This is a classic Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills that you might easily drive by that is really worth a visit. The restaurant itself is extremely elegant with a main dining room, bar area and a lounge with live music (normally a Latin jazz style) and a separate dining area for any overflow.

There is a new chef at the restaurant, David Santiago, who committed to the owners for 1 year and he is only a couple of months into the revamping of the restaurant and especially the menu. However his assistant Luca has been brought in from Turin to take over next year, so the quality flow should be maintained.

Santiago had his own restaurant before in Long Beach called Suva, but lost it due to a landlord dispute, so now he brings his ‘Urban Italian’ cuisine to Beverly Hills. The early part of the evening brings in the older well heeled Beverly Hills crowd who just want to eat a decent meal and then go home, and then later the idea is for the younger hipper crowd moving in.

They will love the bar snacks including the pizza station, and the array of 22 martinis prepared by three mixologists who really know their stuff. My favorites include the True Romance, Massachusetts Moonshine, and Hendrix Gin.

As for the food then there are several standouts that need to be mentioned. Let’s start with the bread that is baked in house, and which is as fresh as any I have ever tasted. Salads are special here and none more so than the Caesar Salad ($11), and my companion stated it was the best she had ever tasted, thanks probably due to the homemade dressing. Another hit was the Steamed Manila Clams ($11) in a white wine sauce.

The artesan pizzas, stated earlier, are prepared in the special imported oven, and we went for the Fresh Salmon Pizza ($17), more than enough for two people w/mushrooms and roasted red peppers. It comes with a regular thick crust and is one of the best sellers on the menu. Next time I will maybe try the Black Beauty, spicy sausage, black olives, tomato and gorgonzola. Or maybe it will be the Shrimp Pepper, Roasted tri-color peppers, white shrimp, herbs and fresh lemon juice.

Another dish to try when you go from the new menu is the unsalted Zebra Lobster Ravioli which comes eight to a plate, and will give you a completely fresh take on this classic Italian favorite. Since the menu is constantly changing entity, I just want to give an idea on how versatile the cooking here is.

I really hope this place becomes a success if only for the investment of the owners and the energy being put in by chef Santiago. Happy Hour is 4-7 pm each day where many of the menu favorites are half price.

Delfini Citta
8635 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Tel: (310) 659-9555
Fax: (310) 659-9559
www.delfinicitta.com
Street Parking and Parking Lot
Dress: Smart