It’s time to try a new lunch place! Settecento recently opened in Downtown Los Angeles, just in time for Dine LA Restaurant Week! I thought I wouldn’t be in Los Angeles for Dine LA, but I luckily, I was so I got to try it! Located right next to the Los Angeles Public Library, I wasn’t sure if I would like this Italian restaurant (I’m not a huge fan of Italian food).
When we approached the restaurant, we heard music from the restaurant. The place was packed! The restaurant had pretty cool decorations – violins and trombones hanging from the ceiling and books covering up the columns. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, and with the nice weather, we got to sit outside. I typically don’t prefer outdoor seating, but it was pretty loud inside the restaurant, so I am glad we got a table outside!
The manager led us to our table and made sure the table and chairs were clean and dry before seating us. The plates and cups are so cute. We ordered from the Dine LA menu, which the manager mentioned they may make permanent since it has been so popular. For $25 per person, you can choose an appetizer and a pasta or pizza from the list! The dessert is the Chef’s Daily Selection, for an additional $5.
Appetizers
My friends got the soup of the day and I got the Insalata del Settecento.
Insalata del Settecento – lettuce, raddichio, frisee, cucumber, radish, tomato, carrot, hardboiled egg, balsamic dressing – I really enjoyed the salad! Even though it didn’t look like a lot when it arrived, the eggs and avocado made up for it. It was just enough for me to not be too full for my entree. I liked the choice of ingredients in this salad!
Pasta & Pizza
I decided to order a pizza while the rest of my table got a pasta.
Pomodoro e Basilico – three tomato blend, basil – I didn’t try this pasta, but the sauce looked really good.
Cannelloni alla Genovese di Manzo – beef, onion, bechamel sauce, parmesan – I got to try a bite of the beef cannelloni. The cannelloni was a bit thicker than I was expecting. I would try another pasta if I come again though – I saw there was a truffle pasta, but unfortunately it wasn’t on the menu when we were there!
Funghi & Salsiccia Pizza – mozzarella, mushroom, Italian sausages, parsley – I loved the pizza I ordered! When it arrived, I was pretty surprised at the size. I thought it would have been much smaller. The pizza was cut into 6 slices, and I was only able to eat three. The amount of cheese was just right, and I really liked the texture and thickness of the crust. This pizza smelled so good even after I put it in the take out box! I wanted to eat it the rest of the day. I just wish there were a few more pieces of Italian sausage.
The chef’s daily selection of dessert was an Italian cheesecake, which we decided not to try today. I would like to try their tiramisu next time though!
Overall, I enjoyed this meal. The salad and pizza were both delicious. There are also breakfast, brunch, dinner, and happy hour options, so I’ll want to check those out one day! The manager was very happy that the restaurant was already so packed with only two weeks of opening, and even asked us how we heard about the restaurant. I can’t wait to visit again!