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Miss the spaghetti from Scarpetta, Scott Conant's Italian fine-dining mainstay in Beverly Hills that closed last year? Don't worry, Jonathan Gold's got you. In his latest review—of Conant's latest, The Ponte—Gold praises the pasta al pomodoro as a return to glory.
It is awfully good spaghetti, made with fresh plum tomatoes cooked down for 45 minutes, and tossed with grated Parmesan cheese and a slug of good butter right at the end. It is swirled into a column and served in a modest-sized bowl. It is a little soft for some tastes, but it does that magical thing where it is impossible to tell where the pasta ends and the sauce begins. There are strong, clear hints of chile, garlic and fresh basil, which apparently come from a splash of infused olive oil, and a subtle touch of creaminess from the butter.
As Conant told the Times earlier this year, "I literally have, at least, on a daily basis someone reach out via social media saying, I really miss your spaghetti."
Gold does ease expectations in his review, though.
The Ponte isn’t going to blow your mind, but the grilled octopus, the meatballs and the mussels and clams with tomato are pretty much a guaranteed good time.
And while perfectly nice sea trout, sliced rib-eye and roast chicken may await, you have undoubtedly ordered the famous pasta al pomodoro, or you’d be in a different restaurant.
But don't worry about us, we're all about that pomodoro life.
The Ponte is located at 8265 Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles. (323) 746-5130.
