: Before he opened DRAGO Centro downtown, this smart, sophisticated Santa Monica ristorante stood as Celestino Drago’s flagship and remains a bastion of fine Italian cooking on the Westside. Designed by the late, well-known Brent Saville, the décor succeeds in preserving old-world charm and understated elegance---with its Italian tiled floors and rotating local artwork---despite a generally sleek and trendy look. Unlike some other successful culinary entrepreneurs, Drago makes regular visits and keeps his home kitchen in tip-top shape. Infusing the dishes of his native Sicily with some modern touches is Drago's art, and creations we've enjoyed include carpaccios, spaghetti with fresh sardines, and pappardelle with pheasant and morel mushroom sauce. There is always European fresh fish including branzino (striped bass with a sweet flavor), baby seppia and red mullet in the spring and summer, while fall and winter menus lean more heavily toward grilled veal chop, rack of lamb, filet of beef and rabbit. Save room for the topnotch desserts, especially the signature panna cotta with fresh berries.

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