Since I was there around lunch time, I decided to try Toscanova directly across from the store; I am so glad I opted for this wonderful Italian gem. There is a nice terrace with heat lamps and awnings, and I was lucky enough to sit next to the waterfall wall with its soothing sounds as my background music. On the advice of my excellent waiter Tony, who said that it would be enough for lunch by itself, I ordered the grilled calamari salad with arugula ($16). The calamari was wonderfully tender and grilled to perfection, the arugula had a nice lemony vinaigrette, even the crusty Italian bread had a nice texture and taste. It was too bad I was there alone; I wanted to try some of the funghi (mushroom) risotto, the ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta cheese in a butter and sage sauce, or the Mediterranean seabass with tomato, potatoes, onion and olives, but for lunch, that would have been too much (even for me). They have an Italian Happy Hour from 4-7pm everyday with free finger foods and 2 drinks for the price of 1 per person, so you can sample their food before committing to a full dinner.
Maybe I'll go back to Toscanova on Wednesday night, when the Mall is showing FREE Films on the outdoor terrace wall at 8pm all summer long; this Wednesday the movie is Back To The Future. Everyone can enjoy the warm Southern California Summer night with either something from the food court or from home, so it's the closest thing to a drive in as I've found anywhere near Century City!
No comments:
Post a Comment