Feb
7,
2025
By Frank Elliott
Adjacent to both the Los Angeles Library and the historic Biltmore Hotel lies a new enclave of culinary mastery in Italian gourmet.
Settecento deems itself “a voyage across Italy with every dish” — a claim substantiated by the pure artisanship of their distinct atmosphere and thoughtful meals.
Entering the expansive property is like walking into the music of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Individual books of old stacked as column facades around the bar, violins and a tuba hanging from the ceiling, and an overall welcoming sentiment make Settecento an appropriate choice for both dining and drinking.
The sprawling courtyard that draws you into a curated garden dressed with stone pavers permeates like an escape from provincial monotony and is the perfect choice for any private event or wedding.
We began our meal with two appetizers: the Caprese — tomato, mozzarella, basil sauce — and the Polpo Grigliato — octopus, green beans, potato, olive. The stellar presentation of both matched their delicious taste!
For our main dishes, we opted to share the Gnocchi dell’Infanzia — heavy cream, peas, ham, porcini mushroom- a fantastic dish. The ham wasn’t overt and the dish was perfectly balanced. Our other entree was the Filet Mignon — mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes– unbelievably tender. Cooked to perfection and quite possibly one of the best steaks we’ve ever had (and we’ve been to the best steakhouses.)
For drinks we paired our dishes with a glass of La Corte (Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, Sangiovese, 2019, Tuscany, Italy) and Domaine Reverdy-Ducroux (Sancerre Beau Roy, 2023, Loire Valley, France.)
We even tried a pizza for good measure because when you go Italian — how could you not! We opted for the classic Margherita — tomato, mozzarella, basil. It had the right balance of a crispy crust but a soft, cheesy center. No surprise with their amazing in house pizza oven.
Not to be outdone, dessert was a classic cheesecake and tiramisu- once again among the best we’ve ever tried (and we’re picky about Tiramisu.) In fact, we enjoyed it so much we ate it without taking pictures!
We had an excellent time and look forward to making Settecento a mainstay for both dining and party needs.
If you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day reservation they have a great pre-fixe menu for the evening, and I’d book right away. You won’t be disappointed.
