Bucato Restaurant Helms Building Helms Bakery THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bucato Restaurant THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bucato Restaurant

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bucato Restaurant

Helms Bakery
3280 Helms Ave. (Washington Blvd.)
Culver City, CA 90034
310-876-0286
Map
Cuisine: Italian / Small Plates / Pasta
Homemade pastas and breads in the Helms Bakery complex in Culver City.
Openings: Lunch Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Dinner Sun.-Thurs. 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5:00 p.m.-11:30 p.m.; Brunch Sun. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

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THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bucato Restaurant, Culver City, CA


THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bucato Restaurant Restaurant Review:


Bucato Restaurant in the Helms Bakery complex presents simple and authentic flavors that transport your taste buds to a rural Italian town. (The name Bucato, Italian for “laundry,” pays tribute to the building’s original tenant, Beacon Laundry.) A small, modern space with high ceilings and stark white lighting, the dining room can seem austere. A bar with nine seats is flanked by two-top booths lining the wall. Light fixtures fashioned from pasta rolling pins hang from the ceiling and add a whimsical touch, but we prefer a table on one of the two outdoor patios. Colin Akiyama has taken over executive chef duties from Evan Funke. Start by nibbling on homemade focaccia or batard --- similar to baguette --- served with slightly sweet and creamy goat’s milk butter tinged with ash salt. The “spuntini” or snacks section of the menu is highlighted by fried cauliflower “Sicilian style” that smells of garlic and is steeped in olive oil, adding to the simultaneously crispy and soft texture. Handmade pastas are the star attraction. They are produced in a pasta lab upstairs by sfoglino (“doughmaker”) Kosaku Kawamura. Spaghetti is spiked with plenty of pepper and cheese, and tastes like the epitome of rustic goodness, while tagliatelle may be accompanied by a ragù bianco aromatic with wild fennel. Octopus is a standard interpretation, the tentacle tender and charred, while the porchetta --- a traditional hearty pork roast with layers of stuffing, meat, fat and skin --- is as rich as it sounds and very good. Zeppoli --- Italian-style beignets with a sweet filling --- are the winning dessert. Edward Keebler, beverage curator and managing partner, delivers a concise wine list with a strong Italian accent. There is also a limited beer selection. You’ll have to resist the temptation to share your meal on social media as Bucato has a strict policy prohibiting photography and cell phones.