Nonna of Italy (CLOSED)

Nonna is Italian for grandmother, but besides respect for tradition, this spacious Sunset Strip ingenue is molto moderno. The restrained elegance of gleaming wood floors, paneled walls, and minimalist furnishings is offset by the exuberant energy from the large display kitchen.

Dishes are carefully made from superior ingredients and presented simply in generous portions. The menu showcases excellent products in plates of tangy, imported buratta, or prosciutto and melon. A bowl of orecchiette topped with ground sausage and aged pecorino is nothing fancy but made with care. Lighter Californian fare like thin-crust pizza and seared ahi tuna can also be found.

A glassed-in wine cellar has a strong collection of reds from Tuscany and Piedmont.