Il Moro

On Wednesday, I lunched with a friend and former boss, Colleen, at an Italian restaurant she recommended on the Westside of L.A.  The place, Il Moro (www.ilmoro.com), was one I hadn’t been to yet, so I was excited to try a new place.  The entrance is on Perdue, not on Olympic as you’d think given the address, and really the only option for parking in the afternoon is valet.  Thankfully, they don’t charge an excessive amount for valet parking (I paid $7 with tip).  As you walk in, you go through the bar area, which is well appointed and modern in feel.  The restaurant is in the back, with outdoor patio space (when the weather is nice – which in LA is most of the year).  We sat inside because it was a chilly day.

The menu offered excellent choices.  There were also some good specials for the day.  I chose a soup that was a special for the day.  I can’t remember exactly what it was called, but essentially it was a chicken broth base with veal meatballs and LOTS of parmesan cheese.  I also detected a hint of lemon.  The cheese made it appear to be like an egg-drop soup, but it was definitely cheese.  The soup was very delicious and fitting given the weather. 

For my main course, I ordered the risotto, which came mixed with a lamb ragu.  I hadn’t had risotto in a while, and generally prefer my homemade version, but I couldn’t pass this up as it was with lamb!  I wouldn’t make this at home unless I can learn to make that ragu.  The risotto was perfectly cooked al dente, and the lamb ragu added a very unique flavor and texture profile.  I’d order this again as it was hearty, filling and satisfied my craving for a lamb dish.

Il Moro is a place I’ll definitely go back to, maybe for happy hour sometime.  The prices are generally moderate, but expect to pay about $50+ each if you order two courses and wine.