Capricciosa

I'm deeply saddened this amazing favorite restaurant of mine has closed permanently! What can I do to bring this place back? I hate having to travel 2,000 miles just to be able to eat here again.. please open up again!

They brought an Italian restaurant from Japan to this shopping center. It's not a "fusion" restaurant; it is fully Italian but uses some ingredients that a Japanese cook might toss in.

Complimentary bread with oil & vinegar was brought out right away and our superb waiter soon took our order. I started with an appetizer; a Sicilian rice croquette. This was a rice ball stuffed with mozzarella then breaded and fried and covered with a meat sauce. This was definitely the best thing I had at Capricciosa and I highly HIGHLY recommend you order this if you come here. In fact, order a couple!

On the recommendation of our waiter I ordered the chicken pesto cream as my main dish. It consisted of marinated dark-meat chicken and spinach in a cream sauce. It was good and I enjoyed the sauce and pasta. I got a couple pieces of slightly chewy chicken though. While I liked it, this dish didn't "wow" me. As an aside (but I didn't taste it), my wife really loved her seafood linguini.

Tiramisu for dessert! Great espresso flavor! It had a very light and creamy texture. The plate was dusted with espresso and sliced almonds.

Reasonably priced, great service, easy parking. Plus they have a mouthwash dispenser in the bathroom to clear up your garlic breath after you eat!

I came here on a Saturday for lunch at 11:30 with a group of friends. We didn't really need our reservation, because the place was kind of empty at that time. But then we saw a lot of families come in closer to noon.

The restaurant is a bit difficult to find if you don't know where it is. Look for the Tony Roma's from the street, and then pull into the parking lot, and you'll see this restaurant on the back side.

They provided booster seats and crayons and a paper placemat for coloring for the kiddies. I think they also provide lollipops for the kids if you go up and ask the greeter.

They brought big, fluffy rectangles of focaccia bread to the table, and they were really soft and nice to eat with the salted butter. I ordered a Calpico for 3.50, and I think everyone else got water with no ice.

My friend said we could get $10 off $40 if we checked in on Yelp, but I was the only one with the app installed, and unfortunately I didn't have internet access to check in, so we couldn't redeem the offer. No free Wi-Fi here, either. :(

We ordered the Capricciosa pizza in traditional crust for $10.99, a family-sized Bianco Del Mare pasta for $25.75, and a family-sized Chicken Pesto Cream pasta for $20.75 for all of us to share. It was more than enough food, and even though I stuffed myself, we even had a portion of leftovers to take home.

The pizza was really cheesy and quite nice with all the toppings. The pastas had TONS of garlic and were really oily and rich, but still tasty. Surprisingly, the seafood pasta had a bit of a kick, even though it wasn't listed as spicy on the menu. The scallops and clams were a bit teeny tiny, but I suppose that's how the dish is supposed to be.

The chicken pesto cream pasta was REALLY DELICIOUS. I hadn't expected it to be so yummy, but it was really nice and flavorful, and quite good with all the spinach.

Total including tip came out to $80 for 4 adults and 4 kids. Not bad for a pleasant meal in a nice, family-friendly atmosphere.

(3.5 starts)

If i wasn't comparing this place to Spoonhouse in Gardena, i would like this place better. Between the two, i'd rather wait for a table at Spoonhouse.

This place shares space with Tony Romas at the old Claim Jumpers location at Torrance Crossroads. They did a good job with the decor- simple and home-y.

Between four of us, we shared:
Starter rosemary bread was good with olive oil and vinegar

Calamari appetizer (50% off with yelp check in)- decent but they only serve the rings- no tentacles-about 8 of them with lettuce. Marinara sauce was very good.
batter could have been crispier... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=_QYG6XLvAZDLgDkHIx8GSg

BACON RIGATONI was dude's pick (ofcourse) and group concensus was it was the best one. On the sweet side. Good amount of fatty bacon.
*we ordered this one was family size, which looks not quite double a single order. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=rPoT7JNu3Csjg0CjVnxgIg
- comes out a few bucks cheaper than ordering two of the same.

Eggplant and Spinach with meat sauce was really good.

My dish- chicken and mushroom fettuccini was just ok. I think there was just way too much grilled onions in it. They used different kinds of mushrooms http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=Suy3RWjWRoyEo9DR8aKKuw
IF this used the same sauce as the rigatoni dish, that would have been perfect for me.

Dessert: Frutelli- four donut like things with icecream and strawberry slices and drizzled honey. DELICIOUS! Although i would have loved this more with a flaky pastry and powdered sugar. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=ICPxE_gNiXh7hA3Qhfyk4g

Ice tea was almost 3 bucks, so i made sure to get my moneys worth.
*they have a lot of b-days here, as i heard them sing their version of happy birthday which i have no idea what they were saying- sounded something like tooty bootie. :P

Service was very friendly and helpful.

This place is right next to Tony Romas & there are signs pointing to the entrance so that helps. =)

They really need to bring out complimentary breads to the table as customers are trying to decide what to order; this would be a good touch.

Squid ink pasta: 3.5 stars
Good consistency but a bit on the bland side.

Seafood Linguine: 4 stars
Thick & hearty consistency (somewhat sweet) but a bit on the bland side also. They could have used more spices & basil in the sauce. Instead of the thick pasta they could have used angel hair pasta which would make ot taste better.

Overall, I did not see any dishes which really stood out & wowed me. I was really looking for the Japanese twist on Italian food at this restaurant but I didn't find it here.

Service: A+ (very attentive & great waiter we had)

Decor: B

Food: C+

Tip: No corkage fee so bring your bottles of wine =) +1 star

If you check in on Yelp App you get a discount on your meal. =)

My first thought was Majide (really, no way, you serious) when I heard Capri was opening here in Cali. Then my mouth started to water thinking of ika sumi pasta. Hell Yeah Capri has landed in lala county, specifically in Torrance woot!!!

This place took over the old Tony Romas building in the crossroads shopping center. Capri is a chain restaurant in Japan and they do very well there. On every trip back home I hit up Capri to get my fill of Ika sumi (squid ink) pasta. Now I can curb my craving here and that is freaking awesome!

First let me start by saying this place is japanese italian meaning it's cooked and flavored slightly different to suit a japanese persons palate while trying to maintain true with the italian cuisine. Being a Hapa it's totally delish in my mouth!

Ok so let me get to the food cuz thats what its all about! We ordered regular size pasta and they were huge and can easitly be shared.

The bread they bring out was a bit sad looking with only a few slices. You can pretty much pass up on that. Utensils are on the table in a basket.

Rice Crouqette ~ This is one ginormous ball of rice stuffed with mozzarella cheese and served with their homemade meat sauce. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=z3lL8RYBiMEoVSNcvb2bkg This is one to share for sure. The rice was seasoned very well and it had the right amount of cheese stuffed inside. The meat sauce did a great job putting the entire dish together. One gripe is that I wish the dish was hotter. It was hot but I tend to like my food really hot.

Smoked Salmon salad (full size) ~ Nice big slices of smoked salmon topped with sliced onions and capers with their house dressing. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=d2gvQgcCMjfxJ7KyJ27mIA We got the full order and shared. I liked their house dressing. It wasnt drenched over the lettuce which was nice.

Carbonara ~ Now this is how you do carbonara!!! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=CR11287F9sjIoL_58_9QZQ With nice big pieces of bacon tossed in yummyness. It's a simple dish thats Mmm so goooood! I can eat this often.

Black Squid Ink ~ Ika sumi is the shiznit http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=WvtzHqR9VX3XaY7M2C1bHg Awww yeah!!! I know a plate of hot black mess doesn't look very appealing but hot damn it taste oh so freaking delish. You cant really see it but it has calamari and sautéed onions and it's tossed in blackened squid ink awesome sauce!!!. This dish will leave your lips and teeth black so be warned. Not a dish you want to order on a first date unless you both decide to eat it.

We were pretty stuffed so we passed on dessert. Sweets on the next trip along with some other things off the menu that Ive ordered before like the vongole, bolognese, penne arrabbiata, seafood rissoto, corn soup and oh so much more. For me this place is getting 5 stars cuz it's the best Japanese/Italian straight from Japan.

It's "Ika sumi is the new black lip color mangia mangia" yummy goodness!!!

A coworker had been telling me about Capricciosa for over a week and I had seen it on Yelp and thought the reviews matched my coworkers so I had really looking forward to our visit.

It took us a little while to find it. It is in the old Tony Roma's building and not only have they left the Tony Roma's signs up on the building, they still had the take out parking signs up in the parking spots in front of the restaurant.

We went went in and were told that it would be a 10 to 15 wait. The look of the restaurant may have changed a bit from the prior tenant but I swear I could still smell bbq in the place. Plus it does not look like they did a complete remodel choosing instead to go with a splash of paint and some new lamp covers.

Capricciosa, being a concept from Japan, there was an odd combination of Japanese staff and young inexperienced American staff. This odd mix and the fact that they are still doing a soft opening (there is a sign on the building that says that) would explain the erratic and overall dysfunctional service. it felt like there was a a ton of staff wandering around but no one managing the circus.

Our party of three were seated at a small table for four and it took a little while before our server stopped by to take our drink order. We should have made sure he took our food order then and then because it was a while before we saw him again with our drinks. You would think we had ordered special cocktails but all we ordered was two waters and a mango lemonade.

First food note. the Mango lemonade was a sickly fruity concoction that bore no resemblance to lemonade and made my blood sugar spike after one sip.

We finally got a chance to order our food so we ordered a large italian salad (most of their dishes come in large sizes for sharing) and an order of their calamari to start.

The two dishes came out quickly and the calamari http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=_itM2RvXFajRXu86CSLbTQ actually looks like an order of onion rings. I really liked this dish in that it the squid was just a bit chewy and the breading was the a very well flavored crunchy mix that it gave the calamari a very unique taste. The salad was basically a green salad tossed with a light italian dressing and a few slices of salami. Nothing special.

Then our entrees came out, very slowly and about 10 minutes apart. First came the black ink pasta http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=MNpPLjoFwA7kZ5mG4XHh1w This dish is the only reason that this review is not two stars. It was very good and my wife loved it. Although I will warn you to not order this is you are on a first date because the ink will leave your lips and teeth looking like some crazy goth zombi mouth.

10 minutes later my daughter's thin margherita pizza came out looking not very thin http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xon96i-2NZyVPTOArAtjCQ?select=Xsd_NKGNGdb52pZaijUtmA yup our server got the order wrong and then about 20 minutes after the black pasta hit the table my pasta with meat sauce came out. By this time we it was all I could do to not getup and leave. I took few bites of my pasta which was very al dente and the sauce is very sweet that you wold only recognize if you had spent time in Japan.

I would not recommend you visit Capricciosa for a month or two and even then I am not sure that they will have figured out who they want to be.

Capricciosa is a huge Italian restaurant chain that originated in Japan, with several locations internationally, and one finally lands in US of A! And with the opening of Capricciosa, South Bay has officially become the land of Japanese Italian! Too many good spots.

Capricciosa is essentially an Italian restaurant with the flavors and dishes tweaked a little to suit the Japanese palate while trying to stay true to Italian cuisine. Nothing is too heavy and all the pastas focuses on more of the ingredients. There's no fusion like bonito flakes or uni as part of a pasta dish.

The location is a bit odd because it shares a restaurant space with Tony Roma's. It's on the side facing away from Crenshaw, more towards Kai Sushi. Even though it shares a space, there's a good amount of seating but word definitely got around since when we went it was on a Sunday around 7:30 and we had to wait around 10 minutes before we got seated. Also because it shares with Tony Roma's, on the side closer to it, it is quite loud from the kitchen noise and the patrons but if you're closer to the entrance, it is much quieter.

What most people do is that they will order the pastas family size to be shared but what we decided to do was order our own so we can try as many as possible.

+ Vongole - lots of clam flavor and the broth is like drinking clam stock. It's definitely on the lighter side.

+ Squid Ink - sauteed onions, calamari, and tomato based squid ink sauce. I'm a huge fan of squid ink and this is one of the better ones I've had in the States. Best part? Black lips :]

+ Original Tomato & Garlic - favorite of the night. It's no surprise that this is their signature dish. Sauteed garlic & peppers with Arrabbiata sauce. Lots of garlic flavor. The garlic adds so much punch to the dish. Love the huge chunks of garlic hidden around too! The sauce is sweet and tangy from the tomato. Simple, but very hearty!

+ Chicken & Mushroom Fettucine Alfredo - marinated chicken is the star. It's tender and they give you a good amount.

+ Spicy Seafood Linguine - various seafood with spicy garlic cream sauce. 2nd favorite of the night! Flavors of the sea definitely infused with the rest of this pasta and the spicy cream sauce has a little bit of kick. I did add more chili flakes to make it spicier though haha.

We also got the garlic toast to start and gotta say, that was probably the most disappointing thing that we tried. It's a split baguette/roll with garlic butter then toasted. We were hoping for more garlic flavor. For $2.50, you get 4 pieces, which is a little pricey for what you get too.

Overall we all liked Capricciosa! Prices were reasonable at $8-12 for pastas. Even though they say the individual size serving is good enough for 1-2... I think they forget that Americans just eat more, but for one person, definitely a good portion!

Next time, definitely trying the pizzas!

I. LOVE. CAPRICCIOSA. I've loved it ever since discovering it while living in Japan back in '95. It is my all-time favorite Italian restaurant chain.

It is what In-n-Out is to some people -- only better because it is Capricciosa.

It's one of the first places I eat whenever I travel to Japan, and now it's here in Torrance which, while a good 40 minutes from my door, is at least in the same time zone. Close enough for me.

Their dishes come family style or in smaller single portions, which are still quite generous. Go for the family style and keep it all for yourself. You won't regret it.

My favorite menu item is the spaghetti alla Arrabiata, made with an out-of-this-world tomato sauce with plenty of sautéed garlic and chili peppers. I'm so obsessed with this sauce, I've asked Capricciosas in Japan for the recipe (Yeah, right. Like that's gonna happen); I've asked them to sell me a bunch of the sauce so I could freeze it and bring it back to the states with me in my carry-on (What can I say? I was clearly out of my mind); and I've even asked relatives to FedEx some to me (Yes, it's as dumb as it sounds). And now I can get it anytime I want for the price of a short drive.

I also recommend Capricciosa's carbonara, eggplant and meat sauce, and the squid ink pastas. The sauces are all to-die-for delicious and the made-to-order pastas are cooked to al dente perfection.

When I went they had a special Yelp coupon so I got 50 percent off an appetizer. I recommend the rice croquette, a small grapefruit-sized ball of tomato rice filled with mozzarella cheese, breaded in panko crumbs and deep fried, served on a bed of tomato sauce. It's heart-stoppingly good -- I guess in more ways than one.

They also serve mighty good pizzas and a killer calzone that's the size of a small football.

I can't think of a single dish I've tried that hasn't pegged the awesome meter.

Hyperbole aside, I love Capricciosa's alla Arrabiata so much, the last time went, I got another order to go and had it for lunch the next day.

What kind of restaurant doesn't serve bread automatically? We were left for quite some time without anything to munch on. Finally, we asked, and bread was brought out, but it was late. :( Also, they gave us two plates of oil and vinegar, which seemed really odd, because that's a lot of oil and vinegar for two people.

I ordered the chicken pesto pasta. It was really oily. I didn't hate it, and it was better than my friend's bacon carbonara, but it didn't thrill me in the least. I took half home, and when I reheated it, there was a big pool of oil at the bottom of the dish. Yum!

Although it wasn't an awful experiences, I'm not jumping at the chance to go again.