Panzanella

Panzanella Restaurant Review:

Panzanella is a venture of chef-restaurateur Giacomino Drago, the youngest of four Drago brothers active in L.A. The most famous is Celestino (Drago, DRAGO Centro), but Giacomino is the most prolific, also operating Il Pastaio and Piccolo Paradiso in Beverly Hills, among others. This space, once home to a Valley experiment from fellow Sicilian Piero Selvaggio, is a bustling, earth-toned dining room with white linen-topped tables, blending traditional and contemporary elements. In terms of its cuisine, Panzanella also strikes a nice balance between a casual trattoria and serious ristorante, with starters ranging from the rustic bread salad the restaurant is named after to creamy polenta with sautéed mushrooms and Fontina. Simple spaghetti with San Marzano tomatoes and basil exudes old-country simplicity, while gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce is equally straightforward but far more indulgent. Entrées include the likely suspects: grilled whole branzino, veal chop and osso buco, all well prepared. For finishes, we’ve enjoyed the tiramisu and a very satisfying blackberry tart. The predominantly Italian wine list is generally reasonably priced. Service has been a minor but noteworthy issue here, which is uncharacteristic for a Drago restaurant.