LA’s most anticipated restaurant opening this year happens to be one hot pistol. Pistola is on everyone’s mind these days- well, at least everyone I know. Paying homage to the 1950’s iconic Italian establishments of New York City, Chef Vic Casanova and partner Seth Glassman bring the next evolution of the Italian restaurant in Los Angeles with their newest venture. Located on West Third Street’s restaurant row in West Hollywood, Pistola took over the old A.O.C. space – not far from Casanova’s other gem, the Italian restaurant Gusto- and has completely transformed it into a chic Italian steakhouse with design touches like slate-gray walls, black leather booths and a long marble bar. Casanova cultivated his skill set under culinary luminaries such as Daniel Boulud, Scott Conant and others, and in 2010 he opened Culina at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills.
In 2011, he opened one of LA’s best received Italian spots, Gusto, winning Esquire’s Best New Restaurant. Seth Glassman is also a NY native who joined the prestigious Innovative Dining Group in 2005 – BOA, Rivabella, Katana- and opened four different restaurant concepts over his nine years with the company. Together, they created Pistola as a tribute to Italian comfort food, and the menu was inspired by Casanova’s childhood nostalgia. Focusing on steak, seafood, handmade pasta and classic cocktails, Italian-American dishes include chopped salads, big charred slabs of meat, whole fish and new twists on steakhouse fare. Savory plates like veal chop alla parmigiana, meatballs served with sunday gravy, 12 pastas- the delicious squid-ink agnolotti among others- and a variety of butters and sauces to slather on your dry-aged beef cuts like the built for two delmonico and tomahawk will make you forget you’re in LA…but glad you are. www.pistola-la.com
Tags: Culinary, Los Angeles, Pistola Restaurant, Vic Casanova
