Hostaria Piave - Redondo Beach

I have been a loyal regular at Hostaria Piave since I first moved to California 4 years ago and this restaurant has never ceased to surprise my taste buds. In an age where many restaurant flaunt their Italianess serving clicheed dishes that nobody ever heard of back in Italy, it is comforting to see that there are still a few Restaurants the capital is intentional that do not sacrifice quality and do not trade original Italian dishes to cater to the masses. While looking at a few comments in the negative reviews, I was astonished to read that somebody complained because there was no garlic bread and cheese covering their dish. This actually made me laugh, if it weren 't caused by a wrong culinary tradition of false restaurateurs claiming that they serve true Italian food when the closest they have been to Italy is looking at a map. So, I am sorry for the lengthy review and for ruining your expectations but I think it is time to clear some misleading facts so grab a glass of wine and relax while reading this: 1. GARLIC BREAD AND CHEESE It is a common fact that the first waves of Italian immigrants came to America from Southern Italy in the late 19th Century to look for a better future. These poor families took jobs at very low wages to support themselves and of course they couldn 't get all those products that were cheap and easy to find in their motherland: good-quality olive oil, fresh produce, rice Carnaroli Arborio, Vialone Nano to name a few . In America it was easy to find and afford ample quantities of cheese and meat so these first Italian settlers made do with what cheaper and at hand. If you ask for Garlic bread in Italy, even if you speak perfect-accent-free Italian, you will get an empty stare. The closest thing to garlic bread is bruschetta, made with olive oil, oregano and fresh tomatoes. No garlic. 2. ALFREDO WHO? It amazes me how people can complain and write negative reviews about a restaurant because it does not serve Alfredo pasta in the menu. Let me be frank: Alfredo does not exist in Italy, so why would an authentic Italian restaurant serve this dish that does not exist in their motherland? If you ask for Alfredoin Italy, most likely you will be introduced to a nice-looking guy whose name is Alfredi but if you expect a plate of fettuccini Alfredo, you are in for an endless wait. 3. RICOTTA and Lasagna While ricotta is an Italian cheese, no Italian worth of this name would put it in their freshly made lasagna. 4. Cheese in the pasta I have read a few reviews of people complaining about the tasteless cheese. The only cheese to put on your pasta dish is grana padano or parmigiano reggiano. None of them looks like the yellow stuff you get on some restaurants. 4. LONG WAIT To me, waiting longer at a restaurant is a warranty that my meal is going to be freshly made and not coming out of a freezer and re-heated. In an era of fast-food and hectic social life where everything seems to me rushed, I enjoy to be able to sit at a restaurant and wait that my meal is ready because I know that it is being made from scratch. I can enjoy the conversation at the table and sip a glass of wine during the wait and think that if I wanted to be rushed during my meal, I could go to a fast food restaurant instead. I am sorry for the lenghty explanation but it just does not feel right to read some reviews that are based of wrong expectations. This restaurant is a Venetian restaurant so it features a lot of dishes based on fish, as per Venetian culinary tradition. It is definitely an upscale restaurant and as such, the prices reflect this fact. However, since I have been coming here I have never had a bad meal and experienced a diverse menu with an impeccable service. The wine selection is excellent. I would recommend their lunch special $20! and their Sunday dinner if I am not mistaken, at $35 to the people who are budget-conscious but would gladly choose this place again and again over a restaurant that flaunts Italian cuisine that has never seen the light of day in the land that inspired it.

Don't come here expecting a huge menu.. This is 90% wine bar and 10% restaurant. They have some small bites and lil portions of pasta but Id mostly recommend this place to winos cause they have bottles from 40-1700$! Yowzer... we opted to skip the 1700 bottle cause it felt a bit too fancy for us on a kick back tuesday night :P Food was ok. Kinda creeped me out that the beets were sliced so thin that the texture was reminiscent of a cold cut though. ugghhhh.. sends chills down my spine every time i think about it. We sat out on the covered patio which was really cute n kinda romantic but, being located on PCH, was disrupted by some dude driving by screaming obscenities. Lol.. just a weird location, I suppose.

I can't stay away! The staff is so friendly, the food is delicious, the specials are unique, the wine list is awesome, and the vibe is a perfect neighborhood spot. I especially love the wine flights (super reasonable prices) the smoked fish and meat plates. Great place to grab a drink and a few lite appetizers on a weeknight or go big on the weekend.

Nice discovery in South Bay. I didn't know there's such a place while I pass by Torrance Blvd and PCH quite often. I already went there a couple of times. The owner Angelo is always nice and provides warm welcome. When we have questions in wine or dishes, he comes to rescue. Their fresh homemade pasta is a winner very consistent. Their wine list is very extensive while they also stock very reasonably priced wines. I don't normally eat dessert, but do enjoy having a bite or two of their panna cotta very creamy, but smooth and perfect sweetness.

I was excited to try a new Italian restaurant that promised a break from corporate chains and hoped to offer some authentic recipes. Unfortunately, my first experience was disappointing. Given the cold and foggy night, I opted for the soup, which I was told was 'made to order'—an unusual claim for soup. What I received was essentially a mix of canned pinto beans and leftover pasta trimmings. It lacked broth, vegetables, herbs, and even basic seasoning like salt and pepper. It was merely a bowl of beans and noodles. Soup can be an easy dish to prepare and, when done right, can be a wonderful starter. However, if a restaurant can't get soup right, it speaks volumes about their culinary expertise. The person who made this should really have to try it themselves; I ended up tossing mine! Definitely the worst $12 I've ever spent.