Wine and dine your way through the boot at LA’s Sotto
Written by Michelle Lyn | Photos courtesy of Sotto
As a child, chef Steve Samson would spend summers in Italy, visiting family and discovering rustic Italian food as a means of connecting to one another and forming a sense of community.
It was this genuine appreciation for food that drew Samson away from medical school years later and inspired him to switch gears and attend the Institute of Culinary Education. Celebrated Italian restaurateur Piero Selvaggio took Samson under his wing then sent him back to Italy to work in some of the finest Michelin-starred kitchens, all of which prepared Samson to open Sotto, currently one of the most lauded restaurants in LA.
Meaning “beneath” or “southern,” the word Sotto couldn’t be more appropriate, as the restaurant, which serves Southern Italian food, is tucked into a warmly lit basement on Pico.
Regional authenticity reigns at Sotto, with handmade pastas, a wood-burning oven built on-site by Neapolitan craftsmen and hearty, soulful dishes crafted thoughtfully in small batches.
The menu sections range from ‘Small,’ ‘Medium,’ to ‘Large,’ alongside pizza and pasta, of course. Wood roasted cauliflower with salmoriglio, a Southern Italian condiment made of lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped oregano, parsley, salt and pepper, is the perfect introduction to Sotto’s dining experience.
Moving through the menu, indulge in Sicilian Easter Soup with lamb meatballs, escarole and pecorino dumplings; Paccheri pasta with sweet and spicy pork ragu; Grilled Whole Orata (a traditional Mediterranean fish) with tomato acquasale and sweet chilis; and oven-fired pizza favorites like the Diavolina or Salsiccia e Friarielli.
While remaining true to Southern Italian ingredients and sensibilities, Samson is also adept at seamlessly weaving in local Southern Californian produce.
Complementing the menu is the bar program, helmed by Brynn Smith, which features freshly-made juices and highlights lesser known Italian spirits in cocktails like ‘Tre’ with Barolo Chinato, Carpano Antica and Punt e Mes; and ‘The Other Margarita’ with Amaro Nonino and Amaro Abano.
And not least, the wine list curated by Jeremy Parzen and Christine Veys, ensures a wide selection of southern Italian wines that pair effortlessly with the menu, as well as a cross-section of biodynamic California wines. With bottles ranging from $33 for the Tre Monti 2013 Sangiovese to $360 for the Emidio Pepe 1995 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, there is sure to be an unfamiliar discovery for everyone.
Sotto has been the recipient of multiple “Best New Restaurant” accolades from reputable outlets like Los Angeles Magazine and Esquire, so make a reservation now and keep an eye out for Samson’s next project, Rossoblu, opening later this year in downtown LA’s Fashion District.
Sotto
9575 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90035
310.277.0210 | SottoRestaurant.com