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Aioli Restaurant - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
1261 Cabrillo AveSte 100
Torrance, CA 90501
Neighborhood: Torrance
(310) 320-9200
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- No
11 reviews for Aioli Restaurant
11 reviews in English
-
Review from Audrey T.
Oakland, CA
7/29/2008
I may be a bit biased since I came here for a drug rep dinner, meaning my meal was free, but the service was great and the food was really good. I got the bruschetta, which had a nice twist with the addition of mango salsa in the middle of the arrangement of the tomato and basil-topped slices.
For the entree, I got the salmon, which was topped with a mushroom sauce and served with rice and mixed veggies. The sides were nothing special, but the salmon itself was great. For dessert, they served banana bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberry slices. That was not spectacular, but yummy as well. If only I didnt get out of work so late, I would consider checking out their happy hours, which I believe are 4-6pm. -
Review from Greg D.
Woodland Hills, CA
4/21/2008
Restaurant decor and setting was surprisingly aesthetic - nice atmosphere with lots of natural light, nice linens and luxe table settings. However, the chairs are uncomfortably upright and unpadded - unless you like sitting through a lunch with a metal plate lodged in your mid back.
Anyways, onto the menu: benign at best and it honestly can't figure out what it wants to be... a mix of Italian, Mediterranean, Asian fusion and unfortunately none of them well. For example, the pastas were all doughy and thick which leads to overcooking which leads to raviolis which resemble used Kleenex and topped with a watery tasteless sauce.
Their special wine room is a decent private setting for a business lunch. But bottom-line, I wouldn't go here on my own dime. -
Review from sarah k.
Tustin, CA
12/20/2006
The biggest issue I have with this place? The menu doesn't speak to me. I'm always left staring and wondering what to get since nothing on the menu quite jumps out at me. I've tried the grilled halibut, skirt steak, italian sausage + mushroom pizza, pasta, blackened chicken ... and it's all just alright. Better than average, but nothing to write home about.
Service can sometimes be slow, as it was today. Clientele during the lunch hour consists of mostly older men in suits. It always seems a bit loud inside as well. And if you can, sit with your back facing the windows. The light coming in can be annoyingly bright in the dim restaurant.
There is free valet service out front which is always nice and convenient. Sometimes they even offer a car wash for $15 while you eat.
If it were up to me, I'd opt to eat at Yuzu instead. It's just across the way... -
Review from Lisa U.
Glendale, CA
7/9/2008
Pricey for what it is.
I really like their sandwiches, and the bread they bring out in the beginning.
However, what killed this place for me was their Seafood Salad.
They should have called it TENTACLE SALAD.
It said that it was calamari, octopus, and shrimp on a bed of greens, served with tequila-lime dressing. The "calamari" part was misleading because none of the seafood was fried, it's just straight up
Boiled, Jiggly, Squiggly, TENTACLES.
Creepy.
And they weren't kidding when they say tequila-lime dressing. It would be better suited in a shot glass, than on a bowl of tentacle salad.
I would go back for something safer, and only if someone else is paying. -
Review from Sara D.
Torrance, CA
7/10/2007
How has this place managed to stay open all these years? Food is in a word BAD. It's just tasteless and bland. Had paella there a while back it was gross and crunchy. The seafood smelled too seafoody it had to have been old or frozen. Also we sat in the dining area and the hostest would not stop squaking. It was like she thought she was at home or something.
Sangria is good, they need to sell it in Pitchers. But I get it charging $7 for a glass makes them more money. That's how they stay in business! -
Review from Peter P.
Huntington Beach, CA
1/9/2008
I thought this was going to be a Spanish restaurant given the name....it's actually more Italian. Same thing as Toshil said: if someone else is paying, it's a nice spot to have lunch. The swordfish was pretty good...not the greatest. Others in my group said that the shrimps had dirt and shells in them. The location and glass windows are very nice though...they do have a nice bar.... I do like aioli, which comes as service with bread before the meal starts. I would definatley go here for a drink with some friends...
-
Review from Tony G.
Renton, WA
10/27/2006
Only four stars until I actually eat here. I experienced their food as a catered dish... Loks, canoli, pasta salad, garlic bread, and so many more. I kinda HAVE to make a good review. Fifth star will probably pop out once I make a visit.
-
Review from Jill k.
10/27/2005
my only qualm is that they charge you for bread; that ain't right!
otherwise, their food is very good and nicely executed. i found their risotto to be particularly tasty! -
Review from Ann C.
11/8/2007
After you get over the fact that you're in a strip mall, you find this really cool looking restaurant inside. We started with wines... and, after a weekend in Napa, reviewing their wine list was short... I guess. That riesling I had could not have been a riesling, it tasted more like a chard. Tapas are always a good bet. It's cheap and not to filling. The mussels and salads were well worth their price, if not more. I could had more asparagus for the value, but it was nicely seasoned. Oh... pass on the chicken tandori. It's dry and they only give you two pieces the size of chicken strips. All in all, I found the place... just OK.
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Review from Toshi I.
1/1/2008
This is a nice restaurant, tastefully decorated, however the food isn't up to par at least for me. I've been here mainly for business lunches and each time, I've felt the food was good but not stellar but overpriced. The cafe for more casual lunch makes me wonder if it's basically the same food but at a more affordable price. I'm not crazy about mayonnaise based sauces like aioli to begin with so I may be biased to begin with. It's worth a visit if the tab's not on you.
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Review from Aly D.
4/26/2007
do you ever wonder things? like... do you ever wonder if some chefs actually taste their food? i wonder that. i especially wondered that here at aioli. no, i'm not saying the food was god awful or anything, it just was... bland. kind of like the cardboard you chewed on as a kid because you thought you made an edible fort out of the shipping boxes your parents had lying around. you didn't do that? oh, well, neither did i. i was just saying.
i had the mediterranean chicken that came with vegetables and cous cous. the chicken was extremely bland, but they tried to hide that with some sort of winey sauce with onions, tomatoes, klamata olives, and feta cheese. the only things that tasted good in that sauce where the olives and feta cheese. the chicken was a bit dry and tasted just like that edible for... er i mean what i think that edible fort would taste like. the cous cous was also flavorless and a bit gritty, like they didnt cook it long enough. the vegetables ( i know, what can you do to steamed vegetables?) were extremely oversalted and tasted like they had sat in butter for the better part of the day. ew.....
on the other hand, i liked the way the place looked. it looked really really really nice. dark cherry wood, awesome looking bar, and i loved the chairs. they were metal with a pliable metal back with cut outs. they were so cute. this is why i think i may give this place another chance, but this time in the tapas category and perhaps while enjoying one of their fine looking cocktails. i just can't bring myself to eat an entree here.
