Name: Il Moro
Type: Italian, High End
Good for: Moderately fine dining
Location: 11400 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA [Google it!]
PPP: $25-35
Overall vibe: Fancy and tasty, without the outlandish price
Anything bogus: Old people close the place early
The Location
Off the 405, north of the 10, we exited on Santa Monica Blvd and headed south on Sawtelle. We couldn't exit on Pico as the offramp was closed for construction. At least this way we were able to drive through Little Osaka and be reminded of some fantastic eateries there (Furaibo, Hurry Curry, Sawtelle Kitchen, Little Hong Kong Cafe, Crepe to Go!, etc). Once on Olympic, we made a left on Purdue. Highrises blocked out the night sky and made the street seem darker than it was. Almost an industrial sidestreet, one wouldn't think to find any eateries here, let alone fine Italian food. I spotted the valet in front of the restaurant on the right, and decided to park on the street instead. It was around 8pm on a Saturday night and there were many curbside spots for free. The restaurant's exterior appeared more like a hotel lobby than an eatery, as its on the ground floor of a high-rise, and there were no people outside.
The Atmosphere
As we walked in, there were no people to be seen. A hostess' booth stood several paces back, and we spotted a bar behind it, to the right. We walked in, not entirely sure where we were meeting our friends. The floor was dark and smooth, perhaps like polished concrete, and the walls were an orangish-cream color and the bar was lit up nicely, though there was no bartender. A light sneaked its way around the far wall, where our hostess emerged. We informed her of our meeting and were taken to our friends' table. We followed her back into the light, which indeed was the dining area. I was intrigued by the decor: hardwood floors with small square white-clothed tables, each with 4 wicker chairs. The tables seemed a bit small for 4 of us but we managed. The volume was comfortable and we were able to converse normally. There was a separate wine-tasting room behind a large glass partition which intrigued us.
The Food
My friend was already on his second drink, a Belgian number called Oerbier. I tried it and it was pretty good. Perhaps a bit tart for my liking, but apparently this beer is one of the highest rated Belgian beers and my friend and his wife certainly enjoyed it.
Our waiter brought us sourdough bread and tapenade, and it was consistent with other medium to high end restaurants--it reminded me of the spread I once had at Joe's in Venice. Our waiter then mentioned the chef's specials. Not feeling in an entirely adventurous mood, I opted for ordering off the menu.
Our table started with the Tartar di Tonno in Spuma di Avocado, an Ahi tuna tar tar mixed with finely copped black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and shallots, with a light lemon dressing and served with an avocado mousse and slices of crostini bread. The bread was perhaps a bit too crumbly, and I would've preferred they gave us a few more pieces as there was so much Ahi to go around. The tar tar itself was very flavorful while not overpowering. The avocado mousse worked well with the Ahi, though it wasn't entirely necessary.
I began with the Insalata di Spinaci e Caprino, a salad of baby spinach leaves with diced tomatoes, roasted pine nuts, and goat cheese with a mild lemon dressing. The goat cheese was chunky and fresh, and the spinach was crispy and a deep green. The lemon dressing was tart and very light, and drizzled consistently on the leaves.
For my main meal, I opted for the Linguine Mare Monti, a pasta dish with sauteed Porcini mushrooms and shrimp in a light spicy tomato sauce. The mushrooms were tender and not too potent (I'm not a very huge fan of mushrooms) and the shrimp were large and cooked properly, and there were a fair number of them in my pasta. The linguine was cooked perfectly, and had a rough texture that allowed the sauce to stick to it. It was not oily at all and was of an excellent serving size.
My girlfriend had the Lasagna alla Bolognese (only served on Wednesday and Saturday), which is a spinach-based pasta layered with Bechamel and Bolognese sauce, and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. She loved it and I had a taste. I thought it was flavorful and it certainly seemed hearty.
My friend had the Costiccine d'Agnello Al Porto e Mandorie. This dish was insane: lamp chops grilled and served with porto wine reduction, lamb sauce and dusted with blanched sliced almonds, with artichoke hearts sauteed with Ligurian olive oil. I tried a bit of the lamb and it was succulent: very tender and melted in my mouth. I would probably come back and order it next time.
For dessert, we all split the Chocolatissimo, a souffle which was warm, very very sweet, and satiating, if not slightly overpowering in its potency. It was served with a side of vanilla gelatto which helped offset the chocolate flavor.
The Service
The hostess was very nice and polite and though absent upon our entrance, she appeared quickly and showed us to our table in short order. Our waiter was very nice and polite, and checked in on us often. My iced tea was refilled regularly. We never felt rushed, even when we were the last people in the dining room.
Anything Bogus?
For some reason, most of the patrons in the dining room were elderly, while the younger, "hipster" crowd hung around out on the patio. Only after sitting for several minutes did I realize just how much we were missing out on the patio; it was truly stunning. There were abundant heat lamps, and the atmosphere seemed attractive and very romantic. I have to come back just to eat out there instead! Inside, it seemed that around 9:15pm or so, most of the diners inside were leaving; most likely to go to sleep, one would imagine. The patio remained lively until our departure around 10pm.
Summary
A very fine, moderately priced Italian restaurant that practically demands coming back for on a semi-regular basis. The price wasn't much of a turnoff at $75, considering how well we ate. The patio seems to be the place to dine, regardless of outdoor temperature.
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