Longshot -- Downey Restaurant
Does anyone recall a small Italian restaurant that operated years ago in a Downey strip mall at the corner of Paramount and Stewart & Gray. The restaurant was annexed to an Italian market that, like the restaurant, is no longer there.
The young owner, Claudio, was recently from Florence and his chef, Nick I think, was from Naples.
They had great atmosphere and even better food (or perhaps it was the other way around).
I know this is a complete longshot but I've always wondered what happened to these guys -- I'm sure they moved on to bigger things and it would be great to hear what they're up to now.
Cheers!
By Scubado
on Apr 30, 2009 08:15 PM
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Are you thinking of the place that was an offshoot of Sal's Bakery? Was it called "Buon Gusto" or something like that?
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That could be it but unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the restaurant or the market that it was attached to.
Sal's seems to ring a bell but it wasn't a bakery per se -- they mostly sold imported Italian foods and there was a deli, but they may have sold baked goods as well.
It was on the southwest side of the Stewart & Gray/Paramount intersection.
The restaurant was very small -- perhaps four or five tables. It was nothing fancy but the food and the atmosphere made it memorable.
Cheers!
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Sal's was the owner of the original bakery at Florence and Paramount. Although it was called Sal's Bakery it was more than a bakery. It sold some imported items and had a deli counter as well.
Sal's son opened Buon Gusto - the place near Stewart & Gray and Paramount. It did have a small restaurant component in addition to the deli, imported foods and bakery.
I remember Sal decided to retire and closed his restaurant. Buon Gusto stayed open for awhile longer, but I don't know why they ended up closing. I was told the families still live in Downey.
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