Il Pastaio Ristorante – Beverly Hills – CA

It’s hard to imagine Beverly Hills without Il Pastaio. For 20 years now, Il Pastaio has served as an important gathering spot for locals as well as a place to be seen by celebrities. And for all of these years, one man has run the kitchen with an extraordinary eye for detail: Chef Giacomino Drago.

In Beverly Hills, with its fickle clientele, it’s never easy to keep patrons happy. That Giacomino has consistently pleased his demanding customers for two decades is a feat to be lauded. One look at the designer-label crowd waiting for three-deep on the sidewalk for a table, and it’s clear that something special is happening in the kitchen. Daily fresh-made pasta, traditional risottos, salads with Italian staples like artichokes, lentils, and aged Parmiggiano, and entrees, including the whole Branzino prepared simply with lemon, butter, and capers. These are just a few of the fresh flavors that emerge from Giacomino’s kitchen.