red Sauce: packed a punch, very flavorful, not overly salty at all, and you can taste how fresh the clams are. You can feel the balance of a Tangy sauce, bright notes of flavor, mixed with very fresh clams. It's the right amount of sauce too, not drowned in it. But enough that you could dip your bread if you wanted to. You can see all the herbs and spices in the photos I took.
Large Bleecker Street Pizza: if you like a mellow ricotta, mixing pleasantly with mild sausage and pepperoni, this might be the one for you. I like how it's not salty at all, not overpowering in any part. What I also love is the crust. It has taste, and flavor, and you can pick up the Smoky notes from the Wood-Fired oven. If you can get the crust right, and the sauce right, the rest is heaven. Rosti did it right.
Happy Hour! Weekdays, 3p - 6p. I will be back for that. 25% off appetizers. I mean, that's reason to come in just for that.
Timing is everything: Saturday night 545 - 645pm. It was easy to get a table for two, four, even six people. The place is occupied, but not overly packed. I think after 7:00 is when their dinner rush hits. AND they take reservations. Wooooo!
Parking: not bad. There's usually a space or two earlier in the dinner times. The restaurant is located across the street from the Calabasas Commons. Worst case, you could park there and walk across?
I will be back! ...with like 8 people next time. Lol.
By the way, It's worth bringing big groups. Family Friendly. This is a good spot if you're visiting from out of town, or even just a local. I feel like for the money you spend, you're getting your money's worth. It's an experience, the quality is there, and your appetite will thank you.