A Romantic & Authentic Italian Restaurant-Vito's
Written: Jul 28 '07 (Updated Jul 28 '07)
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Pros: Delicious food, excellent service, romantic
Cons: None I can find
The Bottom Line: For a romantic evening, scrumptious, authentic Italian food, excellent service, you can't go wrong at Vito's.
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| Suzer's Full Review: Vito |
A date wanted to impress me, and probably wanted some excellent Italian food to boot, so we decided to go to Vito's Restaurant, located at 2807 Ocean Park Blvd in Santa Monica, California. It is located near the intersection of Ocean Park Blvd. & 28th St. Vito's has ample street parking, and is very close to my home.
Vito's has been at this location for at least 25 years, and has always been successful. Unfortunately I had not been there for a few years, but I was thrilled to go once again. The lighting is dim and romantic, and we were graciously shown to our booth. They offer both tables and booths, all with white table cloths. The chairs are cherry wood and the walls are covered with artwork. Seating is for 110, so don't worry, they can certainly accommodate your party.
You will find that the waitstaff is in tuxedos, however they are warm and inviting, not stuffy as you might imagine. While I am not much of a drinker, happy with one glass of merlot most of the time, or one of the foo-foo drinks like a Brandy Alexander, or a Velvet Hammer (my favorite), I opted that night to have a glass of their house merlot, and my date decided on a glass of Chablis. They offer around 900 different wines, so the connoiseur won't be disappointed.
We decided to order. We started off with the Caesar Salad for 2, and this exceptional salad was served tableside. It was very crunchy attesting to its freshness, and just the right quantity of dressing.
I selected the linguine with pesto, and my date ordered veal marsala. Both were cooked to perfection, just the right temperature, and absolutely mouth watering made with the highest quality ingredients. My pesto sauce was excellent, not too rich, as I've found with many pestos and the entrees both were very appealing aesthetically.
Service was impeccable, with our water glasses filled regularly, offers of more drinks, checking to ensure we were pleased with our selections. While this is a top-notch, authentic Italian restaurant, they are not stuffy or cold.
Their menu is pretty typical of an Italian restaurant including soup, salads, pasta, fish, veal, chicken. The prices of course have increased over the years, but they are still quite reasonable for the quality of the food. Our dinner for two, including a couple of glasses of wine came to approximately $70.00.
We did not have dessert as we were both watching my waistline, but I'm sure whatever you order at Vito's will make you happy. This restaurant definitely deserves 5 stars for excellence as their Italian food is among the best in Los Angeles.
Recommendations:
They do offer a few salads, but other than that, I don't think vegetarians would have much to choose from. A child might be okay sharing some spaghetti, but I don't think this restaurant is ideal for children either. Better to find an excellent baby sitter, and have a wonderful romantic evening out. I recommend this restaurant for couples, friends, business-anyone who truly enjoys outstanding, authentic Italian food. I am giving this restaurant a well-earned 5 stars and can't wait to return again. Do make reservations.
Thank you for reading!
Suzi
(310) 450-4999
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations You will enjoy anything you order, so no special recommendations.
Best Suited For: Romantic Evening
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Epinions.com ID:
Suzer
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 - Top 100 |
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Member: Suzi
Location: Southern Calif.
Reviews written: 588
Trusted by: 840 members
About Me:
Compromise-Art of slicing the cake so each person thinks they have the biggest piece.
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