Cucina Paradiso
3387 Motor Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90034 (310) 839-2500
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Valet
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
13 reviews
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
""Boston's finest" is their promise, and it's a promise that delivers(literally). Delicious pizza, fast delivery, and reasonable prices. I…" read more »
30 Reviews for Cucina Paradiso
Forced Valet Parking, bad service, average yet overproced Italian food, and to top it off, food poisoning from the seafood pasta. Not a great experience for me. The bread was good though, as was the Caprese, but I won't be back.
This is an oddly placed restaurant. There is nothing, NOTHING around it at all and from the outside it looks like a banquet hall, which I gather it was at one time. Now it's a fairly pricy Italian joint. The food was excellent; I can't fault that, but the atmosphere was a little cold. It was awfully dark too. The service was attentive but started to border on the obsequious, which grates on me, and they were trying hard to upsell, which was annoying. Finally: valet parking only. But we parked on the street without too much difficulty.
I had a grappa martini. I'm still trying to decide how I feel about that.
Really I'm at 3.5 stars, as so many people have said they are. Four for food, three for everything else.
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It's Friday night and you're on this date with this new boy who you like a lot. You got yer hair did and you're wearing those cute black converse boots you were digging.
The plan is to take you to this Italian joint and then head off to the Bridge to check out Iron Man. Typical date fare but you think he's cute so you're down.
You get to the restaurant and you realize it's next to that spot that has Inspiration, a world music/deep house club that you went to a few years ago on a Saturday. "Cool," you think to yourself; since you always wondered if the restaurant was decent or not. You walk in and it's dim, plus it's not one of those pretentious joints with the faux modern dcor like you've been to on Venice Blvd. It's rustic with some large art on the wall that doesn't command attention. There's a bar that's stocked with Italian beers and full-bodied reds from the old country. This dude just scored some points with you for picking a place with such an honest atmosphere.
"So how hungry are you?"
You respond by pulling your stretched-out hands wide apart as if you're about to embrace a polar bear. He chuckles and orders an Italian beer. You opt for the same and the waiter gives you luke-warm bread. You drizzle balsamic vinegar on the plate and streak it for fun with a butter knife Top Chef-style. The boy doesn't get the reference but it's okay, he's cute, remember?
You order the chicken ravioli, which turned out to be adequate but hardly mind-blowing. So far the best dish was the appetizer. It was polenta with mushrooms, generously covered with a thick reduction sauce.
The boy orders risotto with frikken bacon. Yeah, that's right. Bacon. The taste of it lives up to the taste you imagined when you read it on the menu. It rocks. The best part is yet to come. The boy senses you like his dish better than yours and switches with you. Your night is now complete. No Iron Man tonight. You opt to go back home and be asked for another date.
You say yes.
The LOWDOWN (cheesy date remix)
Minus 1 star for serving some dishes with ordinary mash potatoes and steamed veggies. (sorry, Marc)
Minus 1 star for lack of parking. I'm not trying to valet-it in Culver City.
Plus 1 star for the good service.
Plus 2 stars for the risotto with bacon.
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I wanted to REALLY love this place. The good reviews here had been really glowing and we are at Sony often so I was hoping this place would be great enough to make it our go-to-before-we-go-to-screenings-at-Sony place PLUS it's on the KCRW Fringe Benefits program so you get 15% off with your card.
The experience started off strong. Our waiter was very nice, if not a little socially awkward. We arrived there at 5:30pm on a Tuesday night and the place was empty, so we thought service shouldn't be an issue and we didn't have to valet because we found easy street parking, so that's always a bonus in my book.
The bread was excellent and the dishes we ordered were excellent. My husband had a veal marsalla ($24) that's on the menu and I had a lamb chop special with the BEST roasted potatos I've ever had ($29). Can't fault the food, it was really tasty. However, I think it's pricey for what you get. Even the regular pasta dishes average about $16.
But about 15 minutes after we got there another party arrived of about eight people that our waiter knew personally and he fawned over them so much that by the end of the meal I had to WALK OVER TO HIM TO ASK FOR THE CHECK. Once that other party arrived, he never revisited our table. There were no other people in the restaurant other than us and the party he knew. I hate it when I get better service from a bus person than the waiter who is probably getting all or most of the tip.
The other thing that killed me was the $9 for dessert. That's simply outrageous. Desserts at four star restaurants aren't even that expensive (ok I don't really know that for sure, but the $9 seemed really steep).
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Consistently great food and consistently great service are the main reasons we come here. I've had some of the best Italian food in LA at this restaurant. Their food tastes fresh and the waitstaff always seem to know what to recommend. I heartily enjoyed the pasta dish I had with truffle oil- one of the best Italian dishes I've ever had. My friend from out of town visited and was impressed with the pumpkin ravioli. Their gnocchi was very delicious and the menu does change depending on the season and what they can get fresh. The few times we've had room for dessert, we were not disappointed. Creamy cheesecake and great cannoli- how can you go wrong? The unpretensiousness of the restaurant is great- it has the vibe of a neighborhood cafe. The bar that connects to the restaurant turns into sort of a nightclub with DJ'ed music.
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I was so looking forward to meeting two of my three favorites for dinner at Cucina last Saturday and I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I was late, thanks to my GPS telling me to turn on Mentone instead of Motor (where the heck is Mentone!?) and the fact that I didn't immediately notice the valet so I thought I had to self-park (travesty!). I finally found the valet, conveniently located right in front of the building, and parked for a painfully pricey $4.50. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but for a restaurant such as Cucina, they could have, and should have, knocked off two more dollars.
I met my companions at the bar because, although I was late, they still had not been seated. Both girls had delicious-looking pieces of bruschetta in front of them which they told me were complimentary and fantastic and I thought, ooo! I want one! I continued to want it for quite some time before it was actually delivered to me. Hello, where's MY bruschetta? It was worth the long wait in the end because it was a bit of garlic and heaven and tomatoey goodness. The bread basket we were promised took so long to appear! And they gave us lots of olive oil, but not a lot of balsamic vinegar to dip it in. I NEED BOTH.
I ordered the risotto with marscapone cream cheese and radicchio and although it was tasty, it was not AS tasty as I thought it could be. It could have used a tidbit more cheese! I inhaled those left-overs the next day like it was my job, though. At $16 a plate, I expected more. Like maybe a side dish. And more cheese, although I already said that.
Service was slow, with maybe two servers covering the entire restaurant. Our server was very friendly, placing my napkin in my lap for me and continually addressing me as "Serena" - Van Der Woodsen, where!?
Love and I had bad colds so while Diana sipped her wine, we ordered pots of hot tea. I could buy a box of any of those teas for $3 at Ralphs but the cup of tea was $2.50. What's the upcharge for, the hot water? The presentation? Next time, I'll bring my own tea bag and ask for hot water (which better be free). I'm on a budget! I do have to say I loved the presentation of the tea selection, though. The server brought out a box of maybe 20 different kinds of teas and I selected a jasmin tea out of many others.
Anyway, I trusted the other reviews that said this was the best Italian restaurant in LA and I was disappointed. Sorry, Cucina. I'll stick with Osteria La Buca.
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I have never felt inclined to write about someone who has taken my money for services rendered but something has come over me. I walked into Cucina last week after a down right miserable experience at the Westside Galleria. I was greeted by this amazingly beautiful Italian woman named Rosalia. Honestly, I was sold on the place with just her smile. I was somewhat disappointed to find out she was married by my waiter, I can still dream though.
The waiter was a fast talking East Coast guy who really knew his stuff. He suggested that I have the polenta and mushroom appetizer; can you say mouth-gasm on this site? It was nuts, I took another one home with me for after my ritual toke at midnight. Not the same without Rosalia's smile but I'm sure it had more to do with being in the fridge for three hours.
After that my new waiter friend brought me this really wide pasta, papadelle SP?, with a meat ragu. I could have died and gone to heaven. I have been to Italy a couple of times and if you add in Rosalia's smile with the food I was eating. I was right back in Florence.
I love my sweets so what came next made me quiver, maybe it was because Rosalia served it to me. I had bread pudding. I have to finish this, I need to go back now. I hope Rosalia is there.....
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This is now officially my favorite Italian restaurant in S. CA! The neighborhood surrounding the restaurant and the restaurant exterior leaves much to be desired. However, once you step through the front door, you forget all about it. Inside, dark wood and lots and lots of candles, romantic for couples and laidback for girl's night out or a birthday party. The food is delicious homemade Italian fare, apparently, they make all raviolis and gnocci from scratch on premise and it certainly shows.
We started with the mushroom polenta appetizer: cooked perfectly, a little crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside with well-prepared sauteed mushrooms - not too soft and a yummy sauce.
For entrees, we had the gnocchi with shrimps and pumkin ravioli, at $14 per plate, you can't beat that, especially given that they were very generous with the shrimps and they were both delicious.
For dessert, we had the Tartufu, if you love chocolate, this is the one for you, I am not a chocolate lover but my friend loved it.
Can't say enough about the service! Our waiter was so helpful, pleasant, and has the cute Italian accent. The restaurant made us feel like we were in a cucina in Italy without having to buy the plane tix :)
Unpretentious, great food, wonderful service, very reasonable prices all in a really cute setting - everything you can ask for in a restaurant! Now, I only wish we had more of this type of establishment in Los Angeles..........
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HEAVENLY RISOTTO
Based on positive reviews of Cucina Paradiso here on Yelp, we decided to give this rookie a chance. We were not only NOT disappointed, we were blown away.
The space formerly known as DB Coopers and Johnny Foxes has been transformed into a rustic yet elegant establishment with an updated Old Word Italian feel. The floors are polished concrete, the walls are wallpapered in places and painted in a trendy modern dark yellow color in others. Instead of pool tables, dart boards and pinball machines (from the Johnny Foxes days), there is a wine cellar and tasteful bar area.
They serve wine by the glass and by the bottle and offer finer wines that go for up to $225/bottle. I tried a Zinfandel and the BF tried a Syrah. We were pleased with both.
The prices are what's truly remarkable since the cuisine really borders on being "fine dining". We had an arugula salad with artichokes as our starter. The artichokes were FRESH. I'd never had fresh grilled baby artichokes on a salad. They were divine and flavorful. Then we had that heavenly risotto that was flavored with lemons and chives. As is our custom, we split both dishes. The server "Ivo" did not give us a dirty look for doing this, instead, he offered to split the dishes for us at no cost and did it with a smile. I think the risotto was $14 and the salad was $9 and even split between the two of us, it was plenty of food.
Rustic white bread with a crunchy crust is served at the table without asking along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I hear the bread pudding is also heavenly but we were so full, we decided to try it on another visit.
This is a wonderful secret in Palms. You could come here for a relaxing, welcoming hang out or for a nice romantic date. Ivo and the rest of the crew were so accommodating. I saw them serve a little girl a dessert with a candle and they sang happy birthday to her (no big deal, right? all restaurants do this) but I found out afterward that it wasn't the little girl's birthday at all! She just saw someone else with a candle and she wanted one too, so the staff gave her a birthday treat, candle and song just to give her a thrill. For this alone, Cucina Paradiso is a keeper.
We'll be back and back and back.
p.s. corkage fee is $20
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Good Italian cuisine in a neighborhood setting.
The polenta appetizer is a staple and worth coming back for. The buffalo steak special was tender and well cooked. But save space for deserts... especially for the panna cotta!
A bottle of good Chianti, appetizers and entrees for four and a couple of deserts came up to $260, which I thought was a bit overpriced given the location.
This restaurant would be much more successful if it lowered the prices 10-20%. I think it could easily fill up 2-3 nights a week. Oh... one more thing: forcing guests to use valet parking when the restaurant lot is empty does contribute to the general feeling of paying too much for the experience.
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Usually I refuse to eat Italian food outside of Italy.
Reason being that half of my family lives in Italy and I have been very spoiled when it comes to the cuisine.
I ate at this place and I have to say that it is THE best Italian food you will find in Los Angeles.
End of Story.
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Screw Hamlet's "To be or not to be!" The real question is, "To three or four stareth?" After much pondering of the hand-to-chin variety, the answer has clearly been determined as the former.
While my company at Cucina Paradiso this past Saturday night was born and bred of the finest ingredients a geneticist could excise from two DNA strands, the overall dining experience left something to be desired. In a word, satisfaction. To start, while the bartender was quick and liberal-handed when pouring my tragically mediocre glass of Chianti at the bar, and was even savvy enough to add it to our bill without hesitation, I was severely disappointed with the wines by the glass list. With nary a Barbera or Barolo in sight, I was forced to select the timid Chianti that I saw the next day at Gelson's on sale for $8.99 a bottle. At a fine Italian restaurant, I expect better. Even if it is located in Palms, and I slightly feared that my superior OC genes would be contaminated while I walked back to my car on Motor.
Wine sins aside, the service is as erratic as my mood swings during every time of month. Yes, Love and I delighted when they served us complimentary bruschetta at the bar while Lauren M. valetted her car ($4.50), we had to ask for Lauren's once we were all seated at our table. Now if she had been on a date with a smoochable lad, this might have been acceptable, as the delectable starter coated our mouths in a pungent garlic perfume, but Lauren most certainly did not need to worry about offending Miss. Love and me! We aren't vampires, and are fine to converse in the presence of garlic breath. Especially when said garlic breath is the product of such a wonderful take on the so often boring and uninspired meal-starter!
Service continued to leave us with pangs of doubt (and hunger), when our bread basket failed to arrive until much later into our two-and-a- half hour stay in the restaurant, and our waiter felt it necessary to assure us that our starters would be on their way to happy stomachland shortly, and our entrees were brought mere seconds after the first course plates were cleared. I did love the grilled polenta with porchini mushroom and truffle essence sauce that paved the way for my main course of the infamous "must order" item of pumpkin ravioli in sage cream sauce, but the pairing was most jarring to my typically healthified stomach. While I asked the waiter if he thought it would be too rich, and he assured me it would not, even steering me away from my first inclination of the grilled artichoke salad, I was not feeling so keen on the combination later that evening. The richness of the dishes was so great that I wasn't even tempted by the dessert menu which included $9 offerings such as a chocolate banana tart, apple tart with vanilla ice cream and the ubiquitous Italian dessert, tiramisu.
As for my opinion of the oft-praised pumpkin ravioli? While I was quite enamored with the juxtaposition of the bright orange pumpkin-ricotta filling against the green of the spinach pasta pockets and creamy white color of the indulgent sauce, the dish as a whole was a bit of a disappointment (and not just because the serving size amounts to 9 raviolis for $14). It was good enough to warrant eating each $1.50 square on the plate, but nothing that would compel my belly to respond with a standing ovation. The sauce was an inadequate companion to the pricey pumpkin pillows, and I committed a minor foodie sin when I dumped the fruity balsamic vinegar proffered with our tardy bread basket into the sauce to kick it up a few notches. I'm no Emeril Lagasse, but this dish needed one or two bams.
Overall, the food was above average. The bruschetta, grilled polenta and stolen grilled shrimp from Love's shrimp scampi appetizer all delivered pleasing sensations to my mouth's nerve endings. But the lackadaisical service and improper ratio of dollar signs to stomach delight, is not enough to make me warrant any future ventures to Palms. Unless of course it's Palms as in the Desert, and I've got a cute new bathing suit to debut! (Note to self: Avoid heavy cream sauces that week.)
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We just went based upon so many rave reviews from yelp. maybe it made my expectations too high? The atmosphere was nice, but the food wasn't as good as everyone seems to think? I had the pumpkin ravioli (which sage room in Malibu does extremely well) and my boyfriend had the pappardelle. We shared the polenta to begin. we decided to food was ok, but not as good as we hoped so we opted for dessert at home. I'm sorry to say there just isn't that many good Italian places here... not to mention as a whole, Los Angeles has a problem with good service and consistency when it comes to dining.
Excellent. One of the best restaurants I have been to in over a year since I moved down from SF.
The setting is classy and the service is top notch. They know wine and how to serve it which usually means they know food. If you order just a glass, they bring it in a small carafe and pour a small amount, the right amount actually in proper sized wine glasses. I can't stand when wine is served in small glasses filled to the brim. Call me a snob, but that's not how drink wine or more importantly, experience it through the nose.
And the food...top notch. Along with the excellent Cioppino, I tried the Pappardelle with OssoBuco Ragu. Man, that was good. I don't know if it was the wine I consumed, but on every bite the senses in my mouth took over and everything else around me became non-existent. Time seemed to move slow. I was focused or rather, it had my full attention. Refined and complex with deep flavor yet smooth and mouth-watering. I can only compare it that of a fine wine. Dessert was no less impressive and the waiter gave us two complementary glasses of an excellent sparkling muscato.
I'll be back soon.
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Halloween in July? My Long Beach food buddies came up last night for a late dinner... I prepared for their arrival with multiple Firefox tabs open with a diversity of local yelp options. The guests were feeling Italian and thankfully, this spot was open at 10 p.m. on a Saturday.
Our party was extended to five by the time we arrived at the Paradise. We were all under-dressed for a seemingly upscale joint, but I reassured my LB pals that this was Palms and we'd be good to go. Everyone was put at ease upon entry, greeted by the late night staff with Italian warmth and no attitude. Cute chicks pre-gaming at the bar definitely didn't hurt the aesthetics, either.
Back to my seemingly irrelevant open, the previous Yelp reviews had me in a late October mood. Our attentive server co-signed on my pumpkin ravioli selection, stamping it their "signature dish." He bolstered each of our orders with boisterous adjectives. Hmmm, unbridled confidence is either wholly justified or just hammy. I decided to let the chef do the talking.
The late night bread came out hot, but some of the pieces were a bit too crunchy. I'm not docking based on free bread... plus the olive oil and balsamic did enough to make me keep at it. The LB duo ordered up carpaccio and insisted we all try it. The raw beef had an interesting flavor, complimented with arugula and parmesean. I enjoyed the aftertaste more than its initial offering, but the dish probably has finer qualities I have yet to acquire. Three of us also started with tomato soup. While it was thick enough to sustain a light lunch, the soup wasn't so filling as to ruin the entree. Cracked fresh pepper added to the superb flavor, which balanced the tomato's natural bitterness with subtle basil.
With the main course comes the five star rating. I was happy to see my ravioli plated with a light cream sauce, after my soup-induced tomatotose. My southern manners devolved into jail-house mores, as I proclaimed (with full mouth): "Insane... just insane." Although it seemed like a small number of raviolis, I had to spread the pumpkin love around. Everyone agreed- I struck lotto. It's hard to describe the actual taste itself, since my only pumpkin-eating heretofore had been pies. It's kind of like explaining sex to a virgin... you've just got to experience it first to understand its allure.
Before continuing with the rest of dinner, I've gotta fit a sidebar in before I forget. The shrimp risotto with lemon and chives gets a huge thumbs up... I had it on a subsequent trip here and the dish is on par with the ravioli.
Back to the first night, we all were able to sample each other's selections... the chicken ravioli was damn good too. The seafood spaghetti could have been spicier and the mussel I bit into was a bit "off." The spaghetti bolognese was solid, even though its owner thought it was the least "exciting" out of everyone's dishes (yet the girl who ordered the seafood spaghetti really dug the bolognese). Our last buddy had already eaten dinner and had joined us just for dessert. After finishing off his chocolate dessert, even he couldn't deny a sample platter of all the non-red meat entrees. He bemoaned his regret for eating at a normal hour... it pays to be late sometimes.
Good thing my guests ordered the apple tart for dessert. I have to stay away from sweets as much as possible... my eyes were locked onto the bread pudding description on the dessert menu and I wouldn't have been able to resist a bite (or four) if it was ordered. The tart looked ridiculously good, but I was able to hold off. Bread pudding, on the other hand, will make me submit faster than Imelda Marcos at a Charles David. Alas, I'm just a man.
Keeping with the evening's theme, we followed up our late dinner with a viewing of the Italian film "Salo." Way to ruin a perfect dinner. With possibly the most disturbing film I've ever seen. It makes "Caligula" seem like a Pixar flick. What is it with some of these old school Italian directors? Such a dreadful world-view, with base degradation at every turn. I digress... if this Halloween-seasoned ravioli was heaven, I'd have preferred to meet my demise with Michael Myers himself stabbing me repeatedly in the sternum with his butcher knife. It would have been much more humane than the slow, painful death that was "Salo."
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Update 10/09/07-
Finally got the balls to go back in this place when my BFF was visiting. It's not as good as it had been a year ago. The pumpkin ravioli that had once made me cry had been changed- now the pasta they use is green (not white) tightly pressed rectangles (not pillowy) with grainier innards (not silky and less pumpkin-y). It was still tasty, the sauce was the same, but not to die for as it had been. The tiramisu is a throwaway dessert here, don't get it- but the bread pudding is still swoon worthy. The carpaccio was tasty but the portion of meat was blink-and-you'll-miss it. Loved the bread with evoo/balsamic and the generous "glass" of wine that was 1/2 off on Monday. The desserts are $9, whoa.
Original Review:
They fired me for no reason. (stopped scheduling me)
i was angry. i was wronged. utterly embarassed. I wanted to curse their establishment for the managerial nightmare that it really was...
but damn it, my mouth and eyes simultaneously water when I think of the food.
authentic. italian. like. you. are. in. italy.
I. should. know. born there. lived there. etc.
Ivo, their most popular server (if he's still there), is the single most charasmatic person I have ever met. He makes you feel drunk when you are sober. I have seen crotchedy old men melt like butter in a pan when he answers their quesitons. If he serves you say "sarabetta dice ciao. Recordi sarabetta?"
So everything is delicious. The specials are often the way the go, though. Heaven sent pasta and fish dishes. The filet mignon with blue cheese sauce....they aren't words, really.
The pumpkin ravioli in sage cream sauce....the first time I tasted this, well, my eyes literally teared. Not. kidding. It's not a huge portion but it is rich and besides, you should get an appetizer. And dessert. If the arancini are on the special's menu, you don't even have to know what they are, just order them! the salad with buratta (creamy mozzerella) is to die for as well. The shrimp scampi appetizer is a favorite of the regulars.
Oh, the roasted lemon chicken is fabulous. The risottos are the real deal...the tagliatelle with ossobusco sauce is extremely tasty...
Get dessert. They are delicous, not too expensive, and small enough to fit into any stomach, no matter how many courses preceded. I would say not to get the tiramisu (decent but not as good as my favorite places in rome) but the apple tart, the banana chocolate tart, panna cotta, or the very rich choc tartufo cake....
I had already started a more steady waitressing gig when my "lay off" occurred, at that point I was only working once a week there anyway...just keeping my foot in the door to keep that 50% discount...
I'm not a waitress anymore, I'm actually finally using my MFA and working in film post-production. And I work long hours M-F and cherish my teensy weensy little weekends, but If I could, I'd probably still be working at Cucina on Sunday nights. For the discount...
Oh a few discount tips, before 6 (or 7?) on weekdays they have a prix fixe early bird special (you have to ask, they don't offer this menu voluntarily). Also mon (and i believe also tues night) are half price for pinor noir or grigio (bottle or glass). getting a glass of wine is cool here, they bring a little side car to partially refill your glass...You can also order anything from the menu next door at the adjacent "Palmer Room" bar and your cheaper buddy can get a sandwich and beer....
You should make reservations for a weekend night....
It is too quiet and upscale for kids really, but i am saying below it is "good for kids" because they will make you whatever your kid likes and charge you a fraction of the adult portion equivalent. And I saw a kid throw and break a glass here and the gracious staff (ahem, i was the server) didn't bat an eye. The other patrons weren't too pleased though...
I can't believe I am writing this rave review! I had never been "let go" ever in my life and I was a damn good waitress! I friggin speak Italian too! I guess my love and appreciation for food triumphs over all....even abject humiliation.
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I really want to give it a 3-1/2.
This Italian restaurant was pretty good. Not fantastic or mind-blowing or the kind of place that serves food so good that you keep shoveling it in your face WAY after you're full. Not abysmal either. Just pretty good.
I had a very simple meal with my friend last week; by simple I mean we each had some pasta and a beverage, no appetizers or dessert. [I like to have pasta the first time I try and Italian place as a sort of benchmark test, because I think it's a basic. If that's prepared well, I'll go back and try some other things...]
I had chicken ravioli in a tomato cream sauce. It was very good. The portion size was just right and the raviolis were not too hearty and gigantic or too precious--just the right size. The sauce could have had a smidge more creaminess to it, but it was good.
My friend had the pumpkin ravioli in some sort of white sauce, and I have to say, it was the worst pumpkin ravioli I've ever had! It seemed like the pasta was just filled with pureed pumpkin, with no extra love. And the sauce did nothing to compliment it whatsoever.
I will say that the service was fantastic! Our waitress was very attentive, and the atmosphere inside the restaurant was nice, too, although on a Wednesday night we were one of three tables... There is a parking lot next to the building, which is another nice feature.
I may go back and give it another chance, or I might return to Nove Cento, another area Italian joint that has pasta to die for.
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Update from 1/08:
We experienced the glory of this wonderful place again last night-- it was one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a while!! Ivo, our server, was as charismatic and wonderful as Sarah Beth S. described, and he really helped make our experience magical!
They still split plates-- last night I had the special spaghetti and the porcini fettucine (apparently one of the staff's favorite!); the hubs got the special spaghetti and special risotto split. Awesome!! Seriously one of my favorite things about this place.
We brought our own wine, which according to Fine Living channel's Tips for Living, you are supposed to offer to your server. We have done this at least 2 times before and no one took us up on the offer. Ivo, however, was touched, and told us all about how he had wanted to go wine tasting in Paso (see my wine list for that area-- the wine we brought was from Penman!), had never made it, tasted it, and wanted to keep the bottle! We were excited someone finally took us up on the offer, and were pleased he thought we had good taste! We memorized what we need to track it down again, and told him he could have it. I was a bit surprised when we got our bill that the corkage fee was $20, but I think because of the rapport we had with Ivo and the wine we shared, he comped it.
The food here is pretty good, don't get me wrong. But last night, this place was enhanced by our experience more than anything else. We'll definitely be going back!!
Original 4/07 Review:
Had dinner here tonight, and it was excellent!!
We arrived without reservations, and it was more crowded than I thought it would be. We were seated without a problem, and the service was all around great.
When I couldn't decide whether to get the specialty spaghetti of the night or the spaghetti frutti di mare, our server said told me "you can have a taste of both-- we're very flexible." I was blown away, and that's what I got. So glad I did, because she was right, they were completely different... and very good!!
We split the special scallop salad to start with, and my hubs got the veal scallopini. He said it was good, and the sauce excellent. His came with mashed potatoes and spinach/broccolini on the side.
It seems like the kind of place where you would get dressed up to go out, but when you get down to it, it's Palms. There were literally some in nicer clothes and some in track suits. I love it!
It was a nice date type restaurant, but there were a couple larger groups who looked like they were having a blast.
Good place and definitely worth coming back for-- especially as they take my KCRW fringe benefits card for a 15% discount (alcohol not included)! Yipee!
We walked here, but it looked like they had $4.50 valet parking for those who will drive it.
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The food was delish! I'm not the biggest fan of salmon but the Salmon special was SO incredibly good that my husband reluctantly traded dishes with me (it was my birthday). The Swordfish special was to die for!!! It literaly melted in my mouth. OMG and the mashed potatoes and the side of spinach were out of this worled. Seriously, we live by this place and I never thought it would be so good! For desert we had the flourless choclate cake, I think its called tartuffo, and it was a chocoholic's dream, it was creamy and rich. It is a small piece of cake, so if you love chocolate, dont count on sharing! We went on Sunday when it was pretty much empty but it still took awhile. The waiter was very funny and charming, thus making the wait not so unbearable. And of course, the good food made up for the wait as well.
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This is my favorite Italian restaurant in LA. Every things about this place is great. The food is amazing and the waiters are great. I agree with the person who said the inside looked like Pasadena. normally i wouldn't like that setting but it works pretty well here. Everything I've tried here has been amazing. So far my favorite is the lemon shrimp risotto. The shrimp scampi is really good too. The food here is an amazing value. The risotto was around $15. Everything here is extremely reasonably priced.
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My husband & I discovered this little jewel through a friend and we love this cozy Italian restaurant. Our servers have been very attentive and helpful with any questions about the food. Their recommendation for the scampi and eggplant parmigiana had us in tastebud heaven! Another favorite of ours has been the risotto with radicchio & pancetta. This restaurant reminds us of being in Italy again; a very warm atmosphere, friendly people and great food. The wine selection was impressive too. We had a bottle of Alta Marca; it was a pleasant surprise to find a Spanish wine at an Italian restaurant. The prices are reasonable also and when we had a birthday celebration there recently, our family and friends were impressed too. The Palmer room in the back is also a great place to have a drink and listen to some good music with some friends. We always have an enjoyable evening when we visit this restaurant.
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I'm not one for Italian but this place is a hidden treasure. from the outside, you would never guess how charming it is inside. the service is great and very accommodating. the food delicious...from the fresh spinach salad to the pumpkin ravioli to the shrimp risotto...all cooked perfectly! of course, i can't forget dessert....the tiramisu (made in-house) was perfectly light and not too sweet or soggy. although i didn't have any wine this time, they have an extensive wine list. definitely one of my new favorites!
Probably one of my new favorite restaurants, I was blown away by my first and second experience at this place.
Since this hidden gem sat closely to my work, literally across the street, I decided one day that I was going to try a new restaurant rather than endure another greasy hole in the wall on motor ave.
I walked in completely taken back by the decor, thinking that maybe I should have dressed up for the occasion. The place was nicely decorated with a great Italian feel. But let's cut to the food! I think I died and went to heaven when I received their 'special' for the day, seared Ahi tuna with mash potatoes and veggies... My mouth nearly watered on contact, it was cooked to perfection, just like I like it, blackened Cajun outside, soft med. rare on the inside. It was delicious! The mash potatoes were even to die for and were made with real cream and butter. I loved every part of my meal even my tasty Arnold Palmer beverage.
My other recommendation is their Pumpkin Ravioli. Apparently it's one of their famous dishes with their pumpkin filled ravioli noodles and basil cream sauce.
Bon Apetit!
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since my shorty is alergic to gluten, italian is one type of food we dont eat too often. since her bday rolled around and i was sh!t out of ideas, i thought.. why not risotto?
thanks to my trusty yelp.com, i typed in risotto... low and behold i find cucina paradiso just a miniute from the pad..
4.5 stars and it's on motor? from my memory, (my bery bad memory)... there isnt sh!t on motor.. after finding this place... i must have passed it a million times and didnt even know it was there... damn straight that i finally found it though..
let me just say, the risotto IS the bomb. didnt have a chance to try anything else but i WILL be going back for it.
good: risotto is awesome, gluten friendly, service is great too.... and the prices are reasonable.
bad: if i had to choose one thing.. the parking is BAD.. but as all LA restaurants go... there is overpriced valet at your service.
overall: go and try it, you wont be disappointed.
btw, it's VERY dark in there.. so if you have peeps that dont like dark places... dont go.
Went there to celebrate a birthday, we were a party of four. Decor is nice better than what I was expecting judging from the outside. Our waiter was friendly and the service was very good. To start I ordered the arugula and hearts of palm salad, it was excellent. The dressing was just perfect. It was the right combination of vinegar, olive oil, lemon and what ever else they put in there, it was just perfect. For my main, I had a fish special, a dover sole. It was prepared with capers and lemon sauce, delicious. They served it with italian broccoli and roasted potatoes. My husband ordered for his starter the beef carpaccio which he said was excellent and for his main the chicken ravioli. He said he thought it was very good. I tried one of his ravioli as well and thought it was tasty. Others ordered the pumpkin ravioli which I tried and thought it was excellent, better than the chicken ravioli for my taste. For dessert we shared the bread pudding dessert which was pretty good. I have had better but it was nice. For the four of us it cost around $55 per person which included 3 starters, 4 mains, bottle of wine, bottle of flat water and one dessert and 3 cappuccinos, tax, and service. We would definitely go back again.
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This food is unreal. The existence of this food makes you announce loudly in the middle of the dining area, "there is a GOD!"
Yes and now your thinking...why the heck have I never heard of it? Well look--you do now.
You got the knowlege now go apply it. Don't let one of the keys to the universe go to waste.
Thank us later...
Your 21st Century Opinion Leaders
Superfreqs Alamode
No bots, real people
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Tucked away in a rather non-descript building down the block from a laundry mat and a pizza parlor, Cucina Paradiso reminded this reviewing couple once again that you cannot judge an LA dining establishment by its surroundings.
Formerly home to our neighborhood dive bar, Johnny Foxes, the interior of this classy Italian restaurant has been transformed into something Pasadena-esque. Upon entering, we were immediately impressed by the intimate dining area, a stark contrast to the restaurant's Motor Avenue surroundings.
While the printed menu features an ample selection of choices, our server listed off an equally impressive selection of nightly specials at the same time providing us with an extensive wine list. For starters we had risotto croquettes. We followed this with two entrees: Linguine with Dungeness crab and Pumpkin filled Ravioli.
The croquettes were an excellent surprise---lighter than one would have suspected for a fried appetizer, this tender mix of beef cheese and peas was a wonderful way to start the meal. The Pumpkin Ravioli were even better. Served in a cream sauce, the strength of the pumpkin was never allowed to overpower the rest of the dish. With two excellent dishes it's a shame that the third dish was a bad as it was. The Linguini with Dungeness crab tasted overly fishy.
But in rarity of restaurant service, our waitress noticed our displeasure and offered to replace the dish with another, telling us she wanted us to have an enjoyable dining experience. We settled on old standby spaghetti with meatballs.
With two excellent dishes, outstanding service, and a charming and romantic atmosphere, we left Cucina Paradiso wondering why it had taken us more than a year to try it.
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You wouldn't expect this hidden Italian restaurant off Motor Ave. to be good but you'd be suprised once you go inside. Decor is nice, service very friendly and attentive but most importantly food is pretty good.
with all the stars that yelpers are throwing at this restaurant, i imagined that cucina paradiso would have a pizza oven. unfortunately, they don't do pizza AT ALL!! i was very disappointed but was intrigued that this restaurant in a hidden tract of a mediocre LA neighborhood didn't have to resort to selling the most popular food in America.
i didn't want to spend too much money so my BF and I shared 2 chef's special appetizers and a pasta dish. first was a mixed grilled vegetables with fresh avocado. full utilization of scraps if i've ever seen it. the second dish, grilled polenta was good looking but needed texture and something to cut the richness of the truffle oil sauce.
we had much better luck ordering off their standard menu. the green and white fettucine with porcini and truffle oil was a window into what this restaurant can do. it was a vegetarian dish but so earthy and balanced, that my carniverous cravings were totally satisfied. i scraped the bowl clean with my table bread (which was very good) and left the restaurant on a great note.
i'd come back to try their established menu items, especially the filet mignon with gorgonzola that i spied, which seemed like a great deal at about $20.
karri and i went here for lunch last week (see her review on this page) -- just to sum up my review right now, it was really good food.
i couldn't begin to pronounce (let alone spell) the name of the meal i got, but essentially it was spaghetti with seafood on top -- some clams, scallops, shrimp, etc, etc. damn good stuff. i won't fault them for the clam or two that didn't pop open, allowing me to enjoy its chewy goodness within though. i'm just bitching for the sake of bitching.
cool atmosphere here. would be a nice little date spot in the evening, from the looks of it. lots of wine bottles sat beside our table (big wine rack), but as i am not a wine drinker and i had to get back to work, i didn't partake in the fermented grapes. a little pricey for lunch, but sometimes splurging is necessary to try something new. at any rate, it sure beats another day at the ralphs salad bar.
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