Valentino - Santa Monica*Michelin Star*, Santa MonicaFor a restaurant that essentially started on a whim in 1972, Valentino has proved itself to have immense staying power. In those early days, the vibe was informal to say the least. "We had a handwritten menu, a very personal approach, and offered whatever we had,” says owner Piero Selvaggio in an article for Eater. But this overt simplicity belies the restaurant's knack for trendsetting—they also owned an espresso machine in those early days, long before many places in the United States even dreamed of such a thing.
Today, Valentino isn’t quite the laid-back trattoria it once was. Just in the way people now expect most Italian restaurants to own an espresso machine, they come to Valentino’s expecting fine Italian cuisine devoid of checkered tablecloths and heavy sauces. The restaurant’s evolution is no surprise—Selvaggio has been running a restaurant longer than many of his competitors, and if his Michelin star signifies anything, he's likely still doing it better. Valentino's current-day menus—crafted by Sardinian chef Nico Chessa—keep the restaurant's flair for innovation alive with vegetarian and gluten-free dishes served alongside Italian classics made with farm-to-table ingredients.
In an attempt to keep things innovative and fresh, literally and figuratively, Valentino changes its menu with the seasons. Depending on the time of year, the menu may highlight duck-meat-stuffed crepes with fruit chutney made of apples, peaches, and pears, or feature a pasta with prosciutto, pancetta, and pecorino shavings. Appetizers may include 24-month aged prosciutto di parma and pan-seared diver scallops with lobster sauce.
The thousands of bottles that line Valentino's wine cellar have earned Wine Spectator's Grand Award every year since 1981, the year that wine was first invented. Emphasizing Italian, Californian, and French wines, the selection features everything from boutique-vineyard varietals to the extremely rare 1891 Brunello Biondi-Santi Riserva, one of only four bottles in the world.
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