Lists

Haute’s Top Italian List Looks Not So Hot

Mozza monkfish: Haute enough for you?
Mozza monkfish: Haute enough for you? Photo: Arnold/Inuyaki via Flickr

Navigating the widespread maze of our city’s Italian restaurants is no easy task. Haute Living has just tried its uncalloused hands at the task, naming their top “Five Haute Italian Restaurants” in L.A., a city they call “not so bad itself.” The haute ones go from fairly obvious to fairly off-the-mark choices for the Italian spots they choose to highlight.

Mozza is a safe and inarguable inclusion and Drago Centro manages to be both pure, refined, and spirited. Fair enough. From there, the list seems to rake the pages of US Weekly only to throw Madeo, Giorgio Baldi, and Dan Tana’s into the mix. Apparently Haute lives in a world where Brentwood or Gino Angelini never even existed.

We won’t echo complaints about the food at those last three, where there are a few strengths, but we still balk at how Dan Tana’s could ever appear on a list before more worthy restaurants like Vincenti, Piccolo, La Buca, Valentino, Il Cielo, Via Veneto, Il Grano, I-Cal-ian Campanile, or even newcomers like Cecconi’s and Ado. That is, minus the possible support of the WeHo tourist board. Bottega Louie might lack a certain haute quality, but is vastly more alive in spirit, service, and cuisine as well. It appears Haute needs to descend from its gilded gates and eat out a little more often. Or maybe stop listening to Brad Pitt and Rihanna when it comes to dining. That would also be “not so bad itself.”

Readers, what do you think of Haute’s choices? What’s your favorite Italian place in L.A.? We’d love to know in the comments.

Ciao Down: The Haute 5 Italian Restaurants [Haute Living]

Haute’s Top Italian List Looks Not So Hot