Beach Nov 2016
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item was delivered. The octopus here is one element of a dish that includes<br />
potatoes, olives, and vegetables, served atop thick slices of red and green<br />
heirloom tomatoes. It’s a well composed salad of hot and cold vegetables<br />
with a fine balance of robust flavors, but people who would like it might<br />
not order it and some people who order it won’t like it. I could have enjoyed<br />
it as an entrée, because there were enough flavors that I could have<br />
just kept eating.<br />
There was nothing conceptually unusual about the bruschetta, though<br />
the fact that they used housemade fresh bread elevated it a few notches.<br />
One slice was topped with tomato slices and herbs, the others with musky<br />
wild mushrooms and a garlicky artichoke heart mix. The mussels were<br />
also exactly what they were supposed to be, a healthy amount of shellfish<br />
in a broth that had some bell pepper and spice, with some more of that<br />
good grilled bread.<br />
We ordered two salads as an intermezzo, a fennel and orange with greens<br />
and red onion and a peach and burrata with balsamic vinegar and olive<br />
oil. Crisp raw fennel is delightful in salads and the orange brought out the<br />
gentle anise-like sharpness. My only quibble is that I would have liked the<br />
fennel pieces a little thinner or smaller so it would be easier to get a mix<br />
of flavors. The peach and burrata salad was polarizing, with some people<br />
at our table liking it as it was and others wishing the balsamic had been<br />
on the side so they could have the exquisitely fresh, creamy cheese and<br />
fruit by themselves. While I was in the former camp I understand the sentiment.<br />
During the brief wait between courses, we enjoyed music by the very<br />
good pianist, who was joined on Broadway standards by crooning co-owner<br />
Lou Giovanetti. Lou is a constant presence and table-hops to say hello to<br />
friends and be sure the service is working, and though his singing is superb<br />
not all staff members have their act together, yet. At both our table and a<br />
neighboring booth silverware was cleared with one course and not brought<br />
with the next one, and the timing on refilling waters and other details was<br />
not well synchronized. It’s a new operation so things will probably smooth<br />
out soon, but for now there is room for improvement.<br />
For entrees, we ordered lasagna, spaghetti carbonara, pappardelle with<br />
wild boar, and veal saltimbocca with sage. Saltimbocca is Italian for “jump<br />
in your mouth,” one of the most poetic food names ever, and this dish delivered.<br />
It’s simple, thinly sliced meat rolled around sage leaves, wrapped<br />
with prosciutto, fried and topped with white wine sauce, but when done<br />
right the salty meats, lemon, and herb is superb. It was served with mashed<br />
potatoes and broccolini, and despite my early fears about petite entrees it<br />
was a fine full meal.<br />
The three pastas all hit the spot, too.The lasagna was a particularly big<br />
hit with everyone who tried it. It’s not the usual heavy, starchy brick of<br />
carbs drenched in sauce. The noodles are thin and the delicate béchamel<br />
sauce and cheese are used moderately. Let your expectations go and enjoy<br />
this, because it’s a winner.<br />
This brings me to the only place where Primo Italia is out of balance:<br />
the wine list. All the pastas we ordered were under $20, and the saltimbocca<br />
is one of the most expensive items at $28, which makes it odd that<br />
the wine list has no bottles under $38 and escalates steadily from there.<br />
Those bottles are superb quality, but there are some very good Italian, Argentine,<br />
and Californian wines that would go well with this food and could<br />
be sold for less. If Primo Italia aspires to be an everyday joy, they might<br />
want to add a few more modest bottles to the list.<br />
We had filled up on our appetizers and mains but had to try some<br />
desserts around the table in honor of the birthday. We tried the tiramisu,<br />
cannoli, bread pudding, and cheesecake. All were good but the cheesecake<br />
was the standout, made with a rich and flavorful cheese rather than the<br />
usual bland stuff. The topping of sliced, toasted almonds and strawberry<br />
sauce with fresh berries made this a must-try item, and whetted my appetite<br />
to sample more.<br />
So, is Primo Italia the restaurant that you can stop into on a whim? It’s<br />
still a work in progress, but the outline is clear. They deliver high end food<br />
at medium prices in a classy environment. You wouldn’t feel right there<br />
in shorts and a T-shirt (though I presume they’d serve you), but if you want<br />
to treat yourself just a bit, it’s worth the drive to Hillside Village.<br />
Primo Italia is at 24590 Hawthorne Boulevard in Torrance. Open daily 5<br />
p.m., close 10 p.m. Mon-Thur; midnight Fri-Sun. Full bar, parking in lot, some<br />
vegetarian items. Food menu at eatprimo.com, phone 310-378-4288. B<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember 10, <strong>2016</strong> • Easy Reader / <strong>Beach</strong> magazine 29