Review: Vincenti Ristorante

Last night I had dinner with Jay and his parents at Vincenti Ristorante, on San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood. I had never even heard of this place and didn't know what to expect. Upon entering, I was impressed. The decor was clean, modern, and classy. We sat at a table in a more private back room, so it wasn't too loud.

The food was excellent. It was one of the best Italian meals I've had in LA. On the house, we all had an amuse bouche of half of a baby fig topped with micro greens and a dollop of high-quality goat cheese, and seasoned with balsamic vinegar. We ordered a bottle of Syrah (my favorite type of wine) which Jay's dad coincidentally chose because it sounded like my name :)

To start, I had a special appetizer of heirloom tomatoes with burrata. The burrata was of impeccable quality, and the tomatoes were perfectly seasoned with salt, pepper, and a light basil oil. (On a sidenote, burrata is my favorite cheese - it is simply divine. If you haven't tried it, you are truly missing out. According to Wikipedia, burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it a unique soft texture. It is usually served fresh, at room temperature. The name "burrata" means "buttered" in Italian.)

For my entree, I had filet of John Dory with smashed potatoes, black truffles, and crispy artichokes. It was fantastic. The fish was tender and juicy. The potatoes, artichokes, and black truffles combined perfectly with the fish to make a sensational palate of flavors and textures. I ate slowly so I could savor every bite! I was actually sad when it was gone. Finally, for dessert, I had warm molten chocolate cake with vanilla gelato. It was the perfect end to a fabulous meal. And most importantly, I really enjoyed my company.