Vin Bar/Valentino

I have written about Vin Bar/Valentino numerous times. I think it is the best Italian restaurant in Los Angeles. Chef Nico is so talented and there is no better restauranteur than Piero. We never look at a menu – we just let Nico cook and Piero chooses the wine.

Champagne to start

Croquette filled with spinach sitting in a pool of parmesan fondue – delicious

Lobster crudo that had been marinated in anchovies on a bed of fresh orange topped with thinly sliced onion sprouts – another absolute winner

White wine

Now Piero and I got into a discussion about white truffles. I mentioned that so many of the truffles we have had in restaurants are poor quality and taste like cardboard. Piero asked if we wanted to see his alba white truffles.

Piero and Chef Nico with the truffles – top notch quality!

Close-up of the beautiful truffles – of course we asked for a course that would include truffles

Peppered Monkfish and butternut pistachio soup – an inspired combination executed to perfection

Red Wine

Tortellini stuffed with veal brain that had been sautéed in butter topped with a generous amount of Alba white truffles – finally truffles that tasted like truffles

This is NOT Chef Nico’s plating. My husband forgot to take a picture and this was our take-out portion -we were getting full so this is what we took home. Chicken stuffed with sausage, chestnuts and porcini mushrooms sitting on a bed of risotto parmesan with shaved white Alba truffles – a nod to Thanksgiving and just stupendous.

We decided to forgo cheese and dessert.

This was a perfect meal served beautifully, executed with precision accompanied by terrific wines. What more can one ask for?

 

Vin Bar/Valentino

In all my posts about Vin Bar/Valentino I have made it clear that I consider this restaurant one of the finest in Los Angeles. This is NOT a stuffy restaurant. This is not a restaurant for those over 50. This is a contemporary restaurant that is fun dining at its best. Piero Selvaggio is one of the best restaurateurs in the country. Chef Nico Chessa is an extremely creative chef handling the best seasonal ingredients with contemporary flair. We never look at a menu. We just let Chef Nico cook and Piero pick the wines. I urge the younger set to give it a try – you will be wowed by how good this restaurant is.

We started with a glass of champagne – not pictured.

First wine

On the left smoked salmon, orange, almonds, arugula. On the right Dungeness crab, watercress, melon, cucumber, baby cherry tomato – the ingredients sang and were perfect given the unbearably hot days that has plagued Los Angeles

Baked Ricotta cheese, spinach, white asparagus, candied walnuts, aged balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil – again a masterful combination of ingredients

Second Wine

Cold tomato soup, fresh oregano, bottarga, burrata cheese – not your ordinary tomato soup – this just screamed great ingredients handled perfectly

I am not going to do this dish justice by my description. This is a dish that was created by Chef Nico’s mother. It is a rice salad, with La Tur cheese, roasted ham flavored with truffles, peas, tomato – A+++

Third Wine

On the left slipper lobster wrapped in speck, tomato. On the right, veal salad –  roasted slices of veal, parmesan, roasted fennel, roasted beets, butter lettuce, olive oil from Umbria – now the photo doesn’t do these two dishes justice – they were inspired, contemporary and creative that would easily win Top Chef.

Cheese – I forgot to write the name -it was a combination of cow’s milk and goat’s milk, walnuts, strawberries, barolo wine

This dinner by Chef Nico was off the charts fantastic. He has an ability to extract the best from an ingredient without losing the instrinic quality of the ingredient. His blending of flavors is stupendous and couple that with Piero’s wine pairings you can expect a meal of Michelin 3 star quality in an atmosphere that is great for both the young and old.

Vin Bar/Valentino

I have written glowing report after glowing report about Vin Bar/Valentino. The extraordinary thing about this restaurant is its consistency – you will always have superb food, incredible wines and stupendous service. This is an A+ restaurant and honestly it just doesn’t get better than this.

My camera decided to cease for the night so the first course plus the first two white wines are not pictured. Thank goodness for John’s cell phone camera.

Our wines for the evening were spectacular.

We started with Schramsberg. Then we had a spectacular sauvignon blanc from south tyrol Alto Adige 2012 and afterward a Fiano di Avellno,Campania Antiche Terre 2010. Piero picks the best wines that compliments the food extraordinarily.

Red wines were Gotico

and Barbaresco.

Dinner by Chef Nico was off the charts fantastic. He has an ability to extract the best from an ingredient without losing the instrinic quality of the ingredient. His blending of flavors is stupendous and couple that with Piero’s wine pairings you can expect a meal of Michelin 3 star quality.

Fresh Burrata cheese, basil olive oil on a bed of golden and red beets topped with micro greens.

Not pictured: Swordfish carpaccio marinated in peperoncino herbs and pomegranete, sprinkled with pistachio and chili flakes

Calamari brodetto (literally translated as an Italian fish stew) stuffed with shrimp, white wine, cherry tomato, oregano, parsley

Monkfish marinated with herbs baked on a bed of caponata, green pea sauce

Ravioli cacio e peppe ( translated as literally meaning cheese and pepper), the ravioli was filled with  pecorino cheese and barlotta pear, butter, sage, pepper

Pici with a ragu of wild boar

Rabbit stuffed with apples, mashed potatoes, polenta, string beans, carrots

Cheese Course ( at this point I stopped taking notes!)

Dessert Course

What a meal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vin Bar/Valentino

Vin Bar/Valentino is the best Italian restaurant in this city. Piero Selvaggio ranks as one of the finest restaurateurs in the country. By choice we eat at the casual Vin Bar, but whether you choose casual or the more elegant Valentino you will have an incredible meal. Chef Nico Chessa has just devised a completely new menu that is innovative and creative emphasizing the 2 regions reflecting Piero’s and Nico’s origins, Sicily and Sardinia.

The idea behind this meal was for us to taste as many of the new dishes from the brand-new menu. Superb is an understatement. All comments that Valentino is over the hill are absurd. This was as creative and innovative a menu as any Italian restaurant anywhere in the country. Let me add as we were trying so many dishes we were served “family style” so we could split the dishes at the table.

Piero and Chef Nico

We never BYO at Valentino given Piero’s exceptional wine list plus his extraordinary ability to pair just the right wine with the food. We did start with some champagne not pictured.

First wine

1. Cannnoli di Tonno : Savory cannoli filled with tuna mousse – almost like a tuna tartare –  the tuna was extraordinary and the cannoli a perfect “wrapping”  2. Arancine di mare: seafood rice balls – a one bite wonder 3. Cazzilli: Vegetarian croquette – what sets Chef Nico apart from other chefs is his deft hand with the freshest of ingredients.

1. Seppie con carciofi e bottarga “sgranata” – Cuttlefish with artichokes and cured mullet roe – bottarga – absolutely stunning – the freshest of fish handled perfectly with an extraordinary blend of ingredients  2. Cervella di vitello donate con cipolle all’ agrodolce – Veal brain fritters with sweet and sour onions – an absolute must order dish with the onions adding the perfect accompaniment.

Spaghetti aglio e olio i ricci di mare o alla bottarge di muggine – spaghetti with olive and garlic – the first in the photo was made with Sardinian bottarga and the second in the photo was made with Catalina Island sea urchin – both were incredible but Chef Nico knows my love of sea urchin and I literally “inhaled” each bite.  Old-fashioned food – absolutely not!

Third Wine

1. Malloreddus con purpuzza e fiore Sardo – Morsel pasta with just made sausage ragu and pecorino cheese – Many Italian restaurants will tell you that they make their pasta in house – to be honest one of the few restaurants that I truly believe this claim to be true is Valentino.  2. Zuccotto di melanzane al Ragusano e pennette- Penne with eggplant, tomato basil and Ragusano cheese – both dishes were perfectly executed.

Fourth Wine

Excuse the photo as the photographer was busy eating and was lousy on the photo. Above the dish as presented with half eaten food!

Roasted veal served with

Zucchini and mushroom Tortino

Lamb stew with red wine, potatoes, olives and crown dill

Grilled young chicken with lemon sauce and baby greens

All three were fantastic showing extraordinary skill and depth of flavor.

We were quite full but Piero insisted we have a cheese course – how could I say no!

Cheese Course

Dessert wine

To be honest my note taking was taking a dive  – as best as I can recollect – prickly pear sorbet, cannoli and panna cotta – Piero did write Bianco Mangiare Bronte.

To say that this was a fantastic meal is a huge understatement. Every single item we had is on the new menu so you don’t have to be known to have any of these items. All you have to do is go, order from the new menu and enjoy one of the finest meals you will have anywhere in this country. A must for anyone who loves great food! I am just waiting for the day when Chef Nico wins Iron Chef and Top Chef Masters.  He is that good!

Vin Bar/Valentino

I have been raving about Valentino for years, but now I absolutely recommend Valentino as a destination restaurant as Valentino is unequivocally the best Italian restaurant in Los Angeles. By choice we eat at the casual Vin Bar but you can have an elegant dinner at Valentino; whether casual or elegant you will have a wonderfully orchestrated meal with superb service and cuisine. At most restaurants we BYO, never at Valentino. Piero’s wine list is extensive and extraordinary and we just let Piero choose the wine. Chef Nico has just introduced a new menu and it is off the charts superb. We just let Chef Nico choose our tasting menu and he always “blows us away.”

New Chef Nico special menu – you can order Valentino classic dishes but do try the inventive and contemporary creations of Chef Nico

Champagne to start

Shrimp and Zucchini Fritter on a bed of peach sauce – a one bite wonder

White wine – one of the best white wines I have had at Valentino

Crustacean “Spezzatino” ( stew of crab, scallops and calamari) with seaweed calamari salad and sea urchin dressing – each element was executed perfectly with both taste and texture a delight

2nd white wine

Tortino Ragusano – A Sicilian Vegetarian Dish – Zucchini, Kale, Abalone Mushrooms with a Pomodoro sauce of red and yellow tomatoes greatly reduced – no cream. This also made me want to become a vegetarian!

“Ragusano is an Italian PDO protected cheese made exclusively in provinces of Ragusa and Siracusa, Sicily. It is one of the oldest cheeses in Sicily with evidence dating as early as 1500.  Originally known by the name of Caciocavallo, it lost its historical name after it acquired the recognition of PDO. A hard cheese from the pasta filata family, Ragusano is made with whole milk from Modicana breed of cows fed on fresh grass or hay.”

Calamari stuffed with whitefish and calamari heads topped with fresh tomato and oregano in a seafood broth – this is serious food from a very talented chef – the seafood broth was wondrous and the calamari cooked perfectly

Red Wine

Crudo of Kobe Beef Tongue Carpaccio with Maui Onions and Black Truffle Emulsion, Arugula – OH MY!!!!!! A+++

Crespelle (crepes) stuffed with wild mushrooms, shaved black truffles with a saucing of truffle fondue – this dish reflects Valentino’s concept — “It is our philosophy and inspiration to use Italian cuisine as our canvas. Our palette consists of only the freshest, most natural and delicious ingredients available.”

2nd Red Wine

Sweetbreads Agnolottti with Pear Puree, Parmigiano Spuma, Candied Roasted Walnuts, Ricotta Cream Sauce – I sound like a broken record but another winner

Elk with Porcini Mushrooms, Roasted Walnuts and a sauce of the porcini mushrooms and parsley – the meat was fork tender and seasoned to perfection. The mushrooms were the perfect foil for the meat.

This was a spectacular meal from beginning to end with A+ everything — wine, service, cuisine – just perfect. I urge everyone to run not walk to Valentino and make it one of their regular haunts. It is more than worth it.