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Took my son to a great meal while visiting LA . Great experience, highly recommend. Service was exceptional by waiter and all at restaurant. Food is very rich but so darn good. Focaccia was so unique and delicious. Tomahawk pork chop , presentation and flavor were both 10/10. Mashed potatoes, onion rings and salad also so good . Ambiance also fantastic . We ordered too much . A meal to be remembered. .
I've tried Chi Spacca while traveling years ago. This time, I dined at the chef's table. It was incredible! The service, chefs' precision, and the quality of food. Everything was on par. I ordered the bone marrow pie and 36 dry aged bone in steak. We started with the sourdough bread, with notes of garlic infused in it, paired with a delicious mozzarella ball. As for the bone marrow pie, the bone marrow was delicious and paired perfectly to the beef pie. For the steak- I loved watching the chefs prepare it. I ordered medium rare and it melted in my mouth. This experience reminded me of all the joy I experienced the first time abroad and added to it. Highly recommend!
This meat speakeasy has a cozy and intimate vibe. I loved sitting up at the counter and watching all the chefs in action! FYI, some of the items can take 1 hr + to be made (like the oxtail), so keep that in mind! Knowing this helped us make our menu selection. We ended up ordering the anchovy + butter, branzino, cabbage, and beef & marrow pot pie. Anchovy + Butter: I was astonished by how much butter there was! I ended up having to scrape some off. Once I had the preferred amount of butter, the anchovy + toasted bread + butter combo was packed with flavor and textures. Branzino: Prob my fav dish of the night. The branzino was cooked perfectly with its crispy edge. The bed of herb salad and charred lemon was a great pairing with the fish, giving the dish a nice acidic element. Beef & Marrow Pot Pie: I love pot pies so this was a no brainer to order! Its very unique and photogenic. There's a generous amount of beef inside. This dish is also served with a side of extremely creamy mashed potatoes. FYI, this dish takes longer to come out! Cabbage: Nothing too exciting, it was nice to have a veggie side. You feel very well taken care of here. There's plenty of metered street parking around (and after 6PM, its free).
Came to Chi Spacca with a group of 4. Reservations were made in advance. We arrived about 15 minutes early and were seated outside when I saw plenty of tables inside. The reason? Because we checked in early...I've seen a lot of other reviews about how reservation times weren't followed, so I think that may be the norm here. They really should add some shades on the outside dining, because as the sun sets, you're literally sitting in the sun. Moving onto the food, our group wasn't really impressed. I think the only dishes I loved were: -a few of the items from the Affettati Misti (like a charcuterie meat plate) -- The croquette trotter, 'nduja and rabbit pate were all good and paired well with their Focaccia di Recco. All the sliced meats were a bit too salty. -The Beef & Bone Marrow Pie, though it was a very hearty & heavy dish. -Grilled Octopus, this could've used more lime wedges, but I liked the cranberry beans that comes with this dish. The Hanger Steak was nothing to rave about (a bit over); the Glazed Lamb Ribs were okay, some pieces were fall off the bone, but the one I had barely had any meat on it; Short Ribs were also just okay and very oily. We ordered a wine that was around $75 per bottle, can't remember the name but their sommelier recommended. This was pretty good as it paired nicely with all the meat we ordered. Lastly for dessert, we ordered the Gelato with Olive Oil & Sea Salt. Too much sea salt, and their olive oil was likely a bit rancid. Nothing like what I had in Italy before, so that was a disappointment. We did notice a lot of parties picking up takeout pizza for their sister restaurant, so I wonder if that's any good...but I won't be visiting again for Chi Spacca. They have valet available, though I didn't see where. We were lucky enough to find street parking on a small street nearby (not monitored on Sundays).
It pains me to write this review. I have been coming for almost 10 years now on special ocasions. This is actually one of my wife's favorite restaurants. I fell in love with their Foccacia and their Tomahawk Pork Chop. Every year, service was excellent and good was great. Even our kids love it. However, on our last visit last week everything went downhill. We got seated on time at 6pm during our reservation time. We ordered pretty much everything immediately. Salad and Foccacia came within 20min but the entrees did not come until 8pm. We kept asking our server and manager for updates on our food and all we heard was "its coming soon" or "let me check on it". When the food finally came, the pork was EXTREMELY salty. To top it off, the lady in the table next to us was throwing up mid dinner which definitely added to the experience. Not sure if I would come back.
Loved this spot. Out of the 3 Nancy Silverton places that occupy this corner this one is probably my 3rd choice. I love Osteria Mozza, it's my number one and then Pizza is two. Chi SPACCA has a great intimate vibe. The service is very attentive. My only tweak would be its pretty tight quarters, the tables are small and then they're serving you huge portions to try to fit on your table. Not to mention EVERYONE is waiting. Chi SPACCA definitely has the longest wait times for the food out of the 3 cause the menu is so meat heavy. It's just a constant circling of servers and managers telling people, it's coming soon, it'll be a little longer. Stuff takes a good while here. Delicious though!
Chi Spacca is such a gem in LA. I love coming here to enjoy their steak and wine. Came to celebrate an anniversary and the whole team treated us so well and gave us an amazing dinner. From start to finish, the meals were coursed out perfectly. Perfect for an intimate dinner and dinner with a group, Chi Spacca does well the accommodate. Our favorite here is definitely the Bistecca fiorentina, the 50z porterhouse. Definitely worth it!
This was my second visit to Chi Spacca, the smallest and most meat-centric of Nancy Silverton's 3-restaurant complex on the corner of Melrose and Highland. I came this time specifically for their smash burger, served only at the counter on Mon. and Tues. The counter has 6 seats, and everyone seated there ordered the burger The burger is the most economical dish on the menu. Chi Spacca is not a live fire place (although there is a wood-burning oven), so they have a grill and a flat top. At the counter, I saw huge chunks of meat (New York and Porterhouse) spend large chunks of time on the grill on all sides; an instant-read thermometer was used. The burger of course had a much shorter cook on the flat top. It has 2 patties, American cheese, Calabrian chili aioli, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and pickles on a toasted sesame bun. The burger was fine. I did not really taste the chili aioli, and the bun did not hold up well, but overall pretty tasty. I started with roasted squash blossoms. These are of course stuffed with ricotta and served with a tangy tomato vinaigrette that had more punch than a traditional marinara, plus basil. Classic. I also ordered the onion rings. They were large, beautifully battered and fried, along with some greens (parsley?). Very crisp and light, but I couldn't really taste the onion flavour. They came with a nice garlic aioli, but I prefer simple ketchup, which they do provide without resistance. For dessert they offer vanilla soft serve ice cream with a choice of 4 toppings; I chose the saucy dates and salted pecans. Delish. Service was decent, but they somehow my burger order was not put in or noticed. I saw 3 guys who arrived after me receive their burgers and sides before me. They were receiving their 2nd round of burgers when I finally got my first, which I may not have received at all had I not asked. When I went to the restroom after the main course but before dessert, they cleared my seat, thinking I had left. Luckily they didn't discard my leftovers! Overall the burger experience is probably a one and done for me. Should I return, I'd probably get a savory pie or grilled meat.
Having been to Mozza, we wanted to try its sister restaurant Chi Spacca. When we arrived on a Sunday evening, all the street parking was full so we ended up using their valet. Upon entering the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by the hostess and taken to our seats. The dining space was intimate. The tables were almost a bit too close together though. We were hungry that evening so we ended up ordering a few more things that we could finish: the hanger steak, the octopus, the romanesco, the caesar salad, and the salted dates. We started our meal with bread and their Caesar salad. The bread was toasty yet tender, nothing too special. But the Caesar salad was delicious! The dressing was rich and creamy. The greens were crisp. The anchovies were briny, but the saltiness added the right amount of savoriness to the dish. What made the salad more special was the use of lemon and orange juice/zest that really brightened up the salad. After finishing most of our starters, we decided to add the salted dates due to our server's recommendation. We were a bit concerned that the dates would be too sweet, but we were pleasantly surprised. The dates were charred and salted resulting in bitter and savory flavors that helped balance the natural sweetness of the date. For our main dishes, we ordered the grilled octopus, the hanger steak, and the romanesco. The steak was perfectly cooked and paired very well with the bed of braised leeks. Unfortunately the horseradish flavor didn't come through enough. The grilled octopus was also very delicious. It was very tender and the beans and sauce really paired well with the octopus. Lastly we wanted a vegetable with our meal so we opted for the romanesco. The romanesco was cooked well and still firm. The bagna cauda brought the acid and savory flavors to the dish. All in all, it was a great meal and a great experience!
Amazing service and amazing food to make my birthday feel extra special. I enjoyed the handwritten birthday card. The open dining space that looks directly into the kitchen provided warm vibes. The parking was a bit challenging but was able to find nearby street parking.
Chi Spacca is a Michelin recommended restaurant by Nancy Silverton that focuses on meats cooked over open fire. The LA Times has it perennially ranked high on their top 101 restaurant list. The charcuterie is definitely worth trying as they cure their meats in house. I'm happy that they were willing to serve us a "half portion" of their charcuterie ($20 for half portion), which was a great value and shareable for two (assuming that you'll be ordering entrees). What's interesting about the charcuterie is that the sampling of meats has a variety of flavors and textures that you can't really appreciate unless you try them for yourself. The foccacia di recco ($36) is a recipe that took Silverton two years to master. The dough is kneaded out thinner than paper and the layers are filled with cheese. This makes cheesy bread with cracker-like consistency. They gave the option of pairing it with black truffle (which we did for a portion of the bread at a cost of $6/gram), and we also paired this flatbread with their charcuterie. I don't feel that black truffle is necessary as an add on to the thin, crispy bread, particularly if you plan to eat your bread with other things. If I were to come back, I'd honestly order different breads. The beef cheek and bone marrow pie ($68) is their most instagrammable option (other than their signature, dry-aged 50 oz steak). It has a really buttery crust, a rich and savory demi-glace sauce, and a very rich and savory beef cheek that's amplified by bone marrow. If, for some reason, you want even more richness, it's served with really creamy mashed potatoes that likely has a ton of butter. It's good, but it was far too rich, heavy, and decadent for my taste. If you want vegetable side dishes, I really enjoyed their roasted carrots ($17), which were flavored with harissa, yogurt, and dill. It was nice to cut some of the richness of the bone marrow. Our favorite bite of the evening was with their porcini rubbed short ribs ($68). The ribs were cut thin like LA-style galbi and heavily seasoned with the porcini rub, which gave some strongly savory flavor. Overall, I think it was a nice, albeit very expensive dinner. If you are a chase sapphire card holder, this restaurant qualifies for the bi-annual $150 credit if you book a reservation through OpenTable. My three-star review is absolutely not because this restaurant is lacking quality and flavor; rather, I feel it's because LA has a handful of places that offer better value for wagyu and prime beef cooked over fire. I realize that there's nothing value about Wagyu and many will disagree with me; therefore, if you have this on your bookmark list, then you should absolutely try it for a special occasion. Just make sure to be ready to splurge for some of those signature cuts of meat.
**SOLID ITALIAN IN LA** PARKING Valet is your best bet. If not, be ready to walk a few blocks and hope for street parking. AMBIANCE Small, dark, and moody in a good way. We sat at the chef's counter, hands down the best seats in the house. Great view of the action and adds to the experience. FOOD Focaccia di Recco - $34 Stracchino and extra virgin olive oil. This was the standout starter. Beautiful presentation, light and crispy with excellent flavor. Worth every bite. RATING: 5/5 Chicken Pot Pie with Roasted Carrots - $48 A large, hearty pie paired with buttered, creamy roasted carrots. Comforting and rich, definitely meant to be shared. Prefer more American traditional. We ordered too many dishes and couldn't finish the pie but was an excellent leftover. RATING: 4/5 Hanger Steak - $45 Cooked perfectly medium rare with braised leeks, Pecorino, and horseradish. Bold, balanced, and packed with flavor. One of the best dishes of the night. RATING: 5/5 Onion Rings - $17 Big battered rings with garlic aioli. Good flavor, but the batter was thicker than I prefer. Lighter would've been better. RATING: 4/5 OVERALL Excellent choice for a date night or special occasion. Undoubtedly request seats at the chef's counter. Service was fantastic, pacing was spot-on, and our waiter was friendly and professional. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Welcome back chi I missed how good you can be. Super attentive great service incredible ambience and the food! Each bite was better than the next. The squid was incredible The artichokes a treat I only wish the 36oz New York was fattier The carrots? Insane The mushrooms? Don't skip I love you chi I'm so glad the greatness has been restored I already want to go back
Four stars was a really tough call, as I would love to give Chi Spacca a five. I had the opportunity to dine there on a Saturday night at the chef's table, which was an experience in itself. I got to watch them prepare the charcuterie, the salads, the sides, and those amazing flame cooked gargantuan steaks right before my eyes, and boy was I entertained! Foodie heaven fun, especially for one who is also an avid cook. While I loved my experience at the bar counter, it is also the reason for my one star deduction. I dined with my wife, who also loved everything, but dining with just two people is probably not the best idea here, as you can fill up faster than you realize, well before the prized main appears. We started off with the charcuterie platter, and enjoyed all of it. It came with a panko crusted fried trotter cake (pigs feet meat) with a nice aioli, two thick pieces of a chunky country pate, two different salami's, and "pig butter", which is rendered, piggy fat with tiny bits of pork. This was all excellent. One of the salamis had a floral note, and the other was reminiscent of Spanish chorizo. Although this was very good, I'd skip it next time, if again dining as a pair only. Otherwise bring it on. Next was the focaccia di recco. This is huge, like a large pizza. The crust is thin and crispy, sort of like a thin, crispier but light, croissant bread. Delicious, especially with that soft, slightly salty neutral cheese. This dish is pretty subtle, but excellent. We ordered the much anticipated bone marrow beef pie, and our waiter suggested we add a green component. Good idea. We were presented our pie and butter lettuce simultaneously, which was a good thing. We both found that we were already craving the crisp lettuce, and it was a nice accompaniment to the heavy pie and mashed potatoes. The salad was merely a stack of nestled leaves of progressively smaller butter lettuce, each leaf dressed nicely with the vinaigrette. Seems pretty pricey for just lettuce, but it was very good. The mashed potatoes: This was like eating potato candy. I wanted more, and more, but was already way, way too full. I had a few bites and broke into the pie, and couldn't enjoy it. Damn. The horror! I was so full, getting that ate-too-much sick thing, that I could only force down a few small bites, and I was completely defeated. Done in by heavy, rich, meaty goodness. I did try the pie nuked again the next day. The buttery, flaky crust was perfect. The filling of mushrooms and cheek was spot on, but densely rich. Too much for two, but a nice sharing meal for four or more. The base for the "gravy" was clearly a well-made uber-rich stock, reduced to heavenly, meat-flavorful, almost sweet, savory braise. Service: Everyone, and I mean everyone, was amazing. So friendly, so attentive, so enthusiastic. Not a single sigh, grimace, or frown all night. Just smiles, laughter, and tons of attention. Our waiter was the most fun of any I can remember, ever. His name is Bobby. If you are lucky he will be yours too. So the four star rating has nothing to do with the food or the service, or the physical space. All of those are five star worthy. I just feel compelled to bring to attention the difficulty of enjoying more than a couple of things if you are dining as a couple. The experience is more considerate of parties of four, or preferably six. I would like to see options of smaller portions, but realize that's not the intent of the experience. I knew this going in, so it's definitely on me, but just want others to know. Eating at the chef's table is fun, but be prepared to spend a lot, and bring home a ton of leftovers, if you want to try more than a few things, which you will, because everything is so darn good. read more
8 years ago
Had a nice dinner here though I wouldn't say anything was extraordinary. My favorite dish might have been the salad with the cauliflower and anchovy paste. The focaccia was not what I was expecting either. It was crispy and filled with a really mild cheese. I wish the cheese had more flavor. For entrees, we went with the octopus and porterhouse. The octopus was really tender and the crispy chickpeas were delicious. The porterhouse was pretty good too, but I don't think it's worth the price. Because we were there for a birthday, they comped the dessert we ordered, which was 2 flavors of the gelato, chocolate and peanut butter sorbetto. Service was good, but the pacing of the food was a little slow. I would say that this is a good restaurant to experience at least once. Maybe I'd go back to try a few other entrees, like the bone marrow pie. read more
12 years ago
Recommend this place for groups rather than dates. The food is as heavy as it is mouthwatering, and more conducive to food coma and meat sweats than romance. With that being said, when one is in the mood for some meat, this place is the bomb! Spacca BLT came well dressed with bacon crumbs, several different types of tomato, avocado, and cress not lettuce. Focaccia di recco is a fancy cheese bread without yeast so it's thin, crispy, and scrumptious, unlike any other focaccia I've tried. The beef and bone marrow pie is a cheeky hot mess that will explode at first cut and ooze beef cheek everywhere. One can smear the bone marrow on top of the crust as recommended. Make sure to get every last bit! The Costatta alla Florentina is 42 oz of glorious bone in NY steak and filet, perfectly cooked to chef's temperature. read more
I love Chi Spacca! Got the chance to check it out last week and was left very impressed despite lofty expectations. Fortunately we were able to snag an early dinner reservation via Open Table. Service was awesome from the start as we were even offered complimentary prosecco for our anniversary. Our server Bobby was super nice and educated us about the menu. After shrugging off his warning about ordering too much food, we were treated to one of the better meals I can remember. 5 STARS Focaccia De Recco - So effing good! Move over bread and butter, this is the real way to start a meal. Perfectly cooked, light, crispy, and airy focaccia bread filled with melted creamy stracchino cheese and olive oil. Probably my favorite thing that night.$18 for bread? Worth every penny! Lamb Shoulder Chop - Amazing. Tasted like a really flavorful, lean and juicy steak, but slightly chewier since it's lamb. The mint yogurt is a really nice compliment and the fresh lemon juice really kicks it up a notch. Highly recommended! 4 STARS Bone Marrow Pot Pie - Probably the number one reason we came. It looks just as crazy it sounds. A hearty beef shank pot pie with a huge bone jammed in the middle served with super creamy mashed potatoes. The bone marrow melts into the pot pie so you can't really tell its in there. Really good but really heavy. Recommended for sharing for 3-4 people. Butter Lettuce - I recommend some sort of greens to go with with your carnivores meal and this is not a bad option. Fresh, crispy butter lettuce tossed in a tart lemon vinaigrette. Very refreshing. 3 STARS Tiramisu - Didn't like their version which is served in a jar. There was a really strong rum taste that really overshadowed the other ingredients. Overall, an amazing meal. On the pricey side but not ridiculous. Reservations are a must. And so is the focaccia. read more
7 years ago
This restaurant is amazing but don't think about coming with less than 4 people - the dishes are so huge an the menu is so great that you won't get your money's worth with less than 4 people. It's also very meat heavy so don't take a date here unless ya'll are real comfortable seeing each other get meat sweats. Last but not least - the trotter fritti and sweetbreads are delicious. Get them and thank me later. read more
I've been a couple times now and I can't wait to come back again. It's interesting reading so many reviews about the service being so bad, as that was part of what made ours so wonderful. All the servers are personable, so engaging and on point from start to finish. The sommelier was excellent and suggested some interesting wines everyone in the party could agree on for a decent price point to pair with the dishes I've had here. The food is phenomenal. If you come for the steak, bring at least 3 other people to help you eat it. It's massive. The milk roasted pork is seriously the best pork preparation I've ever had. The salumi plates are to die for. Come here and eat meat. Lots of it. And you're sure to find something incredible to wash it down with. I'm obsessed with the wine list here. I especially love the price points in the adjacent Mozza To Go. It's reminiscent of their Eataly stores where you can get a truly excellent bottle of wine for $16. Next time my wine rack needs to be replenished, I'm coming back here to fill it up. Entree prices aren't cheap. They are also worth every penny in my opinion. Save up those Open Table points and splurge them here. Wonderful restaurant on the whole. LOVE this place! read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
The place is really small so make reservations....and don't go with more than 6 people (2-4 people would be ideal). The "open kitchen" is literally right in the dining area in the back so there will be a lot smoke. Basically you will leave the restaurant smelling like grilled meat...much like at a KBBQ place. We ordered the 50oz porterhouse to share among 4 people. We also ordered the grilled octopus, the squash blossoms, and cauliflower. The porterhouse was impressive, a huge slab of meat with a giant T bone. The steak is cooked rare/medium rare, you don't have a choice. The outside has a nice char and it was overall good. The biggest problem with a steak this big is that there is no way to really cook it properly. You end up with too much rare meat and the temperature of the steak is basically luke warm at best. If you think about it, the flavorful part of a steak is actually the cooked portions... you only cook it medium rare because it would be too tough if you cooked it all the way through. With a 50oz steak you end up with like 10% of the meat being cooked and 90% of it being rare and bland. The grilled octopus was really good but i didn't care for the squash or cauliflower. The couple seated next to us ordered the tomahawk pork chops and bone marrow pie....we got into a conversation of whether the 50oz steak here was better or the porterhouse at Mastros. I told him I thought that the porterhouse at Mastros was better, especially since you can get 2x Mastro porterhouses for the price of the 50oz at Chi Spacca. He even gave me a piece of his porkchop to try, it was really good...but i think i would get sick of the flavor after eating like 2 pieces. Overall, this place is a solid steak option. I think i would have been happier ordering the smaller steak cut though. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
So glad I FINALLY got to try chi SPACCA! The cozy venue showcased an open-ish kitchen with salumi and other meats curing behind glass. The food here is rich and heavy but totally worth the elevated cholesterol levels. Ideally you can come with a party of 4 to 6 to try more dishes (but still fit into the small restaurant). You can find street parking on Melrose but it'll be wise to allow about 10 minutes to park and walk over (most of the side streets are permit only). I'm rounding it up to 5 stars. AFFETATI MISTI (serves 2-4) 5/5. $30. WOW! Easily among the top 3 charcuterie platters that I've had and I love trying charcuterie platters. The skillfully curated assortment was probably my favorite item of the evening. (Wish we had gotten the version that serves 4-6 for $10 more.) SQUASH BLOSSOMS with ricotta cheese and vinaigrette: 4/5. $12. Pretty good but not particularly special except that I love squash blossoms. FETT & BURRATA 5/5/. $16. Simple items with next-level execution. It tasted so luxuriously good. BEEF & BONE MARROW PIE with beef cheek, cippolini and funghi. 5/5. $55. Must try! Wrapped around a marrow-filled bone, the beef cheeks were lovingly enveloped in a layer of wonderfully flaky crust, like a present. PORCINI RUBBED SHORT RIBS with scallions and salsa verde 4/5. $40 The first thing we all thought was "looks like Korean BBQ short ribs." It tasted fabulous but a little bit pricey for the cut of meat you are getting. CREAMED CORN 5/5. $12. Excellent. A little bit on the sweet side but I liked that it wasn't particularly creamy. BUTTERSCOTCH BUDINO with sea salt & Rosemary pine nut cookies. 4/5. $12. Super rich but not overly rich. Yum! SEASONAL GELATI & SORBETTI with olive oil and pistachio flavors 4/5. $13. I wasn't sure how to feel about olive oil gelati but I was impressed. I could taste the quality of the olive oil used. read more
8 years ago
We made a reservation via Opentable for 8:15pm and weren't thrilled about waiting until 8:50 to be seated but the food made up for it. Caesar Salad: A+. We both agreed this was one of the best Caesars we've had - possibly THE best. There was orange zest in it which surprisingly worked well in spite of the anchovy and Romano. The croutons also seemed too be soaked in orange juice. Huuuuge portion... probably enough for 3 or 4 people to share. Focaccia: C-. This was a big letdown for us. It perhaps could have been saved by some kind of salty element... an aioli for dipping, some Parmesan sprinkled on the top or maybe butter instead of the olive oil it was cooked in... but it was very bland and a waste of calories. Beef Cheek and Bone Marrow Pie: A. This was a very unique dish that lived up to its hype. It's super rich, as you can imagine, and is plenty for two people to share. Butterscotch Budino: A-. This is one of my favorite desserts and they do a fantastic version. The only one I've had that may be a tad better is Osteria La Buca's version. The service was top-notch. The servers appear to pool tips because they work as a team. We felt very well-attended to, and we were also warned not to order a second entree with the beef and bone marrow pie, as it would have been way too much. We appreciated that and she was correct. We'd definitely return. read more
2 years ago
Heavy, indulgent, savory, flavorful yet balanced. Would not come here if you're vegan or vegetarian and it's certainly more of a treat or special occasion if anything! There's street parking or valet around the corner by Osteria Mozza for $12. The restaurant also has an open kitchen so I would wear something you don't mind getting smoky. Everything here is family style and portions are decent so I would recommend coming here with at least four so you can split and try different items. You also order everything at once and they bring it out as prepared (our meal ended up taking almost three hours so be sure to leave ample time to relax and enjoy). The focaccia is a must and more of a thin, flaky, pizza-like pastry with gooey melted cheese rather than a bread. We also ordered a pancetta to eat with focaccia and it paired really nicely. We got a salad to bring a slight freshness to everything - and I say slight because we got the Little Gem salad which has a bacon vinaigrette LOL. But it was so good and actually one of my favorites from the meal! Tangy with smoky salted flavor from the bacon #yum The roasted cauliflower with lemon was also a nice side to have with all the heavier main dishes. I consider myself to be pretty health-conscious but if there's anything I can't resist, it's anything encased in a pie crust. The beef and bone marrow pie was sumptuous and glorious. Silky with great umami flavor from the funghi, the tender beef and juices with the thick, golden, flaky pie crust and smooth mashed potatoes - oh so satisfying and the definition of elevated comfort food. For meat, rather than beef we went for the Tomahawk Porkchop. I actually don't even really like pork because it can be tough or fatty but this was the most juicy and tender one I've had yet. The meat juices were literally exploding in every bite and the fennel pollen added a nice herb element to balance it all out. We ended the night with a coconut sorbet and chocolate gelato together which was delightful! Overall, the dishes here can be hit or miss so it's best to come with a larger group to test stuff out. The price is also pretty hefty, but I definitely left the restaurant with the heaviest leftover bag ever lol! It was a decadent meal and perfect for any carnivore. read more
The location is small but the food was splendid. First of all to find parking space was hard well it's Melrose, valet parking is $15. My husband and I ordered focaccia, the octopus with fried ceci ( chickpeas), pork tomahawk and pollo alla diavola su crostone. I forgot to take picture of the octopus. Overall was good. Portion for main course as we got were huge. The chicken was delicious came in 4 pieces and the crostone with grilled onion. The service also was lovely. Our sever was very nice, make sure we were satisfied. The octopus with ceci and dill was delightful. So soft like really soft and the fried ceci has the perfect amount of saltiness. They also have some products to sell like pasta , tomatoes, artichokes and some herbs inside the restaurant. It just the wait time from appetizer to main kinda long since I understand the tomahawk kinda take longer to cook. Make sure in the right temperature. Be patient when you order tomahawk.Give it a try. read more
4 years ago
6 years ago
So so delicious and worth it!! Amazing service as well. We had the lamb tongue, fried parsnips, and focaccia for appetizers and it was beyond amazing. For our entree we had the bistecca florentina with mashed potatoes and broccoli. For dessert, we had the butterscotch budino and pecan tart. Everything was super good. The prices are kinda crazy but WORTH IT!! read more
Chi Spacca easily falls under the category of places I would love to go every day but probably need to cap myself at twice a year - partially at the price, but more so that because I don't necessarily want to leave my cardiovascular system on overdrive all the time. Chi Spacca takes up a nice, cozy spot which you enter into through Mozza to Go, a take-out pizza spot. Given the limit amount of seating and quality of food, be sure to make a reservation in advance! There is also bar seating, which gives you a nice view of their chefs in action thanks to their open kitchen design. Servers here are awesome, attentive with drinks and can crack fun jokes. Wine selection here is pretty extensive as well. Honestly, this place is leaps and bounds better if you come with a party of 4+, maybe ~6, since you can split many more awesome meat plates. There were plenty of couples here though and still ample dishes perfect for sharing between two. Parking - street parking if you can find it. otherwise, there's valet for $12 On to the food...a meat and fat lovers delight. Focaccia di Recco - Really nice, cheesy, flat focaccia. They serve basic (still good) focaccia on the house, but do yourself a favor and get the Focaccia di Recco. Gooey, oily, deliciousness. Affettati Misti-Daily Selection of Cured Meats - Come with a pretty good selection. Believe there were 6 kinds. Given the thin slices, be sure to savor each bite. The pate and meat cake of sorts were super awesome Bistecca Drippings - What do you do with the leftover meat pieces and oil after you cook up a steak? (Which is arguably one of the best parts?) Obviously, you layer it over tasty bread and eat it up! 0% healthy. 100% amazing. Little Gem Lettuces - Sometimes you want to make yourself feel better by seeing some green on the table. Though some may disagree - no space to be wasted on anything non-meat. Granted, for this plate, the piece of lettuce is really just a vehicle to deliver bacon and breadcrumbs into your month. Great dish if you want to delude yourself into thinking you're being a little healthy. Beef & Bone Marrow Pie - So so good. Perfect for sharing. The crust was so good and nicely flakey. The beef stew was really good and a great contrast to the crust. Comes with a bone marrow spoon - that's how you know you're really living the dream. Costata alla Fiorentina - Amazing. So well cooked - based on how evenly cooked, smooth and buttery was, almost felt like it was sous vided. Comes with nice pieces of fat. Pork Shoulder - This was a special at the time. A little on the sweeter end, but still good. Sides: Really liked the mashed potatoes and cauliflower. The spacca potatoes and peppers were ok (peppers were quite salty). Desserts: We went with the cocoa nib (the chocolate was rich, but not overly sweet and the creme fraiche was the perfect complement) and the chocolate gelato and grape sorbet. Both good. Both arguably better together. The waffle that came with the gelato/sorbet was excellent as well. After the meal, you'll likely need to be wheelbarrowed out the door if you did things right. You'll have also taken down many cups of water or wine to balance out your sodium intake. But still amazing. Would definitely come back. read more
4 years ago
9 years ago
5 years ago
Came here for my birthday, great dinner. Delicious food in every course. Solid service. Fun and cool atmosphere. Had the charcuterie, little gems salad, pickled vegetables, focaccia (to die for, literally), and the best lamb entree I've ever had, seriously. Will be back. read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
Bobby is the best! Make sure you get seated at his table for your complete and fulfilling dining experience. It's not the same without him. The food, it is definitely worth coming for. Every time my friends and I would come, the Pork Tomahawk never fails us, best believe that it is very competitive against the best of steaks! How does one even compare pork against steak right? This is the main challenger, must try!!! Must try, no lie!!!!! read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
Overrated. Dinner here wasn't bad, it was a bit salty and overwhelming, but overall it was nothing special. The dining room is tiny and you see right into the kitchen... We spaced out our order with a lot of different items, but overall, almost everything had a similar note and taste to it, that it gets a pretty overwhelming and old quick. My issue is that the portions are so large, that if it's just two of you, so much is wasted and due to the size of the restaurant, you can't have a large party either. The marrow pie was good, the steak was good, the pane bianco with bistecca drippings was delicious, but all of it just was so salty (we also ordered the butter lettuces, but it didn't break it all up). Nothing really stood out and made me say "omg, I need to go back here". This is basically a one and done restaurant for me. read more
9 years ago
Chi Spacca is definitely a great spot for a special occasion dinner experience. Reservations are a must because the restaurant only has a few tables and a counter right at the edge of the kitchen. I counted about 46 seats available in this entire restaurant. The entrance is through the Mozza To-Go and is sandwiched right between Osteria Mozza and the To-Go counter. The parking is limited in the area. You can valet or find metered parking if you are lucky. The neighborhood is permit parking only. Once you find yourself inside and seated, you will find yourself choosing from their extensive yet curated food choices all prepared very well. Everything we ate was delicious. The food is ideal for family style eating. We shared the foccacia di recco which is amazeballs. Think of cheesy bread with a flakey crust and seasalt on top, fresh out of the oven and served in a hot cast iron skillet. A must-order. For our protein we shared the porchini rubbed short-ribs which came with four pieces of short-ribs covered in a green salsa. They were good and the salsa was an interesting touch. The main star was the Tomahawk pork chop with fennel pollen. So fatty and rich but so worth the $90 price. You get two pork belly pieces on the bone and slices of the loin. All are super juicy and perfect. For side dishes we had the roasted cauliflower (my fave), the grilled chantarelle mushrooms, and the mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes are probably the smoothest mashed potatoes I have ever had. The roasted cauliflower was perfection as well. And you can't go wrong with mushrooms and meat. Dessert was delicious as well. We shared a butterscotch budino, which was pretty sweet and a cacao nib caramel tart. The tart was like a not so sweet oreo bottom with a sweet caramel topping. Both were great. Loved my experience here and enjoyed watching our meat get grilled right before our eyes in the open kitchen. It feels like you are literally sitting in someone's kitchen while they cook your food. Worth the trip, make sure you are ready to indulge. read more
For weeks I've been full of anticipation to try Mario Batali's CHI SPACCA so it was my choice for my birthday date night. This place simply makes me happy and it is now near or at the top of my favorite dining experiences in LA! First of all, service all around is impeccable and friendly, from the hostess, servers, bussers, chefs, managers. Everyone was relaxed, happy, helpful, and social. Then there is the food. Everything was cooked to perfection. Plates are very generous for sharing and to tell you the truth I might not ever come back with a party of less than 4. There is so much deliciousness to try. I have to admit that since we had a salumi and cheese plate with friends, prior to going out we opted not to get the Affettani Misti, which looked fantastic. You must try the Focaccia di Recco w/stracchino and olive oil. It was like a perfect savory crust with a salty bite. I've never had a "bread" like it. We then moved on to the Little Gem Lettuces w/ a bacon vinaigrette that is as much yummy bacon chunks as vinaigrette! The Beef Cheek and Bone Marrow Pie was the dish that I immediately spotted and had to have. Prepare yourself for buttery ecstacy. I highly recommend that you not indulge in this dish unless you have a hearty Tuscan wine to stand up to it. But enjoyed together it's bliss! We wanted another meat course and everything is so gi-mongous yet sounds and looks so appetizing that it was a lengthy decision for us. We chose the Heritage Pork "Segreto", a rare shoulder cut that is rather simply seasoned and perfectly garnished with flowering radish tops. It complimented the rest of our meal so well that it really stood out for its perfection (if that makes any sense). Our only side was the Roasted Cauliflower which was a very welcome veggie to our festival of gluttony. Since birthday cake was at home we didn't indulge in the tempting desserts bit the French Press Coffee was a perfect ending to an incredible dining experience! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
Food was delicious, definitely going back soon. Great service and hospitality with a awesome ambiance. read more
8 years ago
Chi Spacca is a restaurant best enjoyed in a large group. The dishes are huge and necessitate sharing. I had a great experience here and enjoyed the informal ambiance, but some of the dishes were hit or miss. We started with the cheese focaccia: 4.5/5. The fluffy texture was amazing but the flavor itself left a little to be desired, I was expecting a stronger cheese. Next we got the bone marrow pie: 5/5. This was truly the star of the show. The dish was as tasty as it was unique, and all of the ingredients came together beautifully for one of the best umami experiences i've had. The mains we got were slightly disappointing though: the bistecca fiorentina and the short ribs were both simply ok, 4/5. The short ribs had a nice chimmichuri sauce but were not as good as a plate of galbi jjim you could get at sun nong dan for half the price. The same goes for the steak, it was good but really nothing special for me, which was a bit of a let down given the price and how hyped i was for it. Overall, ChiSpacca succeeded at what it set out to do: deliver tasty, high quality italian meat dishes, although I only felt like they truly hit the spot with the bone marrow pie. read more
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Ask the Community - Chi Spacca
Can they accommodate for a gluten allergy?
Is this restaurant reservation only?
Is there a suggested dress code?
No but most people who go are on dates or anniversary or business
How many dishes / what assortment would be suitable for a party of 2?
If you ordered an appetizer, salad or side dish and main entree it would be a nice balanced meal for two. So 3-4 dishes.
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