Gnice Gnocchi

[Gentile]

Anybody have a favorite gnocchi spot?

Recently went to Jiraffe, had their peruvian (purple) potato gnocchi, very good.

Also this tiny tiny place around Melrose and Wilton area, called la buca had great handmade gnocchi with a choice of several handmade sauces, we chose the "fuma". Very Very Good. This is place also has the best buff. mozz. pizza. Free corkage but it is tiny, holds only 12 people at max. Went there with my Italian friends who came straight from Italy and they gave their approval.

[ipsedixit]

La Buca or Celestino.

[PoetKitty]

Just had the gnocchi at Dan Tana's last night - great consistency and texture, awful sauce. So close!!

[globalgourmet]

I was just going to mention Evan's gnocci at Angeli when I got to your post, Cinzia. Also, the pesto pizza, complete with pine nuts is incredible; I like it with prosciutto added. Yum!

[cinzia]

I know this is from forever ago but just stopped back in to check a few posts and saw that you responded. I need to be better about this site, sorry!

I also love love LOVE the salsicce pizza w/ sausage, sage, carmelized onions and fontina! And the salad w/ the frisee and garlic dressing - not unlike the tricolore salad at P. Mozza (the dressing, that is).

[tissue]

Patina used to make polenta gnocchi as an accompaniment which was wonderful. Dont' know if they still do that.

[cinzia]

I'm astonished that no one has mentioned the ricotta gnocchi at Angeli Caffe on Melrose - not to be confused w/ Angelini Osteria on Beverly. She always does it with some flavor - I've had both the beet and the almond - and generally in a brown butter sage "sauce". I refer to them as pillows of love. The insalata forte and the pollo arrosto are also favorites as is the pizza con salsicce - w/ sausage, carmelized onions, fontina and sage. Their bread is to die for so the pizza dough is too.

[Capybara]

I notice that Jonathan Gold in a reprinted blurb in today's Weekly recommends the gnocci at Madeo in West Hollywood as possibly LA's best. Haven't had it myself.

[jcwla]

The gnocchi alfredo at Peppone is a heart attack on a plate but deelish.

Drago also makes a nice one in a more tomato-y sauce.

[Maxmillion]

Just tried the gnocchi at La Buca for lunch -- really wonderful!

[tuttifrutti]

In ventura county, Marcello's in thousand oaks has THE BEST gnocchi... so light, fluffy, and you can actually taste the potato in the airy dumpling.

[ladelfa]

Girasole, in Larchmont Village. I understand the pumpkin ones (they're seasonal) are fantastic, though I've only ever had the spinach ones. Very different from standard gnocchi, these are almost like balls of spinach-ricotta mousse encased in a very thin skin of some kind (cornstarch, perhaps?). Light and tender, not doughy and leaden.

[Dommy]

I LOVE Gnoochi, I used to also like the one at El Gelato, but was recently blown away by the Gnoochi at the much raved about and tiny hole in the wall La Buca on Melrose.

http://www.osterialabuca.com/olb.html

After having these, the ones at El Gelato taste like pencil erasers...

This place gets a TON of raves. But the dishes here only worth getting are the Gnoochi and the Burratta app...

--Dommy!

[Chowpatty]

Really, that's all you like at La Buca? I've had wonderful homemade pasta dishes and a few great pizzas as well. But now I'll have to try the gnocchi.

[Dommy]

Yup, the pizza and pasta, not worth my drive from the westside, their 'specials' are also often misses (They can't cook meat there... :/). I've had a peek behind the curtain, and didn't see a 'grandma' of any kind supervising, nothing special, if anything it was a little hurried...

However, that Gnoochi... that is worth the drive and then some... absolutely tender, flavorful, pillowy. The sauces they have a great compliment and the serving is a VERY nice size. :) Glad you enjoyed it Max! :)

--Dommy!

[Jwsel]

Spumoni and Al Gelato are my two favorite gnocchi places, though the gnocchi is completely different. At Spumoni, the gnocchi are small dumplings. At Al Gelato, they are much larger. Both are on the soft side for gnocchi.

Al Gelato has two sauces. The tomato basil sauce is fantastic, imo, but some people find it too sweet. I've never tried the pesto (or seen anyone else try it). The tomato basil sauce is just that good. A very large bowl (i.e, more than enough for two people) is about $15.

Spumoni has a variety of different toppings for its gnocchi, and you can also get any of the other pasta sauces on it. My favorite is the bolognese, which is not one of the regular gnocchi offerings. I would put Spumoni's bolognese on par with anyone in LA's. I've also tried the four cheese and the caprino (sundried tomatoes, goat cheese, and garlic in light cream sauce). Both were good options.

Spumoni once shared ownership with Sprazzo in Westwood (on Westwood Blvd, south of Wilshire), which has a similar set of gnocchi items. I don't think the gnocchi is as good as Spumoni's, but it is a decent Westside option. Sprazzo also is a bit more upscale than either Al Gelato or Spumoni.

[lad1818]

Spumoni has a great meat lasagne. Also, it's a very friendly place.

[jwn]

mmm, i've also had the peruvian purple potato gnocchi during my last visit to jiraffe. quite a lovely dish!!

[George]

Gnocchi at Al Gelato on Robertson (only in tomato or pesto sauces, but fantastic).

[Gentile]

thanks. I have actually heard alot of great things about that place. Anything else you would rec. at Spumoni?

[Das Ubergeek]

The (non-fried) calamari appetiser. Get extra bread to go with it so you can sop up the sauce. I like the Sicilian gnocchi (forget what they call it, but it's got anchovies, olives, tomatoes and garlic in it) the best.

[Das Ubergeek]

The very best -- the VERY best -- gnocchi are had at Spumoni, on Ventura Blvd. half a block west of Van Nuys Blvd. I swear they must put crack in them.

[bodie]

Gnocchaine? Sounds tasty!

[PoetKitty]

Bless you for the purple gnocchi rec - that sounds amazing!
I had a good plate of gnocchi at Farfalla in Los Feliz recently - good, but not great. To be honest, I've been hunting for an ideal gnocchi spot for eons, so I appreciate your opinions muchly :)

poetkitty