So a Travelzoo deal comes across the wire and it’s an "Eat and Greet" opportunity to have some fine Italian cuisine and meet chef Scott Conant of Chopped and pretty much every Food Network show. My wife jumps at the chance to do so and we’re off to Beverly Boulevard restaurant row for some celebrity chef Italian fare at The Ponte.

Most of the restaurants along Beverly Boulevard have rear or side entrance due to the fact that Beverly is a high traffic volume street and there's really no way to just simply pull up and park. That’s just car culture at its finest. Cool enough, we pull around to the back of the restaurant and drop the car off at the valet. The entry is a classic Italian Villa door. Stepping inside, you are transported into a lovely courtyard dominated by huge, I believe this to be Magnolia, tree. It gives a nice alfresco feel to the dining experience. 

Stepping into the restaurant you step into a maze of fast and frantic servers scurrying about serving the patrons. The back of the restaurant, which is actually the front of the restaurant, you find a large bar with low level Edison lighting. The overall design is slick modern, but a little cramped and claustrophobic. We let the waitress know that we would prefer to sit outside in the patio.

Our waiter, ironically, his name is Chris also, comes over with a huge smile on his face. He walks supposed to be this special tasting menu and we order up. Our amuse-bouche comes out, followed by an appetizer tasting of pasta. Spaghetti al Pomodoro, swirled into a stack that looks less like an appetizer and more like a small entrée. But the pasta is perfect al dente, the sauce tender and sweet and fresh. If this is what the rest of the dinner going to be like we’re in for a treat tonight!

At this point, I will make note of how many times I’ve gone to a celebrity chef restaurant, and in the end, we are thoroughly disappointed. Not tonight. My sirloin comes out and it is fabulous. Sitting on a bed of potatoes and squash, the smile on my face was from ear to ear. The steak was a perfect medium, and so tender and tasty. The squash and potatoes were tender yet firm and full of bright sunny flavor. This Scott guy really knows what he's doing! Nancy had the Branzino and she was equally pleased with her tasting.

Dessert was a yummy caramel treat, a Caramel Budino. This is basically pudding in a small jar with a caramel layer on top, topped with cookie crumbles. Tasty and a perfect wrap up to the meal. Sorry, I didn't get any pics, as Chris brought this out just as we were speaking with Scott, and I was pre-occupied so I just started eating. It was soooo good, and by the time I realized it, it was too late.

This was a wonderful dinner, full of character, charm and flavor. The restaurant was interesting, the service impeccable, and the food was fantastic! This rates very high and demands a revisit. Maybe we should just move back downtown to be closer to these restaurants. Just sayin'!

The Ponte Ristorante

8265 Beverly Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 746-5130