It took a while for us to find restaurants in LA that we thought were something special. I think I spent the first year here thinking that there was no decent food in Los Angeles.
But we eventually did develop a repertoire of excellent little places. One of the places we discovered—okay, we found it via Zagat, which isn’t exactly like a secret passed on in a back alley—is Osteria Nonni, a fantastic little Italian restaurant in Silverlake. The neighborhood doesn’t exactly scream “great restaurant”; it kind of screams “slightly seedy part of town we’d never visit otherwise.”
If you decide to go there, do not skip this important step: get the sautéed lemon chicken with spaghetti. The standard way they prepare the spaghetti is with oil and garlic, but we always ask for it with butter and parmesan. The lemon butter sauce on the chicken is…well, how can I put this? I’m not a religious woman, but if I were, this sauce would be proof of Divine Intervention in this universe.
If the lemon chicken isn’t your thing—what are you, a Communist?—then get the penne with eggplant. I’ve never actually had the penne with eggplant, because once I found the chicken I stopped there, but Darin assures me the penne is quite tasty. The porcini mushroom ravioli is fabulous. The arancini appetizer (rice balls with cheese and peas inside) is extremely tasty.
Osteria Nonni is hardly next door to us, but we manage to get there at least once a month. It’s completely worth the effort if you want to try it out. 3219 Glendale Blvd., in case you need the address.
Hey, waddaya mean, seedy? I’ll have you know that my mother grew up in Silver Lake, and she’s not the least bit seedy.
What he said! Silverlake is a hip and happenin’ part of town with fantastic shopping. And good restaurants, obviously, though I haven’t been to this one.
Off-topic but:
I just caught the end of a piece about the aesthetics of Apple Macs on BBC Radio 3’s Night Waves. Tonight’s programme can be heard online in RealAudio.
Seedy? First of all, the restaurant is not in Silver Lake, it’s Atwater Village, and it’s not a seedy area.
I live in Atwater Village and love, love, love this restaurant. But, the seedy comment I understand because my first visit to good old Glendale Blvd. brought with it a comment of “Ick, what an ugly street.” It’s getting better, but it’s far from glamorous.
Long live Osteria Nonni.
i also didn’t like the seedy comment, but do agree that the lemon chicken is yummy. the pizzas are sooo good too. they also have cheesless pizza. if you haven’t been there your missing out!