By MAUREEN TOBIN & THOMAS YOUNG Special to the Daily Press
That said, we take you to the pinnacle, the high point of your dining affairs at Via Veneto Ristorante in Santa Monica. Imagine a rustic Italian tratto-ria, but envision it being oh-so swanky with a space at once lavish, yet warm and intimate, with muted lighting so everyone looks good. If you are a connoisseur, a buongustaio (epicure), you will praise yourself for knowing about Via Veneto. Here, food becomes an elevated art. The highest accolades go to owners Marco Cialini, Fabrizio Bianconi, Warren Cuccurullo and Duran Duran, who have an abundance of charisma and magnetism, as well as the brainpower of a super computer.
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” — — Theodore Geisel/Dr. Seuss Fantasies, daydreams, visions. All intended to move you out of predictability and into enhanced experiences, whatever they may be. — Luciano Pavarotti
“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope and that enables you to laugh at life's realities.”
We had one of the two alcove window seats, which are great for discreet people watching and holding hands. You will want to study the menu and let your waiter discuss the specials, which are as prolific as the regular bill of fare. Our waiter, Pulcione, knew the ins and outs of every menu item. Each dish has the owners’ own passionate signature. We started with “Pasta E Fagiou Romans,” a traditional bean soup — Roman style. It’s so smooth and tasty. For our first courses, we had sea scallops and scampi grilled, served on a skewer along with grilled baby calamari. Chef Ruben Vasquez is clearly an artist. Then we had an exquisite treat — the ravioli. Pumpkin-filled with a butter and sage sauce, lobster and zucchini filled ravioli, and asparagus and ricotta filled ravioli. These ravioli are some of the most sensational food we have ever eaten. You know how some raviolis can be heavy? These are paper thin, exquisite. Put a bite on your tongue and it will melt. It’s amazing how the chef can get the skins so fine, so thin. All other raviolis will be compared to these forevermore. For the main course — langostini, baby lobsters or deep sea lobsters, grilled in a lemon oil sauce. Each bite was bliss. And the prime cut New York steak peppercorn, simply grilled in a peppercorn sauce was perfect. When you come to Via Veneto, you will want to try many courses. This is not a place for a quick bite. Stay awhile, let the beauty of the space and the food take over. One of the desserts, the panacotta, or gluttony, is so silky smooth and light that it slides right down. Also a ricotta cheese tart — how can it possibly be so light? Close your eyes and visualize food so superb that each bite is a delicacy. Indeed, Via Veneto is a rare treat. Squisito (exquisite). 3009 Main St. (310) 399-1843 There is more to Mo’s Place in Playa del Rey than that 8-ball on the roof that meets the eye. Mo’s is a treasure trove of fantastic food and the best, most affable sports bar around. Mo Krant is a class-act gentleman dedicated not only to this wonderful venue for almost a decade, but to his family, the community and charity.
Upon first walking into Mo’s, you probably notice the 10 TV monitors, four pool tables and a large, open bar. Then you stop short, somewhat in awe, as your eyes focus on the tables where people are dining on marvelous looking food. This isn’t just any commonplace sports bar. The clientele is upscale and professional. Mo is inherently proud of this place and the menu with its hamburgers, steaks, fish, sandwiches, daily specials and super Italian Thursdays. The salads are enormous, served in a troth and the Chinese chicken salad is the best in LA. Mo insists that nearly everything is fresh, that the portions are hearty and that the prices are reasonable. He is resolute that everyone must have a good time. That’s easy. Simply take a look at his staff. From bartenders, servers, cooks, etc., every one of them has been with Mo for years and they love working for him — a true testament to the man. The huge breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday are known as the best in town. All pay-per-view Saturday college games are on — the ones you can’t see elsewhere. On Sundays, there is always a sporting event being shown. Mo is there every day, making sure everything is up to his very high standards. He is surely the Wolfgang Puck of the sports bar world. His other passion is charity. Mo co-sponsors Rod’s Day, a three-day community event to help raise money for children’s cancer treatments for the John Wayne Cancer Center. Thus far, he has helped raise over $1 million. He also finds time to coach little league and a zil-lion other things. Mo’s Place is a great find, not only as a sports bar, but for the food, service, and happy feeling Mo creates. 203 Culver Blvd., (310) 822-6422. (E-mail your comments or suggestions to, and keep having fun).
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 30, 2004. Read the original PDF.