La Sosta Enoteca

06/30/2008 Posted by tifosi77

After years of passing by La Sosta Enoteca, my wife and I finally decided to give it a try. What a revelation!! Everything about LSE is right from the top drawer. The food is prepared with the respect for each individual ingredient that Italians have hard-coded in their DNA, and the dishes reflect the fierce regionality and austerity that is a hallmark of 'la Cucina Italiana'. And, of course, it is all absolutely delicious, and complemented with a fantastic wine list. I will not dispute or disparage the negative reviews that are on this page - I was not there, so I cannot say what someone else's experience was like. I will just say that my own experience was markedly different. This was unquestionably the most authentic Italian dining experience I've had outside of Italy. I feel too many American's perception of Italian food has been shaped by the red sauce/checkered tablecloth stereotype, and that's unfortunate. Frankly, my own tendency is to avoid 'Italian' restaurants in this country altogether, because they cater too much to that American sensibility - Olive Garden must be 'authentic' cos they have a cooking school in central Tuscany. Phooey! The true beauty of Italian food, regardless of its region of origin, is simplicity and balance. La Sosta Enoteca, however, is that rarest of exceptions. An Italian restaurant in America that not only holds on to its roots, but shows them off with dazzling expertise and panache. True, it's not cheap, and the parking situation leaves a lot to be desired. But I cannot wait to go back and really explore the menu. Highest possible recommendation.

Pros: True Northern Italian food experience

Cons: Poor parking, a little pricey

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

11/10/2007 Posted by turtledove

I say micro because you will need a microscope to find your portion of food on your plate!! The portions were so ridiculously small that it was the bunt of our jokes at the table. (However, the bill was no laughing matter.) Way overpriced -- Imagine "Olive Garden Restaurant" quality at Quadruple the price. Sauce was like Ragu and their meat dishes rubbery. And to top it off… Service was downright rude and arrogant. Save your pocketbook and stomach and dine elsewhere!!

Pros: Portions perfect for the dieter

Cons: Lousy Food, Lousy Service

04/18/2007 Posted by bfielder64

I read krazytrails 4/07 review and had to respond. First, you should understand the credit card authorization procedure before you bash a restaurant/waiter. The restaurant doesn't control which cards are declined and which arent - your BANK controls it via computer. If the waiter explained that Frequent Flyer cards are getting declined more often it was just a general observation (nothing the restaurant can control). Furthermore, the bank will ONLY speak to the cardholder when it declines a card. What could the waiter possibly say to them? "She's REALLY nice." Or "She SWEARS she has the credit available." Get a grip. Now...for La Sosta Enoteca. Saturday was my 4th visit to this establishment. We arrived at 8pm to a bustling crowd and a lively atmosphere. The venue (as well as the food) are Northern Italy all the way. This is as authentic as it gets. Waiters are mostly Italian and they have excellent knowledge of the menu. Trust me, solicit the waiter's advice with regard to portions and wine pairings - you will be pleased. The atmosphere is warm and the food is done to perfection in traditional Northern Italian style. It isn't a "cheap" evening but I find that the prices are very fair and reasonable, especially for an experience that is unique in the Los Angeles area...

Pros: Atmosphere and Food

04/03/2007 Posted by krazytrails

Three of my girlfriends and myself went to La Sosta on a Friday nite to have a mellow evening out at La Sosta. Although the place is quite homey, the acoustics were pretty terrible. We couldn't understand anything our waiter was saying because he spoke with a heavy accent and when we asked for him to repeat what he was saying, he was highly irritated and snappy. I ordered the fish special which was 40 bucks!! I could have prepared this dish myself. My plate consisited of a piece of grilled fish and some veggies. There wasn't much effort in presentation for such an expensive meal. The lobster gnocchi was good (I sneaked a piece off my girlfriend), but a bit rich (would be good to share with someone accompanied by a salad). When it was time to pay the bill, I paid with my credit card. The waiter came back and yelled at me that the card was rejected. I told him that it was impossible ....that I had just used my credit card without any hassle and he insisted that it was my fault. I never felt so embarassed!!! I felt like I was a criminal with a stolen credit card. He demanded that I call the credit card company instead of himself (he didn't want to be bothered). As I was trying to hear the c/c company over the phone (which was impossible with the acoustics), a different waitress from the restaurant came up to me and told me that they had problems with frequent flyer credit cards (which was the type of card I had). It would've been nice if the waiter would've told me this instead of acting hostile towards me. In addition, if they know that this is a problem, why wouldn't they fix it? I was never approached by a manager and I never received an apology from anyone. So if into being yelled at and treated like a criminal by a stuck up waiter.....then this is the place for you.

Cons: degrading service /overpriced

03/25/2007 Posted by chelicera

"enoteca": stock of vintage wines. That does not translate into "hip wine bar with 1/2 carafes." Before disparaging the critiquing credentials of others, perhaps you could make sure you know what you're talking about first. You're not the only person who's eaten in Italy.

01/26/2007 Posted by redfish1053

With all due respect iblondie7 must be referring to another restaurant. la Sosta is an amazing experience in every way. What do you call offering you a choice of water? That is an absurd critique. You could easily have said no water thank you or chosen one of the two. The restaurant is never empty and the portions are very normal and the quality of the food is extraordianry. My wife and I are well travelled and food snobs I must admit and La Sosta ranks up there with any. You complain the meats are sliced thin? They are supposed to be thin it's antipasto not sandwich meat. The cutting board is unique and Luca the owner personally to every table explains where each cheese and meat is from and what goes with what. Its served with truffle jam and flavored mustards and is extraordianry. The name makes no such implication, it is a restaurant! They have a very, very unique and good wine cellar specializing in hard to find Italian gems and your comment about half-glasses and carraffes shows a complete lack of understanding of fine dining! Who gets a half a glass of wine? La Sosta is packed all the time, especially on weekends with locals and folks who drive from afar to dine at this great restaurant. I think it's terribly unfair to give such a biased review and suspect you have alterior motives. My wife and I recommend La Sosta highly and we have dined there at least 20 times.

Pros: Food, Service, Ambience

Cons: None

10/16/2006 Posted by cl216

This place is very authentic. It felt like we had been transported to a little romantic restaurant in Italy. True European-style service, waiter was very helpful in guiding our wine and meal choices. The food we had was excellent, both the pasta and meat dishes, just right portions which allow you to leave the restaurant feeling perfectly full and looking forward to your next visit.

Pros: quaint, authentic Italian fair & ambience

Cons: pricey

09/16/2006 Posted by sweetpeaweller

The first reviewer is way off. La Sosta is a gem in the South Bay which lacks for restaurants that are not "chain-owned." The atmosphere is charming, casual and inviting to sit and linger. The cutting board may be pricey but is fantastic and not something you will find elsewhere. The gnochhi with lobster is sublime, even if you are not a fan of lobster. Go for the meats..we couldn't find a bad one. This is just like that amazing meal you still remember from your last trip to Italy. Try the tiramisu and you will not be disappointed. Service was friendly and casual. You might have to call teh waiter over but that is European and I prefer that way over the stiff ones who try and get you out the door.