Locanda Portofino

09/22/2008 Posted by simon1313

After reading some of these negative reviews about my favorite restaurant in all of Los Angeles, I had to write in. I have been going to Locanda Portofino for many years. It is the best food I have ever had. I have eaten probably at the most popular restaurants across the country and overseas. I take notice that this restaurant is so clean that you could eat off the floor. It is the cleanest restaurant which is very important and overlooked by many. If a restaurant and kitchen is in disarray, what do you think about how your food is prepared and served? And yes, portions are not gigantic. They are what a normal person should eat. This is not an Olive Garden. This is high quality food, and not a place for glutiny. Food and wine should be savored and enjoyed, not devoured in super-sized amounts. People get kicked out of Georgio's in the Palisades for complaining about things like this. And his food is not nearly as delicious or as expensive. Restaurants can have their off nights, of course, but this restaurant should not have these negative reviews. I know plenty of people who love coming to this restaurant and hopefully I can spread the word for more people to write in. Locanda Portofino has more regulars than I have seen in any restaurant. People have been going there for several years a few times a week. And the wines are beautiful and priced the way a well-kept restaurant would. Anyway, try the Penne Vodka (THE BEST) and for a different pasta, the Spaghetti Sea Urchin. This is the best kept secret in the LA restaurant world and I'm starting to see it mentioned in more magazines lately so something is on the rise.

Pros: Best food, ambience, great wine

07/29/2008 Posted by luke88

1.Wines were not listed "by the glass". The waiter came over and I asked him if he had wines by the glass- he said yes. I asked him to show me, and he just said "what do you want, what we have changes all the time". I said cabernet- and he said "very well". Before I could stop him, he came back with the two glasses. I took a sip- and I'll be damned if it wasn't 2 Buck Chuck from Trader Joe's. We decided to let it go, and order our dinner. 2. My girl ordered pasta "alla checa" and I order linguine "positano" (linguine with shrimp and scallops). I took my first bite, and the shrimp and the scallops were overcooked, and on the COLD side. As I began "spooling" my next bite between my fork and spoon, I looked down to discover a HUGE STRAND OF HAIR in the food. I held up the candle to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me. Even my girl from across the table could see the black lock silhouetted against the candle light. The waiter came over, and when my girl told him what was wrong (I was mute in the act of trying not to be sick) he simply said "Oh, that happens sometimes." He took the dish away and disappeared. Then he reappeared and asked to speak to me privately. I thought he was going to apologize and comp our meals etc. I was flummoxed when he led me into the kitchen, pointed me to my dish of fish pasta and asked me to show him where the hair was!! I was in such a state of shock- I didn't know what to say. I quietly told him it was in there somewhere and didn't have the stomach to look for it. I turned around and walked out. I told my girlfriend that I could not stay one more minute in the place. I mean- to challenge one of your guests to "show you the hair" after he's only taken one bite, and then refused to eat it? We paid for the wine and her dish. Tally was as follows- 20 for her pasta, 28 for two glasses of "2 buck chuck". So, $48 dollars for this insulting experience with the worst food I have ever (not) had.

Pros: None

Cons: Service, Food