La Sosta Enoteca
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Phone: (310) 318-1556
- Price:
- $$$
- Hours:
- Tue-Thu 6pm-11:30pm , Fri-Sun 6pm-midnight
Editorial Review for La Sosta Enoteca – by Michael Martin
In Short
A street corner location at the meeting points of Hermosa and Manhattan Beach, this upscale eatery and wine bar finds a cozy familiarity among the local grocer to the million dollar homes of the area. Recognizable architecture painted in earthy Tuscan tones and dark windows reveal an elegant interior, complete with vintage bar and intimate dining area. The kitchen serves up intricate cheese and meat platters, easily shared by two or more. There's also intricate dishes of homemade pasta, grilled fillet and daily-baked desserts.
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Insider Tips
Know Before You GoThe restaurant doesn't accept reservations for groups of four or less, so arrive early or simply opt for eating at the bar.
ParkingIf no parking is available on Manhattan, continue on to Hermosa for ample meters and a healthy uphill walk to the restaurant.
User Reviews for La Sosta Enoteca
03/22/2008 Posted by FoodEEEEEE
This is the best Italian food in the South Bay. Period. The ingredients are top notch and everything is executed to perfection. My wife and I live down the street, and this is one of our favorite places to grab a bite. The cutting board, an assortment of cured meats and cheeses, is the standout appetizer. My favorite is the buffalo reggiano with the truffle honey. For the primi piatti, go for any of the gnocchi, as they are some of the softest potato pillows I've had this side of Rome. Also, the duck papardelle is a standout. For the secondi, I would say the fish is a standout. Mediterranean fish like Orada and Branzino are often on the menu and have all been excellent. For desert, go with the profiteroles with chocolate sauce; you won't regret it. The wine list is pretty good, if your are in the mood for an interesting Italian wine. The atmosphere is great and the decor is sheik. Almost everyone who works here is Italian, so if you close your eyes, you might even imagine yourself on a busy Roman street, as you sip your Barolo. So why only four stars, you may ask? The answer is simple: the portions are too small. While the food is excellent, the prices are on the high side and it inexcusable that they give you so little (especially on the pasta dishes). I don't mind paying for good food, but even I have a limit. Also, the seating is incredibly tight and the tables are actually very low. I'm 6'6", so my legs have trouble clearing the bottom of the table. If they up the portion sizes, I would give this restaurant five stars and would be there weekly. Still, it is definitely worth trying at least once.
Pros: Solid Italian Food
Cons: A bit pricey
12/16/2007 Posted by serfergerl
We had heard from friends this restaurant was worth visiting. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday. Forget the overpriced food, but when we ordered our entrees, his the gnocci with lobster AND my fettucini with meat and mushrooms arrived over salty. My mouth filled with anticipation quickly led to disappointment. The waiter took my pasta back and the owner came out to see if I would want another dish without the meat as he thought that might have been what was salty. Then another pasta dish came out and THAT was very salty. Our dining neighbors also agreed that their dishes were very salty as well who were also out trying to enjoy a birthday too.. The third plate was soggy wet noodles with no taste and my tongue was laced with salt at that point and could not even think of eating. The horrible part of it all was when I got the bill, the owner intentionally wanted to charge me close to $30 for something I didn't even eat!! He argued with me in front of all the dining customers for at least 10 minutes. HOW RUDE! Finally, he took it off the bill. I will not be going back there again! For that much money for just an average experience, there are far better places to go.!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
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