Pure and sweet [restaurant review]

“I’ve been perfecting these recipes for 20 years,” mentioned Pura Vita chef and accomplice Tara Ponzone. “I grew up in an Italian family, and we cooked basic dishes and household recipes daily. After I advised my mother and father that I used to be a vegetarian they had been joyful to assist me adapt recipes for my style.” Picture by JP Cordero

One of many hit movies of the Sixties was La Dolce Vita, a bleak comedy about shallow, thrill-seeking hipsters in Rome. The title, which suggests “The Candy Life,” is ironic in that the sophisticates have wealth however not the capability to get pleasure from it, nor to understand easy pleasures and pure magnificence.

The essence of the factor they missed is perhaps known as La Pura Vita, the pure life. That’s not the title of a movie, however a brand new restaurant in Redondo Seaside. The spinoff of a West Hollywood authentic has a mission to serve Italian meals that’s true to custom, but made solely with out animal merchandise. That’s a tall order for a delicacies well-known for using milk merchandise, seafood, and meat, significantly since so many Italian recipes are so easy. In a caprese salad of tomatoes, basil, and cheese you style the standard of all these substances, so that you discover if one is an imperfect counterfeit of the true factor.

I went to Pura Vita with the deepest of skepticism, regardless of emails from readers proclaiming the meals is superb. Wonderful for vegan Mediterranean, I assumed, setting a bar so low that it was a visit hazard. We arrived early for our reservation and waited contained in the door, with a view of the dishes going from the kitchen to tables. I surveyed them warily. I needed to admit the pizzas regarded good, the dough freckled with the “leopard spots” that mark an actual Naples-style pie. A minimum of there could be one thing to get pleasure from, however… wait, they smelled like actual pizzas too, as did the order of meatballs that went previous. Maybe one thing actually was taking place right here.

I acknowledged our server Mayra from her earlier job at one other fantastic eating institution, and knew I may ask for suggestions and get a straight reply. She guided me away from a starter I had deliberate to order in favor of one thing quite simple, baked ricotta cheese with house-baked ciabatta. We had been going to get a salad together with this, however I needed to attempt these meatballs.

The bread that arrived regarded typical as a result of it was – calmly toasted slices of a loaf from a wooden burning oven, with the excessive rise and crisp crust you’d count on. The ricotta was extra of a shock, as a result of whereas it was produced from cashew or different nut milks, it was higher than most ricotta I’ve skilled. Beneath a crust from the broiler was a creamy, fluffy, delicately nutty cheese that was under no circumstances a compromise from the usual model. The primary chunk opened a world of prospects.

The meatballs stunned me much less as a result of I had already identified vegan meats could be excellent, and apart from, meatballs in sauce are actually an excuse to eat sauce and theirs smelled proper. The “macadamia parmigiano” that was sprinkled on high was a bit odd – it crisped like typical parmesan however added candy notes as an alternative of the slight funkiness within the typical model. If you happen to don’t consider it as a parmesan and simply get pleasure from it for itself, it’s a pleasant addition. As for the sauce, it’s a standard Southern Italian pink sauce, thick and wealthy concentrated tomato with herbs and a considered shot of garlic and pepper. We had saved a final little bit of ciabatta and used it to mop the plate.

With our starters we had wine from their record, which as is perhaps anticipated was largely Italian and largely natural. Mayra introduced tastes of a Gavi and a Sicilian Muscadetta orange wine, and whereas we favored the dry however fruity gavi we discovered the orange unimpressive. I later realized that it had been served fairly chilly, and this wine is finest at round 60 levels, which was concerning the ambient temperature that night. It might need improved if allowed to relaxation a bit, however as an alternative I ordered a Falanghina that was fantastic simply because it arrived. We completed the final of the wine and crumbs from the appetizers whereas having fun with the ambiance on the rear patio, which was separated from site visitors noise by the constructing. The music ranged from ‘50s rock and Sinatra to occasional classical items, an eclectic combine that set a playful temper.

From high clockwise, capricciosa pizza, meatballs, baked ricotta, and spaghetti carbonara. Picture by JP Cordero.

For essential programs, we ordered spaghetti carbonara and a Capricciosa pizza of mozzarella, tomato sauce, artichoke, crimini mushrooms, shiitake “bacon,” olives, and oregano. I used to be already fairly certain I’d just like the pizza as a result of I knew there was such a factor as vegan mozzarella, however was curious concerning the carbonara as a result of it appeared unattainable. Actual Italian carbonara is a quite simple dish that makes use of no milk or cream however will get texture and physique from the egg that’s whipped into the new pasta simply earlier than serving. Right here they use avocado as an alternative. Granted, avocado does have a lush, fatty texture, however how would the flavour work? It was not a real substitute as a result of within the conventional model egg lends richness, however not a variety of taste, whereas the avocado has a particular character that was faint however current in each chunk. The sauce additionally included a macadamia nut-based romano cheese sauce and the smoked shiitake that had a bacon-ish taste however a mushroom texture. Taken as an entire, it didn’t replicate the flavour of a carbonara, however was a satisfying dish that was impressed by it. I most popular it with just a few grinds of pepper, and in addition requested for a little bit of the vegan parmesan to see how that labored when not baked on high of meatballs. I used to be provided two, one primarily based on coconut and one on macadamia. The coconut had the proper texture however was too candy, whereas the macadamia was nearer to the standard taste however had a powdery texture. In contrast to the mozzarella and ricotta, each cheeses which can be at their finest instantly after being made, conventional parmesan needs to be aged for at least 10 months to accumulate its distinctive character. Whether or not vegan cheeses don’t age in the identical means or these are produced by a unique course of, they’re not fairly there, but.

The pizza put that mozzarella freshness on show, and it was high notch by any commonplace. The irregular crust had puffed and bubbled to ethereal lightness, and the steadiness of sauce, cheese, and greens was pleasant. If you happen to order one, plan to eat the middle with a fork as a result of the skinny crust doesn’t keep crisp for lengthy beneath the moist toppings, however that’s the case with the super-thin Neapolitan crusts anyplace. We paired the pizza with glasses of a Nero d’Avola and a basic Chianti, classics that matched the meals simply as they had been speculated to.

For dessert we had the zeppole, Italian doughnuts, and a Sicilian pine nut cookie. The zeppole was a shocking failure in spite of everything the opposite issues that had come from that kitchen, oily outdoors and doughy on the heart. After the excessive commonplace of every little thing else I assume the individual on the fryer was having an off day. Fortunately, the cookie was wonderful. These cookies are labor-intensive and use costly substances, so are normally reserved for weddings and different particular events in Italy. This one was first fee, and could be even higher paired with a little bit of the raspberry coulis that’s provided on the chocolate fudge cake that’s one other dessert alternative.

This department of Pura Vita is a reasonably new operation. however is operating easily, and so they have proved that vegan Italian fantastic eating can work. Vegan variations of animal meals are getting higher as extra folks with a ardour for taste undertake the approach to life. Pura Vita exhibits the dedication of Chef Tara Punzone for each well being and taste. The pure life could be the nice life, and he or she proves it past argument.

Pura Vita is at 320 Catalina in Redondo Seaside. 3 to p.m. Tue-Thu. 3 to 10 p.m. Fri. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Solar. Small car parking zone in rear, entry from Pearl, or road parking. Beer and wine served. (424) 304-2247. PuraVitaLosAngeles.com. ER