The summer season allows us to finally rejuvenate and relax, so why waste time arguing over where to eat? The fight is over, because your answer can now always be Bettolino Kitchen in Redondo Beach. With fresh and light Italian dishes, open windows and the beach breeze (not to mention amazing cocktails), this cozy restaurant will satisfy any craving on a warm day or night. Your new favorite summer spot is Bettolino Kitchen.
Noi non ci sediamo a tavola per mangiare, ma per mangiare insieme. This translates, "We don't come to the table to eat, we come to eat together." This is painted on the large focal wall of Bettolino Kitchen, and it is a small, simple reminder of why people come together to eat in the first place. We tend to get caught up in busy schedules, especially in the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, but Bettolino reminds us, especially in these summer months, we need to come together to enjoy delicious food and drinks over even better conversation with our friends and loved ones.
With Classic Rock softly playing in the naturally lit dining room, an intimate setting is created for all to enjoy. The decor consists of large mirrors and suspended large wine glasses, but nothing distracts from the overwhelming feeling to connect with all others seated at your table. I started with an Italian 75 (prosecco, gin, homemade limoncello and fresh bail), which was absolutely delicious and refreshing for the warm summer day, ordered the Polipo (Grilled Octopus) and started great conversation with an old friend who met me for lunch.
Polipo
The Polipo had great, natural flavor from the octopus that sat upon warm cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, wilted basil and infused olive oil. The dish was a great start to our meal and proved why Bettolino's new summer seafood menu is perfect for the season. The sweet tomato and salty navy beans were a perfect balance under the tender octopus. They also brought fresh, crusty ciabatta bread that had a slight sourdough flavor that was served with olive oil, not butter, in the true Italian style.
My dear friend and I were brought back to the summer we spent in Italy after tasting the appetizer, and that is all you could ever want from a restaurant - to bring you back to beautiful memories. It was like we were back on our trip, enjoying a meal under the Tuscan sun.
Rainbow Caprese
We ordered the Rainbow Caprese, of course, and this was one of the most perfect Caprese salads I have ever had, and I have had a lot of tomato and mozzarella salad in my 21 years thus far. Bettolino has their own take on the salad as they do not stop at perfect quarters of tomato and chunks of fresh, soft, creamy and slightly salty mozzarella, basil and olive oil. They also include fresh pieces of beets that created the vibrant presentation and light flavor. It is truly un piatto dell' estate - a plate of summer.
Gnocchi di Piselli
When the menu description for a green pea infused gnocchi sits over a bed of parmesan fondue, you just can't pass that up. The dish was so innovative, fresh and unique. It may seem impossible, but even with a creamy cheese fondue, the dish was still extremely light. Light Italian cuisine is hard to come by, but Bettolino offers dishes that maintain bold Italian flavors without weighing you down. Fresh sausage and peppers are sautéed with the gnocchi, offering up even more bright, fresh flavor.
La Griglia
We enjoyed the main course of Grilled Salmon with simple lemon served with garlic sauce, farro, Quinoa Pesto and Grilled Asparagus. I could truly eat this all summer long. The pesto had amazing flavor, perfectly salted with fresh basil and paired beautifully with the healthy portion of fresh salmon. As the dishes sadly came to an end, I used the crunchy bread to soak up the parmesan fondue and pesto (my Nonna would be proud).
Torta di Cioccolato
This flourless dark chocolate cake was extremely creamy with a mousse-like consistency, yum. The sliced almonds on top offered wonderful texture, and the vanilla gelato and bright raspberries countered the rich, dark chocolate. The cake itself was not overly sweet, so the gelato and raspberries created the perfect bite providing great flavor while still feeling light for summer.
So next time you're searching for a place to eat, don't waste another minute. You can enjoy delicious, light Italian cuisine that will leave you with a warm glow and great conversation. Your new favorite summer spot is Bettolino Kitchen.