Spaghettini & the Dave Koz Lounge could be one of Beverly Hills’ best kept secrets for anyone seeking live music and good food in a classy setting.
Since opening last December at 184 N. Cañon, the restaurant and lounge has been serving up small plates featuring the very best fresh pasta made in-house daily, seafood, and meat.
Beverly Hills is the second Spaghettini location. It follows the original Spaghettini restaurant and music venue in Seal Beach.
At the helm of the Beverly Hills kitchen is Chef Scott Howard, a Michelin rated chef from San Francisco, having received the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award four consecutive years in a row prior to relocating to Los Angeles.
Howard is also a three time three-star recipient from longtime food critic Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle, and was named Gourmet Magazine’s Rising Star Chef in 2008. Zagat once stated that Howard’s menus are “Perfect for the diner that has a culinary attention deficiency disorder and wants to try everything.”
Howard said Spaghettini recently moved to an all-small plate menu.
“We wanted guests to be able to try different things – I recommend four to six small plates per person – and share with the table as part of the Spaghettini social experience,” Howard said. “You might come in and sit at the bar for craft cocktails and a couple of bites, or you may settle in for the evening in the dining room and taste a little of everything on the menu with a nice bottle of wine. The Spaghettini experience can be anything you want it to be.”
The menu allows guests to explore different options from various sections such as Raw/Cured, Next, Salads, Pastas, Ocean, Land, Vegetables, and Starches.
Howard said his current favorite menu sections are Raw/Cured and Pasta sections.
“We are doing some really beautiful light and healthy raw seafood dishes like the Hamachi with preserved lemon and green olives,” he said. “Out of our house made pastas, my current favorite is the Trotolle with sweet peas. It has dried cherry tomatoes and chanterelles.”
Howard said his menu changes every other day.
“We’re cooking with the season and it’s very whimsical,” he said. “There are days when my sous chef and I just come in and start cooking and see where it takes us. You can always tell what season it is just by looking at the menu, and we’re all about using local, organic ingredients.”
One of those local purveyors is Murray Farm located in Malibu. The farm provides a lot of the restaurant’s summer produce. Another of Howard’s favorite suppliers is Cook Pigs Ranch in San Diego.
Now through Aug. 31, Howard said Spaghettini is offering guests a chance to choose any four items from the menu for $40.
As for entertainment, live music starts after 10 pm, Tuesday through Saturday under the creative direction of Grammy nominated musician Dave Koz.
The live music ranges from renowned award-winning artists to up and coming breakthrough artists.
Performances are typically 90-minute sets, however, the length is subject to change as some shows might run longer or shorter. Music is complimentary entertainment on most nights and on occasion there will be an extra special artist/band that will have a “cover charge.”
Currently Spaghettini’s Tuesday night residency is Flowtet & Kelley James. The band is a group whose members and special guests have performed for the likes of John Legend, Robin Thicke, and Bruno Mars.
For more information, call 310.424.4600 or visit www.spaghettinibh.com.
