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Having read decent reviews of this place a couple years back, decided to give it a whirl...truly mediocre italian, and on top of it the single worst tiramisu i've ever eaten.
If I had to eat italian in the valley, I'd probably go to Maggiano's in WHills...at least you know what you're getting into and the portions are large.
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re: kevin
pizza. haven't had the tiramisu. pasta dishes are quite good.
Was at Shibucho on beverly about a month or two ago. Quality still excellent. Sat at a table and ordered - didn't do omakase - (to be honest, haven't done omakase with shige in many years, personal issues that don't translate to other people).
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Shibucho
3114 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
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Same old, same old, like virtually all of the italian places in sherman oaks/studio city. Not one place really stands out above the crowd.
I live two blocks from the place, and have not been in at least 4 years, and with any luck at all....›12 Replies-
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re: kevin
Carter will disagree with me on this, but I find the general best Italian in the Encino/Sherman Oaks area is Spumoni on Ventura, just west of Van Nuys, I have not tried their parmesan, but their pastas and lasagna are very good (especially the bolognese sauce). Their tiramisu is good, and they typically give a free tiramisu to the table.
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re: Jwsel
1newyorkguy
Aug 8, 2010 07:25 PM
the Spumoni in S. Monica is some of the worst non-fast food I've ever had
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re: kevin
Kevin - as jwsel will attest, I am not the greatest lover of Italian food in the first place, and will not eat veal whatsoever, so he or others may offer better specific input.
Nor do I eat Chocolate, so no tiramisu need apply.
Nor would I put cheese on any meat dish, burgers included.
In fact, cheese is generally a no-no.
Red sauce is definitely a no-no.
But for the life of me, why does every Italian place need to prepare the same relatively few dishes, especially here in the valley, when you can go to an Angelini or Mozza, or nearly another half dozen places on the other side of the hill and at least have some choices.
Valley Italian operators are living in the past, thinking that the red sauce school 50s-80s are the only decades of dining.
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re: carter
Given that you: (1) don't seem to like Italian that much; (2) don't like cheese; and (3) don't like tomato sauce, it seems odd that you jump into so many discussions of Italian restaurants.
I also don't understand your comment about the same few dishes. Go look at the Spumoni menu. It has 20+ different pastas with different sauces that range from bolognese to saffron cream to artichoke/mushroom/truffle oil. Sure, you can get angel hair with olive oil, garlic and basil or pesto at Spumoni, but you really are not that limited.
I recently tried Gia Cucina Napoletana for the first time, and enjoyed its pasta. Its menu has a lot of dishes that are definitely not the same relatively few dishes. Try the duck or the sand dabs or the host of different fish items on their menu. Their pastas also are not the same dishes that you would get at Il Tiramisu, Maria's, Emilio's, etc. I particularly liked the pumpkin tortellini in brown butter/sage sauce.
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re: Jwsel
thanks jewel. that is it. Gio Cucina Nepolatena, interesting reasonably priced italian food, it's been years since i've been there, hopefully there are open for lunch too. yeah, they had a lot of unique dishes from a different part of italy when the orginal owner opened it and then sold it off to a new chef. so it's still pretty good??? and still in a tiny mini-mall in the corner by a Jaguar dealership on ventura in encino???
thanks.
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re: kevin
That's where it is, but it doesn't strike me as a red sauce type of place. What I've tried was pretty good, but as I said, I've only tried it recently and tried very limited offerings. I still think Spumoni may be more up your alley for what you are seeking, but why not try both places.
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re: Emme
Prime Italian is in that mini-mall adjacent to the AFTRA offices and credit union, SW corner Magnolia & Hazeltine. My impression is it is mainly pizza-focused.
Maybe not?!
Never see cars in the lot in the evening, yet maybe everyone gets delivery.Had a clam/pasta dish at Oliva that was quite tasty, and would probably return as its menu seemed better, more varied than many locally.
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Prime Italian
14102 Magnolia Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423-
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re: kevin
Well, heartburn sets in big time with tomato sauce, yet not with fresh salsas from Mexican restaurants and grocery stores. That is also why I am not a pizza fan - mostly tomatoes and cheese.
Why eat veal with virtually no taste in and of itself until you add the saucing, as opposed to chicken, fish, pork, beef, lamb, etc., all of which have more innate flavor?
Cheese to me is largely a camouflage for things the kitchen does wrong in most Italian restaurants, unless you are in the better ones. And as to a health issue, it is a no-no. Please note no Asian culture features cheese, and their people tend to be healthier than most of the rest of the world.
Chocolate - sorry, never did get that allure, yet not much of a dessert person in general.
But the fact that many think all Italian food is based on these few items gives Italy a bad name, and that is totally undeserving. And most operators in the Valley subscribe to that notion.
Have not tried Gio in forever, but know where it is, upstairs, etc., Different ownership from its inception, yet same ownership for a long time.
That is one of the reasons I responded with my comments regarding the clams/pasta dish at Oliva, which was surprisingly good and quite flavorful.
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