La Sosta Enoteca

We had pasta, it was good. Overall, a great meal and a nice place to eat. Pros: Good food, nice atmosphere more

We had pasta, it was good. Overall, a great meal and a nice place to eat. Pros: Good food, nice atmosphere more

Not only was the food woefully overpriced ($20-$30 for a modest portion of pasta; $40 for entrees) and underwhelming, but the management proved to be completely unethical. When I used a $200 gift certificate for a $94 dinner tab, the manager refused to give me the rest back - as either credit or cash. I wasn't expecting money back, but certainly credit for future meals. They refused to let me have either and were rude in the process. Give that they already had the money (my staff had given them $200 for the purchase of the certificate as a gift), this practice is beyond unreasonable and well into unsavory. Pros: candle light Cons: bad attitude, overpriced food, stingy portions, mediocre meals more

Not only was the food woefully overpriced ($20-$30 for a modest portion of pasta; $40 for entrees) and underwhelming, but the management proved to be completely unethical. When I used a $200 gift certificate for a $94 dinner tab, the manager refused to give me the rest back - as either credit or cash. I wasn't expecting money back, but certainly credit for future meals. They refused to let me have either and were rude in the process. Give that they already had the money (my staff had given them $200 for the purchase of the certificate as a gift), this practice is beyond unreasonable and well into unsavory. If anyone is considering going there, I'd take a pass. There are many better, cheaper and more honest establishments in the area. Pros: candle light Cons: bad attitude, overpriced food, stingy portions, mediocre meals more

Bottom line - The food is good, the the atmosphere is good, BUT the portions are quite a bit smaller than you will get at an average Italian restaurant, the service is poor, and this place is extremely OVER PRICED. I have no problem spending a nice chunk of change for a good piece of meet. But come one, we are talking about $25 for a plate of pasta which costs about 35 cents. Great Italian food should not be this expensive. more

Bottom line - The food is good, the the atmosphere is good, BUT the portions are quite a bit smaller than you will get at an average Italian restaurant, the service is poor, and this place is extremely OVER PRICED. I have no problem spending a nice chunk of change for a good piece of meet. But come one, we are talking about $25 for a plate of pasta which costs about 35 cents. Great Italian food should not be this expensive. more

I'd like to start this review by saying I am definately and LA eater and will spend an atrocious amount of money for good food. This restaurant has high prices similar to a top rated LA star chef but I am not sure its fair for the quality of food you recieve. We had a caprese salad which was quite outstanding however we paid $17 for it! That was a bit ridiculous. We also tried a delcious bean salad-- beans, sauteed onions, and raddichio-- also $17 dollars. The food was all around very good but the portions are quite small the the prices quite high. Keep this in mind when you are visiting. For this reason, it will probably be another 4 years until we return. more

I'd like to start this review by saying I am definately and LA eater and will spend an atrocious amount of money for good food. This restaurant has high prices similar to a top rated LA star chef but I am not sure its fair for the quality of food you recieve. We had a caprese salad which was quite outstanding however we paid $17 for it! That was a bit ridiculous. We also tried a delcious bean salad-- beans, sauteed onions, and raddichio-- also $17 dollars. The food was all around very good but the portions are quite small the the prices quite high. Keep this in mind when you are visiting. For this reason, it will probably be another 4 years until we return. more

After years of passing by La Sosta Enoteca, my wife and I finally decided to give it a try. What a revelation!! Everything about LSE is right from the top drawer. The food is prepared with the respect for each individual ingredient that Italians have hard-coded in their DNA, and the dishes reflect the fierce regionality and austerity that is a hallmark of 'la Cucina Italiana'. And, of course, it is all absolutely delicious, and complemented with a fantastic wine list. I will not dispute or disparage the negative reviews that are on this page - I was not there, so I cannot say what someone else's experience was like. I will just say that my own experience was markedly different. This was unquestionably the most authentic Italian dining experience I've had outside of Italy. I feel too many American's perception of Italian food has been shaped by the red sauce/checkered tablecloth stereotype, and that's unfortunate. Frankly, my own tendency is to avoid 'Italian' restaurants in this country altogether, because they cater too much to that American sensibility - Olive Garden must be 'authentic' cos they have a cooking school in central Tuscany. Phooey! The true beauty of Italian food, regardless of its region of origin, is simplicity and balance. La Sosta Enoteca, however, is that rarest of exceptions. An Italian restaurant in America that not only holds on to its roots, but shows them off with dazzling expertise and panache. True, it's not cheap, and the parking situation leaves a lot to be desired. But I cannot wait to go back and really explore the menu. Highest possible recommendation. Pros: True Northern Italian food experience Cons: Poor parking, a little pricey more

After years of passing by La Sosta Enoteca, my wife and I finally decided to give it a try. What a revelation!! Everything about LSE is right from the top drawer. The food is prepared with the respect for each individual ingredient that Italians have hard-coded in their DNA, and the dishes reflect the fierce regionality and austerity that is a hallmark of 'la Cucina Italiana'. And, of course, it is all absolutely delicious, and complemented with a fantastic wine list. Pros: True Northern Italian food experience Cons: Poor parking, a little pricey more

This is the best Italian food in the South Bay. Period. The ingredients are top notch and everything is executed to perfection. My wife and I live down the street, and this is one of our favorite places to grab a bite. Pros: Solid Italian Food Cons: A bit pricey more

This is the best Italian food in the South Bay. Period. The ingredients are top notch and everything is executed to perfection. My wife and I live down the street, and this is one of our favorite places to grab a bite. The cutting board, an assortment of cured meats and cheeses, is the standout appetizer. My favorite is the buffalo reggiano with the truffle honey. For the primi piatti, go for any of the gnocchi, as they are some of the softest potato pillows I've had this side of Rome. Also, the duck papardelle is a standout. For the secondi, I would say the fish is a standout. Mediterranean fish like Orada and Branzino are often on the menu and have all been excellent. For desert, go with the profiteroles with chocolate sauce; you won't regret it. The wine list is pretty good, if your are in the mood for an interesting Italian wine. The atmosphere is great and the decor is sheik. Almost everyone who works here is Italian, so if you close your eyes, you might even imagine yourself on a busy Roman street, as you sip your Barolo. So why only four stars, you may ask? The answer is simple: the portions are too small. While the food is excellent, the prices are on the high side and it inexcusable that they give you so little (especially on the pasta dishes). I don't mind paying for good food, but even I have a limit. Also, the seating is incredibly tight and the tables are actually very low. I'm 6'6", so my legs have trouble clearing the bottom of the table. If they up the portion sizes, I would give this restaurant five stars and would be there weekly. Still, it is definitely worth trying at least once. Pros: Solid Italian Food Cons: A bit pricey more

We had heard from friends this restaurant was worth visiting. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday. Forget the overpriced food, but when we ordered our entrees, his the gnocci with lobster AND my fettucini with meat and mushrooms arrived over salty. My mouth filled with anticipation quickly led to disappointment. The waiter took my pasta back and the owner came out to see if I would want another dish without the meat as he thought that might have been what was salty. Then another pasta dish came out and THAT was very salty. Our dining neighbors also agreed that their dishes were very salty as well who were also out trying to enjoy a birthday too.. The third plate was soggy wet noodles with no taste and my tongue was laced with salt at that point and could not even think of eating. The horrible part of it all was when I got the bill, the owner intentionally wanted to charge me close to $30 for something I didn't even eat!! He argued with me in front of all the dining customers for at least 10 minutes. HOW RUDE! Finally, he took it off the bill. I will not be going back there again! For that much money for just an average experience, there are far better places to go.! more

We had heard from friends this restaurant was worth visiting. more

I say micro because you will need a microscope to find your portion of food on your plate!! The portions were so ridiculously small that it was the bunt of our jokes at the table. (However, the bill was no laughing matter.) Way overpriced -- Imagine ""Olive Garden Restaurant"" quality at Quadruple the price. Sauce was like Ragu and their meat dishes rubbery. And to top it off? Service was downright rude and arrogant. Save your pocketbook and stomach and dine elsewhere!! Pros: Portions perfect for the dieter Cons: Lousy Food, Lousy Service more

I say micro because you will need a microscope to find your portion of food on your plate!! The portions were so ridiculously small that it was the bunt of our jokes at the table. (However, the bill was no laughing matter.) Way overpriced -- Imagine "Olive Garden Restaurant" quality at Quadruple the price. Sauce was like Ragu and their meat dishes rubbery. And to top it off? Service was downright rude and arrogant. Save your pocketbook and stomach and dine elsewhere!! Pros: Portions perfect for the dieter Cons: Lousy Food, Lousy Service more

I read krazytrails 4/07 review and had to respond. First, you should understand the credit card authorization procedure before you bash a restaurant/waiter. The restaurant doesn't control which cards are declined and which arent - your BANK controls it via computer. If the waiter explained that Frequent Flyer cards are getting declined more often it was just a general observation (nothing the restaurant can control). Furthermore, the bank will ONLY speak to the cardholder when it declines a card. What could the waiter possibly say to them? "She's REALLY nice." Or "She SWEARS she has the credit available." Get a grip. Now...for La Sosta Enoteca. Saturday was my 4th visit to this establishment. We arrived at 8pm to a bustling crowd and a lively atmosphere. The venue (as well as the food) are Northern Italy all the way. This is as authentic as it gets. Waiters are mostly Italian and they have excellent knowledge of the menu. Trust me, solicit the waiter's advice with regard to portions and wine pairings - you will be pleased. The atmosphere is warm and the food is done to perfection in traditional Northern Italian style. It isn't a "cheap" evening but I find that the prices are very fair and reasonable, especially for an experience that is unique in the Los Angeles area... Pros: Atmosphere and Food more

I read krazytrails 4/07 review and had to respond. First, you should understand the credit card authorization procedure before you bash a restaurant/waiter. The restaurant doesn't control which cards are declined and which arent - your BANK controls it via computer. If the waiter explained that Frequent Flyer cards are getting declined more often it was just a general observation (nothing the restaurant can control). Furthermore, the bank will ONLY speak to the cardholder when it declines a card. What could the waiter possibly say to them? ""She's REALLY nice."" Or ""She SWEARS she has the credit available."" Get a grip. Pros: Atmosphere and Food more

Three of my girlfriends and myself went to La Sosta on a Friday nite to have a mellow evening out at La Sosta. Although the place is quite homey, the acoustics were pretty terrible. We couldn't understand anything our waiter was saying because he spoke with a heavy accent and when we asked for him to repeat what he was saying, he was highly irritated and snappy. I ordered the fish special which was 40 bucks!! I could have prepared this dish myself. My plate consisited of a piece of grilled fish and some veggies. There wasn't much effort in presentation for such an expensive meal. The lobster gnocchi was good (I sneaked a piece off my girlfriend), but a bit rich (would be good to share with someone accompanied by a salad). When it was time to pay the bill, I paid with my credit card. The waiter came back and yelled at me that the card was rejected. I told him that it was impossible ....that I had just used my credit card without any hassle and he insisted that it was my fault. I never felt so embarassed!!! I felt like I was a criminal with a stolen credit card. He demanded that I call the credit card company instead of himself (he didn't want to be bothered). As I was trying to hear the c/c company over the phone (which was impossible with the acoustics), a different waitress from the restaurant came up to me and told me that they had problems with frequent flyer credit cards (which was the type of card I had). It would've been nice if the waiter would've told me this instead of acting hostile towards me. In addition, if they know that this is a problem, why wouldn't they fix it? I was never approached by a manager and I never received an apology from anyone. So if into being yelled at and treated like a criminal by a stuck up waiter.....then this is the place for you. Cons: degrading service /overpriced more

Three of my girlfriends and myself went to La Sosta on a Friday nite to have a mellow evening out at La Sosta. Although the place is quite homey, the acoustics were pretty terrible. We couldn't understand anything our waiter was saying because he spoke with a heavy accent and when we asked for him to repeat what he was saying, he was highly irritated and snappy. I ordered the fish special which was 40 bucks!! I could have prepared this dish myself. My plate consisited of a piece of grilled fish and some veggies. There wasn't much effort in presentation for such an expensive meal. The lobster gnocchi was good (I sneaked a piece off my girlfriend), but a bit rich (would be good to share with someone accompanied by a salad). When it was time to pay the bill, I paid with my credit card. The waiter came back and yelled at me that the card was rejected. I told him that it was impossible ....that I had just used my credit card without any hassle and he insisted that it was my fault. I never felt so embarassed!!! I felt like I was a criminal with a stolen credit card. He demanded that I call the credit card company instead of himself (he didn't want to be bothered). As I was trying to hear the c/c company over the phone (which was impossible with the acoustics), a different waitress from the restaurant came up to me and told me that they had problems with frequent flyer credit cards (which was the type of card I had). It would've been nice if the waiter would've told me this instead of acting hostile towards me. In addition, if they know that this is a problem, why wouldn't they fix it? I was never approached by a manager and I never received an apology from anyone. So if into being yelled at and treated like a criminal by a stuck up waiter.....then this is the place for you. Cons: degrading service /overpriced more