Toscana

Toscana Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: Since 1989, Toscana has treated ritzy Brentwood locals and celebrities to simple, homey Italian food ---- at high prices that correspond to the clientele. Art punctuates the brick walls of the dining room, and white tablecloths adorn the tables. The space is tiny --- and loud --- so reservations are a must.

Likes: The pastas; professional and friendly service.
Dislikes: Noisy.

About the food & drinks: Start off with creamy burrata with tomato or classic carpaccio. The menu moves on with eight versions of Tuscan-style thin-crusted pizzas and a strong selection of pastas and risotto. You can’t go wrong with the spaghetti pomodoro. The theme of simplicity continues with the seafood and meat main dishes, some of which are prepared in the wood-burning oven. Fillet of branzino, grilled veal chop and the Fiorentina (large T-bone steak) are a few of the temptations. When you first entered the restaurant, you likely noticed the display of homemade desserts on the right. Like the rest of the meal, the sweet options are straightforward: ricotta cheesecake, chocolate tart, raspberry pie, etc. The wine list offers more than 300 options, primarily featuring Italy and California, as well as more than a dozen selections available by the glass. Stop by Bar Toscana, the adjacent sister lounge, for fresh spins on Italian classic cocktails and stuzzicini (small Italian plates).