Americans tend to think of Italy as a both a country and a culture, forgetting (or given some American educations, never having known) that the place had no political unity from the fall of the Roman Empire to a mere hundred years ago. Indeed, a Sicilian and a resident of Milan speak such different dialects that they can barely understand each other, and neither can make sense of the colorful slang of Naples. Italy may now be one country, but it is not and never has been one culture.
Among the more detached bits of Italy is Venice, which has been an independent country or a subject state of Austria for most of its history. This is reflected in its cuisine, which is more subtle than the dishes of the south and has more seafood and rice dishes than the west. Venetian food is relatively little known in America, but Hermosa’s La Sosta is doing their best to change that.
We entered a room quieter, more tranquil than when it was Amori Ristorante – fitting, because La Sosta means “The Resting Place.” Our waiter described the evening’s specials at length, but with so many unusual regional items, we ended up relying on our waiter’s suggestions. After a brief conversation, we asked him to arrange a menu with some of the most typically Venetian dishes, even if those were not items most Americans tend to order. He seemed slightly skeptical that we’d like all of it, but became enthusiastic when we convinced him that we really expected to enjoy the more arcane items.
The first item to arrive was polenta with gorgonzola, a soft corn cake topped with crumbles of blue cheese. Though the taste of polenta is nearly always the same, like a rich essence of corn, the texture can vary from molten to bread-like. The version here was halfway in between, firm enough to be a contrast with the slowly melting blue cheese. Unlike most polenta, which is made with yellow corn, this was made with white, and had a slightly milder, sweeter flavor. Though the portion was small given that the starter ran ten dollars, the flavor was interesting enough that we felt it was worth it.
We also tried a rustic starter called Cippollotti Saltati, described as leeks sautéed in olive oil. There might have been some other herbs or a dash of wine in there somewhere, but if so they were subtle – this was one of those peasant dishes that just allows good ingredients to shine. We were perfectly happy with it and devoured every morsel.
La Sosta describes itself as an enoteca, or wine bar, and the good selection of Italian wines both by the bottle and glass makes the name appropriate. Unfortunately the wine list lacks descriptions and is printed in a small ornate font. Fortunately, the staff knows the wines and is happy to offer tastes, so we were able to select glasses of Plozner Tokai and Sistri Tuscan Chardonnay to enjoy with the starters. The Tokai was particularly interesting; I think of Tokai as a dessert wine, but this semi-dry, fresh wine was excellent with both of our starters.
Our main courses were Seppe in Unido – cuttlefish slow-cooked in tomato sauce – and spaghetti in anchovy sauce. (We had decided on an all seafood meal because our waiter said these were the most typical dishes of the Veneto region. This is not to say that Venetians don’t eat meat, and we noticed some nice looking steaks on the menu even though we wondered about the logistics of raising it. Farmers in a city-state where canals are the main method of transportation must have a problem, given that cows and pigs are poor swimmers.)
I had been interested in the cuttlefish partly because of the novelty of finding something this authentic in Los Angeles. The rich tomato and herb broth with seafood probably won’t convert someone who dislikes eating tentacles, but it was warmly flavorful and quite enjoyable. The seafood was understated, nicely paired with herbal flavors and a dash of garlic that made the dish interesting.
The anchovy spaghetti was more robust, the richly flavored fish in a creamy lightly peppery sauce. Americans who are used to cheap preserved anchovies think of anchovies as intensely salty and oily but when well-treated they can be delicious and subtle. Even if I try a different main course the next time I’m here to sample more of this menu, I might get a plate of this pasta to share as a starter. The spaghetti was nicely complemented by a glass of Nero D’Avola, a Sicilian wine more typically enjoyed with red meats like beef and lamb. I would have never thought of pairing it with seafood pasta, but after the waiter poured a sip I was hooked.
We finished with a tiramisu, a dessert whose invention is claimed by both Venice and the nearby town of Treviso. The version at La Sosta was lighter than most served around LA, with a bit less coffee flavor than usual but a very good balance of chocolate, mascarpone cheese, and sweet wine.
Dinner at La Sosta was very good but on the expensive side – we spent $75.00 on food for two, $43.00 on four glasses of wine, and though we enjoyed the experience that’s above our everyday budget. Still, we won’t hesitate to return for a special event, or just one of those nights when a really relaxing Italian meal is what the doctor ordered.
La Sosta is located at 2700 Manhattan Avenue in Hermosa. Open for dinner only, Tu-Su. Wine and Italian liquors served, valet parking on weekends. Call 310-318-1556 for reservations.
