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3 4 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t ■cr IN LOS ANGELES, it can often feel like a new restaurant opens every week—and that's prob- ably true. Finding the true diamonds in the rough, then, can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to the crowded field of restau- rants serving Italian cuisine. We did the foot— and fork—work for you by tracking down some of the best Italian restaurants, from modern to Northern, that opened in L.A. this year. Celebrity chef Scott Conant and restau- rateur Stephane Bombet revamped French eatery Terrine in West Hollywood in February and turned it into the gorgeous The Ponte, serving craft cocktails and modern Italian cuisine. A recent visit to their bar yielded a cocktail menu created by Ryan Wainwright divided into classic cocktails—the nostalgic Lemon Drop with vermouth and limoncello had all the tartness without the cloying sweet- ness of the original—and modern cocktails, like the tiki-influenced Expat (served in a gold pineapple) and a section dedicated to varia- tions on the Negroni. Menu highlights included a dreamy and creamy eggplant mezzaluna with cherry tomatoes and a ricotta salata; although we almost passed on dessert, we realized our near-mistake after the arrival of a chocolate cake with praline mousse and hazelnut gelato that was decadent without being overly sweet. The Ponte is a great spot for happy hour cocktails and bites while people-watching the fashionable set arriving for dinner. Gusto isn't technically a new restaurant, but it deserves a revisit after moving down West 3rd Street to a space that almost quadruples its capacity and adding a pizza oven. Signature cocktails like the Molto Facile—with mezcal, blood orange, lime and San Pellegrino—ar- rive in a San Pellegrino can sans lid, making a unique vessel for the deliciously smoky beverage. The wine list is true Italian, with the Piemonte and Veneto regions strongly repre- sented. Dishes run from well-executed classics like eggplant "parmigiana" to unctuously rich and decadent roasted bone marrow with basil pesto and anchovy breadcrumbs. The new pizzas are pleasantly crunchy, with thin crusts and toppings like squash blossoms, burrata and wild mushrooms. Pasta is made in-house, and Gusto also offers grilled fish and other protein options for those seeking something other than pizza or pasta. The restaurant's friendly staff and its shared-plates atmosphere are ideal for date night or a gathering of friends. The Kimpton Everly Hotel opened its doors and reservation book in Hollywood this sum- mer, along with their all-day restaurant Jane Q and the sleek Ever Bar. Stop by the bar before or after dinner to sample Lead Bartender Dan Rook's cocktails, which include updated takes on kitschy classics like a Sex on the Beach or a Cosmopolitan, and unique creations like the Drink Your Vegetables, made with Espolon reposado tequila, Cointreau, gai-lan broccoli shrub, lime and agave. Then head down to Jane Q's inviting dining room, which is bathed in light from floor-to-ceiling glass windows and features an open kitchen with a two-tiered pizza oven. Burrata and peaches with Benton's country ham are the perfect blend of salty and sweet; the black truffle calzone arrives at the table like the most gooey, melty, decadent grilled cheese you've ever had; and the duck confit monkey bread resembles a cinnamon roll while hiding nuggets of succulent duck. The dessert list is short but sweet, and includes a smooth and glossy buttermilk panna cotta with ultra-fresh stone fruit and gingerbread crumble. Although it's a recent open, buzz is already generating, so stop by before everyone else catches on. Before Chef Steve Samson completely renovated a former wholesale produce market into new Bolognese restaurant Rossoblu— complete with an industrial-chic dining room, soaring ceilings and a small patio—the area it occupies in Downtown L.A. wasn't known for, well, anything. After opening Sotto in Beverly Hills, Samson focused on Rossoblu, a longtime dream of his. Comfort dishes like braised pork meatballs are tender and juicy, with wonder- ful polenta bread made in-house. Pastas are also made in-house, and Samson's nonna's tagliatelle al ragu Bolognese finds the perfect balance of meat to tomato sauce. Preparing meat at Rossoblu is not taken lightly, and the roasted suckling pig comes on a large platter with skin cooked to crispy perfection. Wine Advisor Jeremy Parzen has also filled the wine menu with the Lambrusco grape variety in an effort to bring the typically-overlooked wines to the forefront. "There's no such thing as bad Lambrusco," he says. NEW AND NOTABLE Amore in the City of Angels The traditional Bolognese dish of meatballs in tomato sauce becomes something much more flavorful and complex in the hands of Chef Steve Samson of Rossoblu. DISCOVERING L.A.'S BEST NEW ITALIAN CUISINE by Jesse Hom-Dawson The Negroni menu at The Ponte offers a variety of classic cocktail options. Jane Q's monkey bread is perfect for sharing, and tears apart to reveal duck confit inside. Bucatini carbonara, intrinsically a comfort food, transforms into a sleek dish with the addition of a raw egg on top at Gusto. PHOTO: DUSTIN DOWNING PHOTO COURTESY OF GUSTO PHOTO COURTESY OF JANE Q

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