Bestia: Good things happen to the ones who wait

Every time I tried to make a reservation at Bestia they would kindly reply that they had an opening in 2-3 weeks so I would always end up going somewhere else. When my husband asked where did I want to go for our 10^th anniversary I immediately replied: Bestia. We made a reservation almost a month in advance and all we could get was a countertop side table.

BESTIA

2121 Seventh Place

Los Angeles CA, 90021

213.514.5724

http://bestiala.com

Bestia is located at the border of the arts district surrounded by old warehouses in an area of DTLA that is rapidly changing. The restaurant is in a renovated industrial building down the train yard.   It has an   L shape countertop that goes from the bar to the salumi bar and an open kitchen. Bestia is modern urban at its best. The night we were there it was as it always is: shoulder to shoulder. It was one of those rare rainy LA nights and we pushed our way in. My husband asked the hostess “are we sitting at the bar?” She smirked and playfully replied “Oh no, you guys are in the restaurant”. It was like we were entering another world by taking two steps to the right of the bar.

Pictured: Vacation Cocktail

Dinner began with the pan-fried ciccioli, a delicious pork cake that is traditionally made with spare pork parts. To better describe it, its like the ultimate crab cake but made with the best parts of our piggy friend. It’s everything that “pork lovers” dream off: crunchy, fried and porky. 

Pictured: Pan-fried ciccioli

From the antipasti section we had the roasted marrow bone with spinach gnocchetti. The plate was beautiful. Unlike in other restaurants, it comes with a gnocchetti pasta. What you do is to scrape the marrow into the pasta, mix it and eat it. Probably the best bone marrow I have had in years.

 Pictured: Roasted marrow bone

For our main dish we ordered the bucatini alla‘nduja affumicata with burrata. The spaghetti was cooked al dente with a tomato sugo topped with melting burrata. Imagine the best spaghetti you’ve ever had smothered in a spicy tomato sauce with a big fat dollop of what looks like cream but is actually fresh mozzarella cheese. As you dip your fork in the burrata it will expand like lava from a volcano and reach every single inch of the spaghetti: spicy, cheesy, delicious.  

Pictured: Bucatini alla‘nduja affumicata

We also had the cavatelli alla norcina. Don’t be deceived by the simple presentation, this is one of Bestia’s classics, a signature dish and rightfully so.  The pork sausage, black truffles and the grana padano cheese completely elevate the richness of the plate to another level.

Pictured: Cavatelli alla norcina

To close the night we went with the maple ricotta fritters. It came with a maple butter ganache, sour cream and huckleberry jam ice cream. I don’t think this needs any further explanation. I felt a little bit like the princess and the vagabond; we were trying to figure out who should have the last bite. It was just exquisite.

Pictured: Maple ricotta fritters

This was the best meal of the year and I was lucky to share it with my favorite person in the world. Bestia is and will continue to be a food landmark in Los Angeles because of its amazing rustic Italian plates, its obsession with charcuterie and dreamy desserts. 

Without a doubt Bestia was worth the wait.