With the dramatic surge of restaurants flourishing in downtown Los Angeles, what was once a dicey proposition now seems more and more like a sure thing. The latest big-name chef to claim his piece of the downtown pie is Celestino Drago, owner and executive chef of Drago Ristorante, Il Pastaio and Enoteca Drago. Its showstopper of a dining room cost a whopping $7 million to build; Drago has bet big on the area’s much lauded renaissance, and has positioned Drago Centro to become the new destination for downtown dining.
Celestino Drago came to Los Angeles at 22, and had opened the acclaimed Drago Ristorante in Santa Monica by the time he was 34, and quickly became one of the top Italian chefs in the city. With the hits there have been a few misses, such as the defunct Celestino Italian Steakhouse. But the James Beard honoree, having ruled supreme over the Westside, can no doubt show downtown exactly what it has been missing rustic Sicilian cooking with a modern edge.
Drago Centro is well-concealed from the foot traffic that trudges down Flower Street during the workweek, save for tiny red lettering on the sign for the parking garage. Miss this and you are in for some serious hair-pulling as you detour back through downtown’s maze of one-way streets. Even from the underground valet it can be tricky to find your way to the courtyard where Drago is nested.
The dining room is positively buzzing during lunch. The lounge area, furnished with a flat-screen TV tuned to the financial news, is packed with people waiting to be seated, and also has a large communal table for those in a rush. Though we have reservations, we are sent here for nearly 30 minutes. The covered patio is closed off due to the pouring rain.
A sizable glass box serves a dual purpose of housing Drago’s cache of wine and separating the formal dining room from the lobby and kitchen areas. Photos of Italy embellished with haphazard doodlings serve as wall-spanning murals. White banquettes run along the walls, making for some comfortable but close seating. The entire back wall is an expansive window with a view of an industrial orange sculpture in the courtyard.
While we are taking in the sights, there are some serious decisions to be made. Salad or charcuterie? Pasta or fish? Our server navigates the menu expertly, nodding her approval at our choices and steering us when we waver.
We start with the venison carpaccio, a dish that has already become a signature of the restaurant. It does not disappoint. Although I grew up in Minnesota, I am ashamed to say I had never tried venison, but I am sold on the bold, complex flavors that bear an almost imperceptible hint of anise. The sherry vinaigrette gives the meat a nice tang, and walnuts echo the earthier elements of the game. Similarly understated are the saut & #233;ed mussels. Tender and sizable, they are seasoned simply with cracked black pepper, garlic and lemon.
Next to arrive is the grilled artichoke salad with endive and pistachio. In lieu of dressing, the salad is tossed in an evoo sabayon sabayon being a foamy concoction of mainly egg yolks; evoo being a fancy acronym for “extra virgin olive oil.” While I find the salad bland, my dining partner, an artichoke enthusiast, not so gently suggests I leave the remainder to someone who appreciates it. There is no quibbling over the buckwheat pizzoccheri: It is fantastic. Though cabbage and potatoes seem like unlikely ingredients in this pasta dish, our server offers a recommendation and boy was she right. The hearty buckwheat strands are drizzled in a fontina-sage sauce that is simply heavenly.
Nearly as good is the fresh pappardelle pasta. The thick egg noodles hold their own with the morel mushrooms and roasted pheasant, a hearty dish meant for winter days. The braised short ribs on creamy polenta are an excellent choice; the beef is everything pot roast wishes it could be. Tender and rich, the slight sweetness of the glaze and the polenta offsets the meat expertly.
Though the service is a bit slower that it needs to be especially for multiple courses one of the perks of a leisurely lunch is getting to see what everyone else orders for dessert. At Drago Centro, there is only one choice: the doughnuts, encrusted with granules of sugar, and accompanied with ricotta cr & #269;me and poached pear. With the scoop of brown butter gelato they are almost too good. My companion, swearing he is not a dessert fan, is raving. It is the perfect ending to the meal.
Downtown has a new heavy-hitter to add to its roster. Drago Centro is wonderfully stylish and also serves food that manages to be comforting and innovative all at once often, the two are mutually exclusive. Sure, a few kinks need to be worked out. Quickening the pace of service or extending the two-hour validation for parking is a must. But the bones of a truly outstanding place are there, and with a few tweaks, everything should run famously.
DRAGO CENTRO
Where: 525 S. Flower St., Los Angeles, 90071. Cross Street: Fifth Street
When: Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Dinner: 5:30 to10 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday
What to Try: Venison carpaccio, buckwheat pizzoccheri with fontina-sage cream sauce, braised short ribs with polenta
Noise Level: Moderate to high
Meeting Room: Yes, up to 16
Parking: City National Bank Plaza garage, $5 for two hours with validation
Price Range: Appetizers, $9-$15; entrees, $14-$27
Reservations: (213) 228-8998
Reviewer Lindsey Styrwoll can be reached at [email protected].
