I would love to say that I’ve eaten at every LA restaurant. That I know restaurants so well, Google asks me to give descriptions of LA eateries. Although I’m not Google’s go-to food expert, I will drop the name of a spot that creates unique dishes that you have to try. Case in point, Celestino in Pasadena. Last week, I was invited to Celestino to taste their new Seasonal Mushroom & Truffle Menu. I enjoy a good mushroom here and there, but a menu focused on it completely was going to be interesting. I grabbed my friend Alexis and headed to the Italian restaurant to see how the menu would fare.
The restaurant as a whole is beautiful. It has an outdoor seating section covered in bright lights and surrounded by a garden. The interior is dimly lit with well aligned tables that can see the bustling activity in the kitchen. My favorite area, is the patio. Aligned with South Lake Avenue, this area gets direct access to the main street and consumes the sunlight and weather. Taking a peak into the kitchen was eye-opening. They have rows of colorful pasta lined up to be used at a moments notice. And there are so many cooks working on different meals it’s hard to keep up. What I loved about the kitchen was the interaction between everyone. I caught them cracking jokes with each other and one of them even did a little dance as he sliced a fish. I loved seeing them put their happiness into their food. When I was back in the main area of the restaurant, it was clear that it carries a tone of business casual to upscale, therefore attire must align accordingly. This isn’t a casual, jeans and t-shirt type of place. It’s more like a, “I put effort into my appearance and I know how to dress nicely” kind of establishment. You know, like you care.
Once Alexis and I sat down, we were prepped for the 5-course tasting menu. It would include samples from the seasonal menu and some items that could only be called in advance. We were excited! First to arrive at the table was the bread basket. Considering that I’m a carb-lover, this is always a great way to kick of a dinner. Following the delightful slices of solidified carbs was the Bruschetta (no charge, served upon request). Here’s a little info about me. When I was in college, I made “bruschetta” because bread and tomatoes was an easy purchase. Unfortunately, it never tasted like what was before me at Celestino. This bruschetta was made with freshly chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, and topped with an olive. It was a delicious start to the meal, and put my college dish to shame.
After the bruschetta came the Foie Gras ($22 per piece, request in advance). An expensive and sought after item, the foie gras isn’t listed on the menu. In order to have it, you have to request it by calling at least two days in advance to ensure it is available. Seeing it plated in front of me made me eager to experience it. Think about it: this is the foie gras, or duck liver, that was controversially and recently “banned from California”, only to come back in a blaze of glory. My fork quickly took hold of it. The outer portion was blackened while the inner part was soft. The taste was unique. It’s smooth, gentle, and easily melts in your mouth as if it’s only purpose is to be consumed. It’s strange to say that, but try it and it’ll make sense. I liked this dish and can see why people were so keen to have it placed on menus throughout California.
The second course was the Homemade Wide Pappardelle with Fresh Porcini Mushrooms ($32). It’s made of flattened pasta shells layered in a creamy sauce that spreads onto the mushrooms and single sliced tomato. The pasta is thinly made and silky. The mushrooms were my favorite part of the dish; shocking, right? They were delicious because they were expertly seasoned so they burst with flavor when I bit into them. Each forkful of pasta and mushrooms was a firing of taste that was impossible to resist.
Next up was the Risotto with Shaved Fresh Truffle ($42). It tastes incredibly creamy and wintery with a bright color. It’s nicely seasoned on its own, but the addition of the truffle takes it from simple to elegant. The best part, the truffle isn’t overwhelming. It strikes up with each bite, but it doesn’t overpower the risotto. I loved this dish so much that it was devoured shortly after it was delivered. Absolutely delicious!
The final main to the tasting was the Veal Scaloppini with Fresh Fava Beans & Fresh Morel Mushrooms ($48). Tender veal was submerged in a tangy sauced covered in beans and accompanied by light vegetables. Cutting into the veal, I could see the steam arise out and the scent cascade to allure me into the plate. Each bite was delightful and pleasant to the point that I finished it faster than I expected. Or does that just mean I’m fatter than I thought? Either way, it was delectable!
To close out the meal I ordered a Cappuccino ($4) and Alexis and I split the Dessert Trio ($12). The trio came with slices of the Peach Tart, Ricotta tart, and Chocolate Cake. I’m not exactly sure how to best describe something that looked as good as it taste, but look at the desserts. They were sweet, moist, and full of sinful flavor. The kind that makes you forget that you’ll have to go to the gym the morning after. They were rich and it was hard to stay away from them. Don’t resist, it’ll only make it harder for yourself.
With the last bite of dessert, the tasting was complete. The entire meal from start to finish was elegant, elaborate, and exciting! The best part was how much I enjoyed the mushrooms that I thought I wouldn’t like. The plates may seem expensive, but they’re priced based on their quality and extravagance. Celestino may not be the restaurant you go to every weekend (unless that’s just the type of cool life you have), but even to check them out once in a while would be suffice in more ways than you could imagine.
You can visit the restaurant during their lunch and dinner hours below, but the Seasonal Mushroom & Truffle Menu is only available until the end of March,. Translation: go experience it before your chance is gone!
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Address: 141 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
Phone: (626) 795-4006
Hours: Monday through Friday – 11:00am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 10:30pm, Saturday – 5:00pm to 10:30pm, and Sunday – 5:00pm to 9:30pm
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