chi SPACCA

It's hard to imagine that any endeavor by Mozza Group -- the food love-child of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and Nancy Silverton -- would be anything less than outstanding, and that culinary superlative can most definitely be applied to their (in Food & Wine Magazine's words) "meat speakeasy," chi SPACCA. With its discreet entrance through Mozza2Go on Melrose Ave., Chef Chad Colby has garnered critical acclaim for chi SPACCA as one of Los Angeles' -- let alone the country's -- best restaurants. Italian for "he who cleaves," Colby's menu features impeccable charcuterie and carnivorous macelleria dishes, served as monstrously large portions of heaping beef and bone marrow pie, tomahawk pork chops, and fifty-ounce dry-aged porterhouse Bistecca Fiorentina. A menu inherently designed to share, these mighty meats pair spectacularly with vegetable-centric sides like roasted cauliflower and grilled broccoli, along with the most cheesy, bubbly, incredible Focaccia de Recco (the glorious result of two years of research by Silverton and Colby into the savory Genoan bread). Observing the chefs expertly grill meats while sitting at the restaurant's best seats along the narrow counter (with Mario Batali seated behind me regaling his dinner companions, no less!) has left chi SPACCA as one of my favorite, intimate spots for stellar Italian food cooked -- no great surprise -- to absolute perfection.

Dress: Dorothy Perkins (old)
Lips: Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in American Doll
Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW® Pomade in Soft Brown
Bonlook Keiko Sunglasses in Roxy Noir

Focaccia di Reccostracchino, olive oil, and warm salted Medjool Dates.

Razor Clams garlic, olive oil.

Chad Colby and his team.

I'm am optimist...my Moretti is half full, especially with that gorgeous meat resting in the background.

Roasted Cauliflowercrushed lemon bagna cauda.

Costata alla Fiorentina 36 oz prime dry-aged bone-in New York.

Costata alla Fiorentina 36 oz prime dry-aged bone-in New York.