Welcome to Dining Icons, where our writers report on some of the world's most iconic food and drink experiences, from the well-regarded to the lesser known, to answer that simple question: Is it worth it? In our first installment, we look at Giorgio Baldi, an Italian restaurant located in the Santa Monica suburb of Los Angeles..
“It's a celebrity restaurant,” she says. I look at my friend with a half-smile. “I've never been to a celebrity restaurant and been blown away.” But Giorgio Baldi's transcendent reputation is hard to resist.
Not that my palate is any more refined or less sophisticated than that of the rich and famous (and, to be honest, it probably isn't), but too much demand almost always causes restaurants to collapse and ruin the focus of the kitchen. I've seen it too many times. Popularity is welcome, but the owners can't consistently deliver the same quality that brought them to heaven in the first place. And then the low ratings and angry reviews start to pour in. “It's not the way it used to be,” disgruntled patrons say too often, and these restaurants that were once symbols of first-rate hospitality start to become increasingly irrelevant. The hype train finds new monsters to build and destroy.
Consistency is hard, but it's often the key to surviving in a sea of increasing demand.
Few places can confidently live up to five-star expectations, but this Pacific Palisades gem is far from your average “celebrity restaurant.” You won't mistake Giorgio Baldi for Nobu or Hakkasan, and you'll likely find it easier to get a reservation here than at Carbone or one of LA's trendiest steakhouses. But this humble Italian spot just a short distance from Santa Monica exceeds expectations.
The most remarkable thing about JoJo Baldi is how largely unobtrusive it is. This isn't to downplay the food, but rather to show how incredibly unassuming the restaurant is, between the very dark dining room and the vibrant, fairy-lit back garden. There are no flashy design features whatsoever, and even the sign out front is barely visible.
So, what about the food?
Giorgio Baldi may be better known for its clientele than its food, but its romantic atmosphere isn't the only thing that draws celebrities. returnRihanna has been known to dine there multiple times a week (since before she was legally able to drink alcohol) and her ex-boyfriend Drake even referenced Rihanna's love for the restaurant in a song (“Diplomatic Immunity”), while Kanye West has also praised the restaurant on multiple occasions (most recently in the lyrics to “Problematic”).
JAY-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Drake, Kanye West, Tom Hanks, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lawrence – no restaurateur would die for this list of regulars.
And they all seem to have their own go-to orders that they order whenever they visit: Kimmy K, for example, loves the soft corn agnolotti, while Rihanna almost always gets half a plate of her three favorite pastas: ravioli con asparagus, gnocchi al vostro gusto, and the off-menu spaghetti pomodoro.
All of these dishes look exactly like the dishes you'd find in a traditional red sauce eatery.
Rather than follow the celebrity's lead, I sat in the small, intimate courtyard and ordered a few random things, going with Kim's favorite, starting with a half-sized serving of agnolotti: tiny, fluffy ravioli stuffed with melted, sweet white corn and drizzled in a very light white truffle sauce.
The pasta is excellent, as is the ricotta and asparagus ravioli, Rihanna's favorite, although the latter is better. I recommend just ordering one and going for the full serve. The portions are generous, but if you order a half serve, you'll only get around 12 pasta pieces, and after a few spoonfuls your plate will be empty – not nearly enough. So for a small table, it's ideal to have some of the other items on the menu.
You might also want to try a lighter dish like the Aragosta Salutata. The salad is beautifully generous and fresh, yet surprisingly understated, despite a meaty 2.5-pound Maine lobster resting atop a salad of cherry tomatoes, basil, parsley, lemon juice, chili peppers and olive oil. It's pricey and lacks the punch of flavor of the pasta, so order it only if you want a lighter dish to offset the rich house-made pasta dishes.
This is far better than the tagliata, which is just a New York-style steak cooked rare (by design) and garnished with baby artichokes. At $53 (just under $80 Aussie, even with a bad exchange rate), it's only worth it if you're sharing, although the cost is unlikely to bother many patrons.
My personal highlight was the toasted ciabatta with mozzarella, prosciutto de Parma and melted butter – fatty, creamy, rich and downright delicious. Deceptively simple, yet flavorful and just the right amount of indulgent. It's not as indulgent as the flourless chocolate cake with seasonal ice cream, but I was surprised at how light it was for such a rich flavour. It was the perfect dessert and one I'll be thinking about long after the meal is over.
verdict
Giorgio Baldi is the first celebrity-favorite restaurant I've ever been to that I've left feeling satisfied with. Then again, there are few indications that this is a celebrity haunt and you'd never know it were it not for the paparazzi lining the streets to snap photos of the famous faces as they make their way down Channel Road every night.
What to Order
Be sure to try at least two types of pasta; the ricotta and asparagus ravioli is a particular highlight, but there is a wide variety on the menu. The corn pasta is a bit too sweet for my taste; I prefer something more flavorful and fatty, such as the excellent prosciutto and mozzarella starter. Skip the steak and stick to the lobster salad if you want something lighter. The menu isn't huge, but there is plenty to choose from, so choose wisely. Finally, finish off with the flourless chocolate cake; it's one of the best cakes I've had in a long time.
Practical Information
Santa Monica is the gateway to Pacific Palisades, at the foot of hilly Malibu. It's not far from my other favorite spots in Santa Monica: the Romanesque Getty Villa and Esther's Wine Shop & Bar. If you're staying in Santa Monica, make sure to visit all three spots for a perfect day in this relaxing area of Los Angeles.
Giorgio Baldi is open for dinner only, six days a week, from 5pm to 10pm. It is closed on Mondays, so take that into consideration before planning your trip to Santa Monica.
When it comes to where to stay in Santa Monica, the city has a number of famous hotels, such as the Georgian Hotel and Shutters on the Beach. If you want something more affordable without sacrificing luxury, we recommend The Pierside, the closest hotel to the famous Santa Monica Pier.
address: 114 W Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402
contact: +1 310-573-1660
Website: giorgio-baldi.com
Chris Singh dined as a guest of the City of Santa Monica.
