Italy's Little Kitchen — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Only 3 stars … doesn’t mean it was a bad meal, it was just average. It was take out, so we couldn’t gauge the service and ambiance …. So this is just the food. Delivery was very good. The minestrone was delicious, tasted very home made, a little oily, but delicious. After that, everything was “ok good, just not great”. We don’t feel anything was made with love … just basic, enough to get by, Italian food. Pepperoni pizza, there’s no bad pizza .. this was just average. As an example, last night we had pizza from another local spot, and it blew us away - like OMG, but this was just average ok good. Italian salad … just “ok”, would rather have had more vinegar and oil w spices than a blob of goo. Would have been nice for more carrots, cukes, maybe some sliced salami, better lettuce? Bread - pretty good. Chicken Marsala … same, pretty good and basic. Weirdly very sweet? But ok tasty. Meatballs … I kind of judge Italian restaurants by their meatballs …. These were VERY lame. Very hard, just tasted like hard rolled finely ground meat - was hard to cut through, we both agreed. Meatballs should be tender and tasty … but I’m going to guess they were frozen from Sysco, definitely not home made, did I say tiny - and bummer, no sauce, no side of cheese - a tiny ping pong ball, if that. If they were homemade … please call for my recipe, I can help. I really can’t believe they sell these frozen hard nuggets of no flavor - not bad flavor, just no flavor. Please - Italian restaurants …. Make a good meatball!! Finally, dessert. Chocolate cake … teeny tiny piece that was ok at best, tasted like a cheap grocery store cake. Not bad, just ok at best. And did I say tiny???? $6.95 for a few bites. I’d be happier paying $15 for a great big slice. In summary, was this a bad meal, not at all. Would I go back? No, unless the chef invited me and promised to upgrade the quality and chef skills. This was basic ok - you’ll be happy if you’re really hungry … but not for the ok food. Again, it was just average ok. I wish you luck … I hope you’ll upgrade, find a great chef, and maybe add some “love” to the cooking...

Mind you my friend ordered our dinner though doordash so I am not sure what the restaurant atmosphere or staff are like.

I ordered the shrimp scampi with gluten free pasta. It’s was basic. I got what I ordered and nothing extra. It was nice and garlicky and there were a decent amount of shrimp but I ate it all and was still hungry. The gluten free pasta is well not great, I was hoping they would find a better pasta since gluten free is relatively normal in Italy. My friend ordered a pasta dish as well. We only got one handheld loaf of bread even though we ordered two dishes. Maybe because mine was gluten free we only got one, but my friend was sad because she was hoping to get two.

Bottom line, for what I got at the price it was, I was a bit underwhelmed. Maybe I’m just not adapted to inflation but dang. The gluten free past substitution was $3.50 addition. It should be free since it’s a non-perishable dehydrated pasta anyways. Gluten free pasta must have been cooked in the same as the regular pasta water because I had a regular angel hair noodle come in my pasta so don’t get if...

I am so disappointed in this place. I have stay away from ordering due to the tall guy that takes your order he is completely disconnected from "the customer " he always seems very impatient taking the order but tonight sealed the deal for me. I went in and specially explaining to him I had a taste for something garlic and basil. Also there was a time you can get the Cesar salad and add grill chicken with garlic and basil he stated they NEVER had such when I have ordered numerous times but again I was bothering him so he didn't have time to properly take my order. I ordered the Bolognese which was not what I wanted instead of him engaging and explaining the dishes he agreed that I order it $19 .I left came back and explained to him that was the wrong dish so I ordered another pasta dish for less $17. Do you think he offered to return the difference of course NOT! I get home and was literally angel hair pasta and diced tomatoes so bland no taste at all completely wasted my money!!!! Sorry but I will NOT be returning. This let me know why I stayed away so long. HORRIBLE...