Amante Italian Restaurant — Review by Grub with Greg
Los Angeles, United States — Italian
Amante Italian Restaurant in downtown LA delivers exceptional homemade pasta and Italian dishes, from their signature cheese wheel pasta topped with black truffles to tender braised osso buco. The reviewer highlights their in-house pasta production, quality ingredients like fresh burrata and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and standout dishes like the Speciale Amante pizza that showcase authentic Italian flavors.
What was great: Pasta made in-house, cheese wheel pasta with truffle shavings, pappardelle with ragu, meatballs with fresh burrata, Speciale Amante pizza, osso buco braised for hours
What could improve: Nothing mentioned
The Dishes
Amante Italian Restaurant showcases impressive homemade pasta craftsmanship with several standout offerings. The signature cheese wheel pasta is a theatrical showstopper, where servers scrape all the leftover bits of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano and cream directly into the pasta before finishing it with shaved black truffles. The pappardelle with ragu demonstrates their commitment to quality, paired beautifully with fungi mushrooms that bring a woodsy, earthy aroma to the creamy dish.
The meatballs are recommended as a starting point, served with fresh mozzarella and burrata that adds richness and creaminess to each bite. The Speciale Amante pizza lives up to its name as a meat lover's dream, loaded with spicy Italian sausage and prosciutto, baked to perfection with a crispy crust. The osso buco represents the restaurant's mastery of traditional Italian braising, with meat so tender after hours of cooking that it practically melts on the palate.
The Experience
Located in downtown Los Angeles, Amante offers a destination-worthy Italian dining experience. The casual yet vibrant atmosphere comes through in the transcript, with the reviewer and companions enjoying themselves and engaging in light-hearted banter while experiencing the food.
Value and Pricing
While specific prices are not mentioned in the transcript, the quality of ingredients including fresh burrata, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, black truffles, and house-made pasta suggests this is an upscale dining experience in the higher price range.
Notable Moments
Not leaving anything behind, they scrape all those leftover bits of Parmigiano-Reggiano and cream
The theatrical presentation of the cheese wheel pasta creation becomes a memorable moment that captures the restaurant's attention to detail and showmanship.
The Verdict
Amante Italian Restaurant is a must-visit for anyone craving authentic, elevated Italian cuisine in downtown Los Angeles. The combination of in-house pasta production, quality ingredients, and skilled preparation makes it perfect for diners seeking genuine Italian flavors and an impressive culinary experience.