A LA CARTE : MORE THAN SARDINES.Byline: Larry Lipson Sardinia, second to Sicily as largest island in the Mediterranean, is an interesting Italian spot with its own food personality that separates it from general Italian fare. The island produces almonds, grapes, herbs, lemons, olives, oranges and wheat. It raises goats and sheep in addition to a multitude of locally caught fish including some sardines, and is well-known for good lobsters. Here are a few of the Italian restaurants in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. with pronounced Sardinian accents worth consideration: Bravo Cucina Address: 1319 Third St., Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. . Phone: (310) 394-0374. Sardinian connection: Peter Lepore is from Capri and his family spent a lot of vacation time in Sardinia. Dishes/prices: Two ``Sardegnan'' dishes here are ``il pescatore,'' which is a melange mé·lange also me·lange n. A mixture: "[a] building crowned with a mélange of antennae and satellite dishes" Howard Kaplan. of seafood (mussels, shrimp, scallops, clams) pan-roasted with olives, garlic and fresh tomato ($13.95) and a daily ``caprese'' salad with fresh special, house-produced Sardinian-style mozzarella moz·za·rel·la n. A mild white Italian cheese that has a rubbery texture and is often eaten melted, as on pizza. [Italian, diminutive of mozza, a cut, mozzarella, from mozzare, , marinated tomato and fresh basil ($8.95). Il Casale Address: 17970 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Phone: (818) 344-5788. Sardinian connection: Chef-owner Paolo Rosi learned to cook Sardinian dishes from Sardinian friends in Rome. Dishes/prices: Sardinian culurjones are potato dough ravioli stuffed with mint, onions and Romano cheese ($11). Chef Rosi also cooks pillaf, a Sardinian dumpling made with semolina and milk, usually baked and served with a meat or tomato sauce ($11). Il Balcone Address: 14633 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Phone: (818) 995-9380. Sardinian connection: Chef and co-owner Salvatore Caredda is a native of Sardinia and learned to cook at Enalc Hotel and Restaurant School in Cagliari, Sardinia. Dishes/prices: Chef Caredda cooks gnocchetti Sardi, a shell-like pasta made with semolina. He serves with a pomodoro sauce and broiled broil 1 v. broiled, broil·ing, broils v.tr. 1. To cook by direct radiant heat, as over a grill or under an electric element. 2. To expose to great heat. v. Sardinian-style sliced sausage on top ($8.95). He also makes Sardinian raviolini (mini ravioli) with ricotta ri·cot·ta n. 1. A soft Italian cheese that resembles cottage cheese. 2. A similar soft cheese made in the United States. and spinach, usually served with sage and butter sauce ($9.50). Miscellaneous: Sardinian wine Cannonau Riserva ($25), a robust red, is kept here. Current vintage in stock is 1989. La Finestra Address: 19647 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. Phone: (818) 342-2824. Sardinian connection:Mario Tidu, chef and co-owner, is a native of Sardinia. Dishes/prices: Tidu offers Sardinian-style roasted lamb chops with fresh herbs ($18), battuta arabbiatta (pounded New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of steak sauteed with olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper, $17), chicken mamma mia (Tidu's mother's recipe, sauteed on the bone with rosemary, garlic, capers CAPERS. Vessels of war owned by private persons, and different from ordinary privateers (q.v.) only in size, being smaller. Bea. Lex. Mer. 230. and olives, $14.50) and pizza Sarda ($11) topped with eggplant, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Mauro's Address: 8112 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. Phone: (213) 653-7970. Sardinian connection: Manager Sergio Corbia and his brother, owner Mauro Corbia, are natives of Sardinia. Dishes/prices: Typical Sardinian pasta, raviolini with spinach and ricotta cheese, is featured here Friday and Monday ($12). Pizzicotto Address: 11758 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood. Phone: (310) 442-7188. Sardinian connection: Sardinian native Fabrizio Iannucci is chef-owner, and his distinctive cooking style results in the most strongly accented Sardinian food in the city. Dishes/prices: Market priced Sardinian lobster soup is available occasionally, and fregola (like couscous cous·cous n. 1. A pasta of North African origin made of crushed and steamed semolina. 2. A North African dish consisting of pasta steamed with a meat and vegetable stew. ) is toasted and served with clams in a tomato-saffron broth ($8.95) as a regular menu item. Also on the menu is a pasta dish called malloreddus ($8.95). This is baby shell pasta served with a sausage, tomato and onion sauce plus a soft pecorino pe·co·ri·no n. pl. pe·co·ri·nos An Italian cheese, especially Romano, made from ewe's milk. [Italian, of ewes, pecorino, from pecora, ewe, sheep, from Latin, cheese from Sardinia. Sardinian lobster salad called ``aragosta all' algherese'' ($12.95) is chunked lobster with fresh wedged tomatoes tossed with a lobster roe, olive oil, lemon juice and fresh basil dressing. Miscellaneous: At least a dozen Sardinian wines are on the wine list, both white and red, priced from $16 to $50. Also Sardinian grocery products (olive oil, preserved vegetables, breads, cakes, biscotti Biscotti (plural of Italian biscotto, roughly meaning "twice baked") are crisp Italian cookies often containing nuts or flavored with anise. Traditionally, biscotti are made by baking cookie dough in two long slabs, cutting these into slices, and reheating them to dry ) are for sale in this gourmet shop-restaurant. Roberto's Address: 641 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. Phone: (213) 939-6180. Sardinian connection: Sardinian chef-owner Roberto Corbia, who operates Mauro's on Melrose and Roberto's with his brother Mauro, actually emphasizes Sardinian cooking here more than at the other restaurants. Dishes/prices: Sardinian-style spagetti with lobster ($15), seafood pizza ($.50) and Sardinian mixed grill of seafood ($15-$17). Miscellaneous: Two Sardinian wines are on the wine list plus a Sardinian grappa grap·pa n. An Italian brandy distilled from the pomace of grapes used in winemaking. [Italian, from Italian dialectal, grape stalk, brandy, of Germanic origin.] Noun 1. . |
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