Ca'Brea...Old World Italian for the Modern Man

346 S. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323)938-2863
Mon-Thurs 11:30AM-2:30PM and 5PM-10:30PM
Fri 11:30AM-11PM
Sat 5PM-11PM

Sometimes you need to get away without getting out of town and sometimes you don't want to have to make it an all day affair. Going to Ca'Brea allows for this and much more. Covered mostly by trees and shrubbery, though it's large, you really might miss this transcendent restaurant. Here's the funny part, I wasn't able to grab any pics of the interior because at some finer dining places I don't feel really comfortable being a guerrilla photographer in a dim lit place. Please forgive my lacking in that department, but trust the descriptions, or don't and just go there for yourself. I'm sure my interior descriptions won't do the justice needed to give you a picture of their transportive power(if you still feel deprived of atmospheric description, there's a virtual tour on their website).

When you walk in you're treated to an old world bar that seats maybe 15 in a long U shaped counter on your left. On your right you see the maitre'd and the some small square tables that lead you into another room, where you can see the plates ready for pickup on the left and on the right more tables which have been lit to spotlight the food once placed down (hence why the pics came out the way they did). You continue on through to another room where you get a Tuscan marble villa feel and on the right is there patio area which is a wonderful spot for small parties and would be great for having lunch on a warm sunny day.

To begin with, their menu is extensive, but selective (ie-one style dish of tortelloni, one style beef entree) , and really makes it hard on what to decide because everything sounds amazing. After much indecisive hemming and hawing we eventually agreed on starting with the Formaggio di Capra alla Pancetta e Spinaci. It's baked goat cheese wrapped in Italian bacon(pancetta) and served on a bed of garlic infused spinach. Sounds scrumptious and dare I say we were bowled over with the taste. The pancetta was crispy at it's edges while the rest was warm and just the slightest bit chewy, without the distraction of fattiness, and the goat cheese inside was sinfully creamy. Celeste and I are big on cheeses and this was quite the revelation for us seeing as we normally have it paired alone with wine. And the pancetta, while in other instances has bordered on being as salty as prisciutto, had no sign of that in this dish. The spinach had life of it's own and would be wonderful as an independent side dish, but paired perfectly with the pancetta ball. If more spinach were as good as this, I would eat spinach all the time.

I got the Filettini di manzo ai funghi e olive which is sauteed beef tenderloin medallions with fresh mixed mushrooms, black olives and pinot wine sauce. There was nothing I could find wrong with this plate, meaning no cons. It was wonderfully crafted with the succulent tenderloin that had hints of mellow kalamata olives that added a little pizazz to each bite. The meat was incredibly tender; you almost didn't need a knife for it. The variety of mushrooms added much to eat bite with their smoothe meaty texture and every bite begged to be covered in the wine sauce which not only was great with the meat but equally as great on the veggies.

Celeste had the Costlette D' Agnellao Grigliate Ai Funghi e Tartufi, which is grilled lamb chops with black truffle and mustard sauce. As a cook, she was intrigued by the way the overall flavors were so gently infused through the meat(which was cooked to medium), and the utmost tenderness of the meat...so much so that she now wants me to get her the chef's cookbook so she can maybe get a clue as to how they specifically did it. She was also soaking every bite of meat in the sauce, but certainly not because the lamb needed it. Each element stood on it's own two feet, even the asparagus which she usually doesn't enjoy for lack creativity used on the vegetable.

I'm telling you what I told Celeste, "This dessert may be one of my all time favorites in the history of my eating" and it's for sure in my top ten. We got a Crema di Vaniglia which is a vanilla cream custard covered with a soft, rich, caramelly vanilla cream sauce. The description kind of says it all...it's a little bit of heaven in your mouth. I always have a hard time with things like creme brulee cause for some strange reason is a little too heavy on my stomach from all the cream, but this left me feeling just fine and my mouth was left with the best after dinner taste I've had in a long time. The custard was incredibly light and the sauce was thin and barely sticky enough to cling to the custard. If you're tired, get the Tiramisu for a pick me up, but other than that you have no excuse but to get this dessert. Simply stunning!

Ca'Brea is great spot for any occasion really. Power lunchers and intimate daters are welcome alike. With an already great history of reviews, how well rounded a menu they have, and their killer atmosphere, I can only imagine that Ca'Brea will be in the game for many more years to come.

PS. Street parking is available as well as valet.

Free Drink Refills: Yes
Entree Price Range: $18 to $24 for main courses and $7 to $12 for antipasti

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A dear blogger friend of mine by the name of Tannaz over at All Kinds of Yum is doing an amazing thing this weekend that EVERYONE in LA but especially on the East Side should stop on by. I could speak highly of it but I'll let her tell you the details. If you haven't checked out her page you should for sure. Great writer and very informative. Take it away Tannaz:

I'm writing to tell you about a Bake Sale. On August 18, I, along with a team of dear friends and lovers of baked goods, will be hosting The No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale, as part of Share Our Strength's Great American Bake Sale (heretofore known as SOS's GABS). SOS is a fantastic organization dedicated to the cause of ending world hunger, and the proceeds from GABS specifically go towards fighting childhood hunger in the United States. With GABS, they motivate people around the country to hold bake sales in their own community, with the proceeds going to SOS. Turns out, I'm one of these people.

Our bake sale will take place on Saturday, August 18th, at and around SCOOPS Ice Cream Shop in East Hollywood, from noon to 4 pm. There will be delicious goodies (maple vanilla granola, fleur de sel caramel cake, pumpkin cupcakes, vegan something cupcakes (I don't know what kind they'll be yet, but the girls of SporkFoods will be making them, so they will undoubtedly be amazing), lemon bars, Mexican chocolate rice crispie treats, Persian baklava, Barefoot Contessa coconut macaroons, and on and on!), as well as live music, and good good times.

(Scoops is at 712 Heliotrope Ave., just north of Melrose, between Normandie and Vermont.)

I would love nothing more than if you guys would stop by, say hi, and eat some cookies. It'd be great to meet you all. I'd also greatly appreciate if you spread the word about our event. And finally, if you're interested in contributing some delicious baked goods, by all means, let me know!

Caffe Carrera...Quite possibly some of the best Italian in America

235 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310)652-5992
Mon-Fri 11:30AM-10PM
5:30PM-10PM
Sun Closed

I'm finally back. On my way back to LA I determined in my heart to hit as many buzz/trend watch spots as humanly possible this month. Let me just say that so far I've been let down on my first run out so I decided to post about some place that goes farther than to classify itself as stellar. Yes, it is above phenomenal. The first trend place I hit was on restaurant row and while I won't mention the name of this place, cause I'm thinking about writing them some specifics to step it up (I care about good dining experiences in LA), I will say that when you dine on LA's famed Restaurant Row you should be floored. I also won't tell you the name of this aforementioned place due to the fact that the page is What's To Eat LA not What's Not To Eat LA.

Caffe Carrera is by far one of the best Italian spots in LA to dine at. Notice I say dine and not eat since it's an experience when you go there. Located just south of Restaurant Row on La Cienega, this small den of perfection has done what very few on Restaurant Row have been able to do... stay in business for 14 years! This is a testament, in general, in comparison to any LA establishment of any kind. In LA it's just plain hard to stay in business for that long. The owner Armando has found a way and he's been sticking to it for years.

So what makes me speak so highly of the spot? Well, Armando Carrera comes from 5 generations of his family cooking and owning Italian restaurants going all the way back to 1908 in Grammichele, Sicily. He has maintained a healthy clientele who swear that he has one of the best spots in LA to eat at, and I agree. The man really has it together when it comes to serving up not just good or great dishes, but food that is fit for kings.

The restaurant itself is completely unassuming from the outside and you just might miss it by the size of it. The entire place houses 11 tables if I remember right so it'd best be to call and reserve a table just to be on the safe side (not to mention just to make sure he's open cause sometimes he's off doing special events). The interior has a familiar charm to it that is best seen and felt, and this is only one facet of it's sparkling charm.

When you go in you realize there isn't any wait staff. Armando IS the wait staff (with the exception of one guy that might bring out one or two things and pick up your dirty plates). He comes by and talks to you like a friend, and he has quite the sense of humor. He's one of those guys who could go in to any conversation with any person and be immediately at home in the topic, whatever it may be. He has an air about him that tells you you can trust his decisions and you should, at least when it comes to the food. Last time we went we were glancing through the menu and he sat down beside us and just asked us what we're feeling like. Like in the "what would you like from the menu?" kind of way but more of the "If it's Italian I can make it so tell me what's your hearts desire?" We chatted about the evenings events, then decided on the Gamberi & Funghi for our appetizer, Celeste had the Farfalle Amalfi and I, by suggestion of Armando, decided on his favorite, the Osso Buco (not on the menu) with spaghetti and meat sauce for my side(that was my idea). He replied with, "Ahhh, not a vegetarian are we...Meat sauce with your meat haha."

The Gamberi and Funghi was a plate of solid perfection. The shrimp and mushrooms were hearty, cooked to the consistency of jambalaya, served over a bed of lemony orzo. The sauce was balanced and not heavy or exhausting on the palate one bit. Truly a well crafted plate that rocked our socks.

The Osso Buco with spaghetti was an incredible surprise for me as I didn't know what to expect, all I really knew was that it's his favorite. He brought it out and the smell was huge. Boasting a huge beefy aroma, with hints of tomato thanks to the meat sauce. My mouth was instantly salivating. The braised veal shank was to DIE for! Veal is a tricky thing, and this was some of the most tender succulent veal I've tasted. Like butter in my mouth, it was tender and smooth. The simple stewed vegetables that accompanied it were the perfect compliment. The marrow of the bone (which Armando said to make sure I try) was like the concentrated essence of the entire shank. It wasn't gelatinous as some would presume, but more like a fatty piece of meat minus any gristle. The spaghetti and meat sauce were nice for me as I came with a big appetite. The noodles were perfectly al dente and the meat sauce was top notch, a veritable testimony in and of itself to the brains behind all his plates. A small note is that you should get wine. He pours generously and it goes great with all the meals.

This is Celeste's bowl of Farfalle Amalfi, a bowtie pasta with salmon throughout in a slightly peppery gorgonzola tomato sauce. It was mild but strong all at the same time, with the slight garlic and pepper flavors present and pleasant but in no way overpowering, and there were even chunks of tomato that were filled with that unidentifiable wholeness of flavor that must have been gently stewed into them. It was so well balanced that Celeste even said how silly she felt because she wasn't even worried about the quantity of salmon that was included (anyone else ever feel ripped off cause a pricey dish only included about 4 bites of the featured meat?).

We finished our meal by sharing a piece of the Tiramisu. Someone online had commented that it was the best they'd had, including New York. While I don't have the experience of those other areas to make that statement, I know this was an outstanding dessert on every level I could evaluate it. All the cakey layers were very moist, but didn't mush into the other layers or fall apart. As you ate it, there were phases of flavors, first a little ammoretto, the the chocolatey coffee cake and a slightly sweet creamy finish. We consumed it alongside an excellent espresso and latte, making a wonderful ending for our meal.

I really can't do this place enough justice with words. I hold this place in such high regard that words seem pointless. Very few people in LA know about this place but those who do know about it all give it nothing less than 4 out 5 stars(a rating of 4 being more the exception). Next time you're feeling Italian and want something that will knock your socks off, call and reserve your table at Caffe Carrera...I can promise you wholeheartedly that you will be not only be impressed, but you'll also be wondering why you would ever go anywhere else.

P.S. They deliver, cater, do take out and just about anything else you could want from a restaurant.

Drink Refills: You know what I don't know...I always get wine there. You should too.
Entree Price Ranges: $10 to $15 for appetizers and $17 to $30 for entrees.

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I'm finally back from possibly the first official vacation I was able to take since I started working. It's not that I haven't had time where I've been off, it's just that even those times I had to think about work. I went to the Arizona and let me say it's such a spectacle that it looks fake. It honest to goodness looks like a painting. While I was out there I stayed in Williams and thought about nothing related to work including writing on my site. Let me just say that it was one of the most refreshing times I've had in my life.

See it looks fake! I actually took this at the Grand Canyon:

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And in other news:

FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE INVITES YOU TO JOIN FOOD NETWORK'S DAVE LIEBERMAN AS HE HOSTS OUR GREEN PARTY

WHO: Food & Wine, the modern epicurean magazine, and Food Network's Dave Lieberman

WHAT: "Green Party", featuring hors d'oeuvres from chefs: Akasha Richmond, Akasha; Dominique Crenn, Abode; Sang Yoon, Father's Office; and Michael Cimarusti, Providence.

WHEN: Wednesday, August 15 from 7-9 PM

WHERE:At the home of Dave Lieberman in Hollywood Hills, California

CONTACT: Lori Lefevre 212.827.6403
917.627.0803/c
Sonia Zala 212.536.2014/o

Tickets are $100 per person with proceeds benefiting Food & Wine's Grow For Good, a national initiative dedicated to supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased until August 10 by calling 646.366.8644. Space is limited.