LA West Elite event at Via Veneto

First a big thanks to Unilocal for organizing such a lovely small-​group event and dinner. It’s nice to come and meet other Unilocal elite-​rs both new and gilded (aka old).
An amazing evening of what I thought was going to be a shared family-​style meal but turned out to be small plates of each item/​course! Bam. First a glass of bubbly upon entering, and meet the two on your sides = new dinner companions. Next, we got to hear a bit about the restaurant, the wine room we were in, and the food in which we were soon to partake. The room upstairs is a nice cozy spot for a celebrity birthday dinner; removed from the restaurant and surrounded wine racks full to the ceiling.
The food was exquisite. My favorite was the eggplant parmigiana. Seriously, I’m not an eggplant fan, and the dish wasn’t as breadcrumb loaded as eggplant parmesan is in your head — this was light, tasty, and let’s call it healthy. All dishes were excellent — starting with rich beef carpaccio and white truffle all the way through to the dessert sampler.
Add in the two wines I got to sample through the meal and I’m sold on a return visit.
PS — next time, do the valet because this long meal was worth it, but skip the run out to the meter in the cold. :)

Wow!!! What a fabulously well done event! Loved how intimate it was. Loved the service! Via Viento, I applaud you, not to mention that your dishes hit all the right senses.
Brittany and the Unilocal Team, as always, you planned a stellar event, thank you.
The menu was perfect. My favorite was the house made ravioli, I’ve been dreaming about them since the event… Can’t wait until I go back!

What a lovely inmate dinner. I felt very privileged to be chosen to attend this lovely event. As many of the reviews have already gone into detail about the actual menu that was served, I want to touch upon some other aspects.
First of all, the service was impeccable. There is nothing like professionalism mixed with graciousness to make you feel special and comfortable. Our wait staff went above and beyond, informing us of each course while keeping an air of fun and frolic. I truly think they made the evening.
The dining table we were sat at would be PERFECT for an intimate dinner. Best for a birthday gathering or something of the sort. It is set upstairs (make sure everyone can climb a rather steep stairway, I don’t think there is handicap access.) It overlooks the restaurant, but it is entirely to itself, so it’s very private.
The restaurant itself is so romantic and lovely. A perfect place to take a date! And the chandeliers just make for a really nice, dimly lit night. Everyone looks beautiful in that kind of light!
Thank you Unilocal for having me and all of us!

Simply a wonderful time!
Chopped it up with new and experienced Unilocalers over a variety of amazingly prepared foods and incredible wine’s…and yes there was some dessert too!
Menu Highlights! (actually there were no lowlights):
Carpaccio with Alba white truffle was like nothing Ive ever eaten. It basically melted in my mouth but not without leaving its long lasting impression. Unbelievable.
Then the Eggplant Parmesan. I am by nature more of a carnivore but as an evolving primate… I know I need to expand my food palate. Ill be brief… this eggplant parmesan has swayed me ever closer to the veggie zone. Moist, perfectly seasoned and had me wanting more.
Three Raviolis (Lobster, Asparagus, and Pumpkin) Of the three… hands down the lobster followed by the pumpkin.etc. But its not a competition so yuuuum to all of them!
Mezzemanichi (Braised beef cheeks w/​pasta). No need to explain, see my foodie pic. ¡Maron!
Grilled Bone-​In Kansas City Steak and Grilled Langostini. The pairing of these two put the whole evening over the top. The langostini staring back at me was perfect little meal all its own. The steak was grilled to perfection as well.
Finally the dessert! Yeah I got a few scoops in of the assorted desserts: Panna Cotta and Tiramisu and a shot of Amaretto to chase it down. Leave room for any of these when you visit.
MISC:
A great place for a date night or small party. Our table upstairs is perfect for a gathering of 12 – 15 adults I think and you’re surrounded by wine bottles… whats not to like?
OVERALL:
3 Cheers to team Unilocal West LA for the invite and treating a select few to a wonderful night of conversation, great food and drink! I would definitely recommend Via Veneto to all those reading this review for the simple fact that THEY KNOW Italian cuisine. Never mind what you think you know, Via Veneto is the standard to aspire to in my opinion.

The dinner experience at Via Veneto was magical. I felt delighted, happy, pampered, and hungry for more. The service was top notch. I didn’t really feel like I was eating at restaurant, but instead with a close group of friends in a family setting. The wine kept pouring, the food kept coming. How did I miss this place even though I only lived a few blocks away?
Kudos to Brittany for putting together another awesome event and helping me discover another hidden gem!

I feel ashamed for not knowing this place was here. Now that I do I foresee myself going whenever I have an Italian craving.
Nothing is better than an intimate tasting with good people in a good atmosphere. The staff was more than pleasant and made sure everything was of the highest standard and that our wine glasses were never empty, which for an Italian dinner is key.
I grew up with mostly the Italian side of my family, so I’m no stranger to the glorious flavors of homemade Italian. When they say that they’re «traditional Italian» they aren’t joking. The dishes brought me back to my grandmothers kitchen. Everything was meticulously created and we were fed until the verge of exploding… Then given dessert. Also had the opportunity to try a white dessert wine (Albana di Romagna) which I’ve never had before and throughly enjoyed.
Thank you to Simone and the rest of the Via Veneto staff, Chelsea, Brittany, and all the fantastic Unilocalers that I had the pleasure of sharing this experience with.

When I first saw the invite to this Unilocal Elite invite, I had to do a double take… Via Veneto??? This was our go-​to special occasion Italian restaurant when my sister lived in West LA. It was always a special treat going there, the spicy langoustine penne pasta was mind blowing. Eating there was better than a spa treatment :-) Unfortunately time passed and my sister moved away so we haven’t gone back in years. So it was special reunion for me to return and try out other things on their menu (because I always got that pasta dish or this other seafood pasta dish which was an off the menu special order).
First of all, I’ve been to Rome at least 4 times, and if Via Veneto opened a restaurant there they would be the best one there. I did not find a restaurant that I absolutely loved in Rome however Sicily had great ones. Via Veneto is truly authentic, and the people who work there are Italians. So if you want the real deal, you gotta try this place. I even recommended it to my picky foodie friend and he loved it.
Though every dish was amazing, my favorite dish of the night was the eggplant parmagiana. I am still dreaming about it. It was so simple yet out of this world delicious! I wish I could cook like that. The prime beef carpaciao with white truffle from Alba (what a treat that was) was melt in your mouth! You can’t go wrong with the sweet langoustines from New Zealand (I think I might fly there to just eat the seafood and visit hobbit town!).
Service was top notch from Simone and his staff, and he knew his wine. Great wine and food! Thank you to the chef and restaurant staff for this special treat which has made it the top Unilocal Elite event on my list!!! Thank you to Unilocal for selecting me and 12 others to be part of this event out of the 1000’s of people in LA!
I’m glad I came back because now I can bring my hubby here for one of our Friday night dates! Grazie!!!

I just became Elite a couple months ago, and it was truly a privilege to be surrounded by Gold members and get a taste of what I can look forward to if I keep it up another 4 years! After entering and going up a narrow staircase, I was greeted by the lovely Chelsea P and took my seat at the round table set for only a little more than 10. The intimate setting was even more pronounced by the romantically dim lighting of chandeliers and being surrounded by piles of fine wine on the walls.
It was a fine dining experience in the «slow food» scene — the food came out together, allowing everyone to eat at the same time. Time was allotted between entrees so that the food was allowed to digest slowly while engaging in great conversation. Utensils and plates are continuously replaced, and I was impressed at how the servers tended to the ladies first before gentlemen.
The fixed menu was carefully selected to allow all of us to try the very best that Via Veneto had to offer. I have always heard that if one traveled to Italy, they become Italian food snobs since authentic cuisine is just that good. How could it be any different? I was so wrong. My mind was blown by just the first dish that came out — finely sliced prime beef carpaccio topped with white truffle that simply melted upon contact with my tongue and was an explosion of savory and creamy heaven. The Italian culinary journey continued with an eggplant parmesan, trio of raviolis, stewy beef rigatoni, langostini lobsters, and prime beef amid wine pairings. The night was topped off by a trio of traditional desserts (their panna cotta is incredible) paired with coffee and a fine dessert wine. The portion size was simply perfection — a teaser of each delicious entrée that left you asking for more but still pleasantly full.
Ciao, Olive Garden!

«Che figata!» This was my first, but definitely not my last Unilocal Elite event. It was a very intimate group of 13 and it was a perfect introduction into to Unilocal Elite Event World.
The menu was set up as a sampling hour (in our case, a few hours) of little tapas style dishes. I particular liked this because it afforded me an opportunity to try a plethora of different dishes without stuffing my face full of the first thing that came out… like I usually do. LOL
First up… Antipasti’s. Carpaccio with Alba white truffle that literally melted in my mouth. Which was followed by the Eggplant Parmesan that rocked my socks! Hands down the best Eggplant Parm I’ve ever had! Simple amazing.
Next up was the Primi dishes. Three Raviolis (Lobster, Asparagus, and Pumpkin) and Mezzemanichi (Braised beef cheeks w/​pasta). All were tasty; but the lobster ravs were my fave. So yum!
But wait, there’s more! On to the Secondi. Grilled Bone-​In Kansas City Steak and Grilled Langostini. Followed by Assorted Desserts: Panna Cotta, Tiramisu, Coppa Amaretto
Via Veneto was like a 5 star tour through Italy! I would certainly say that their service and food is top notch. The ambiance was very quaint, dimly lit, and romantic. I could certainly see a future date night here. =) What a wonderful experience!

Superb dining in a superb setting. The menu of the night was a sampling of what Via Veneto has to offer and it was all delightful. Our sommelier, Simone, was equally delightful and just the right touch of dry humor. Unilocalers dined in the upstairs dining area surrounded by two walls of Italian wines. Simone mentioned that this is a favorite hiding and dining nook for the celebs. I can see why. The hearty Italian food. The ambiance. The wine! All a wonderfully welcoming combination!
Thank you LA West for another fabulous Elite event!

I had high high hopes for this night and I was not disappointed! I wish I could say that I fasted all day long to ready myself for this incredible feast, but I don’t have the will power for that. After walking up the tiniest staircase (super narrow) I’ve ever seen I arrived in the private wine cellar area of Via Veneto and thus began a night of pure indulgence.
Chelsea and the Via Veneto crew did such a wonderful job and pulled out all stops for the small group of us! Thank you so much for such a wonderful evening. It was an intimate group of only 13 and it was absolutely amazing to be able to get to know other elite Unilocalers and be able to hear each other clearly. We were surely wined and dined to the point where I worried we wouldn’t make it back down the stairs! There was no end to the amount of food placed in front of us an no stoppage for the opening of the many wine bottles surrounding us.
Via Veneto is definitely a great place for a nice intimate dinner. Perhaps with a lovely date or to with a small group. Darkly lit, they have the right amount of elegance with their decorations. Beautiful chandeliers, lush chairs, and a crew of very knowledgeable staff that knew what they were doing and what the food and wine were all about. Simone led us through every single plate as they came out and stayed behind to make sure our faces registered the correct emotions. Oh yes… we were treated very very well.
Hmm what else to say? Ah yes the food. Plentiful, delicious… amazing presentation… an absolutely memorable meal of the best of the best of Via Veneto!
CARPACCIO — beef carpaccio with cheese fondue and shaved Alba white truffle
Behold! I can literally see the truffles without a magnifying glass! This was a mouth watering start to the entire meal. What a luxurious way to start! Delicate, melt in your mouth, flavorful deliciousness. Gone much too quickly leaving a lingering taste of richness.
PARMIGIANA — eggplant
Oh no… don’t even think of your usual eggplant parmigiana. This is a far far cry from any version ever. Eggplant slices wrapped around cheese and then grilled to have a slight crust on the outside. I like eggplant, but this made me love eggplant. Perfect balance of complex flavors and grilling it gave it that crust which brought in more texture.
TRIS DI RAVIOLI — lobster & baby squash, asparagus & ricotta, pumpkin with butter & sage
Handmade perfect raviolis! All three were wonderful but my fave was definitely the pumpkin! It was sweet, smooth, creamy, and the sage in it really offset the sweetness. Give me…300 more please?
MEZZEMANICHE — braised beef cheeks ragout
Tender beef and al dente pasta in a lovely sauce. The wine reduction was perfectly done to add that complexity without being over the top. Almost licked this plate clean to get all the sauce.
KANSAS CITY AND LANGOSTINI
The big plate! Two lovely grilled langostini presented opened in half (easy pickings) and Via Veneto’s signature steak. Surf and turf with a side of spinach and fingerling potatoes. Nom nom nom…
DESSERTS (YAY)
Sweets for my sweet tooth!!! I unfortunately missed the presentation since I had to run out to save my car from the meter maids butttt… my fellow elites saved me some desserts!
Thank you Unilocal for holding another terrific event!

My first Unilocal Elite event and I feel so grateful. There were only about 13 of us and the menu was spectacular Simone, our server and sommelier was a delight. He described each course to a T and had a wonderful presence.
Our first course was the carpaccio with Alba white truffle. I’m sure everyone couldn’t get a enough of it because I couldn’t. It was savory and the combination of the sauce and truffle was perfection with the beef.
From then on each course was almost better than the next. The wine pairings were also great from Tuscany. The three raviolis that we had were nice sample of each. The chef recommended to eat them in a certain order (savory to sweet) but I would have preferred it the other way around. The lobster was my absolute favorite.
Overall, everything there was fresh and different from any other Italian restaurant I’ve ever had. Unilocal did an outstanding job and I couldn’t have asked for a better first Unilocal Elite experience.