Felix Trattoria

By MERV HECHT | Restaurant Critic

When I read spectacular reviews about Funke restaurant in Beverly Hills, I tried to get a reservation but that was too tough for me, so I decided to try a more local restaurant with the same owner: Felix Trattoria in Venice.

When I got there, I realized that the space was where Joe’s restaurant, a local favorite years ago, used to be located.

When our friends eventually arrived, our waitress gave us an informative speech about the restaurant’s concept: Portions are large to be shared family style.

Then I looked at the wine list. I didn’t see any bottles under $100, and none of the inexpensive Rhône wines or Tuscan wines I like to order in pasta-based restaurants. So, I asked to speak with the wine steward. He showed up right away and was friendly and helpful. We ended up with a wine that was unfamiliar to me but for $85, not bad.

We ordered a couple of appetizers and two main courses to share. One of the appetizers—Carciofi alla giudea—was grilled artichokes, much like served in the Jewish quarter in Rome, only these were better. A “Caesar-like” salad also showed up and it too was very good.

Then the two pasta dishes arrived, and they were both excellent. One was the recommended house specialty—Linguine al limone—with a mild lemon flavor, and the other was a wonderful Pappardelle duck pasta, like no other I’ve had in Los Angeles.

As in so many restaurants, I found it was too loud to comfortably converse and the chairs were uncomfortable. But if you’re a young person with a good appetite, and not sensitive to noise, you can have a wonderful dinner at this restaurant.

Merv Hecht, like many Harvard Law School graduates, went into the wine business after law. In 1988, he began writing restaurant reviews and books. His latest book “The Instant Wine Connoisseur, 3rd edition” is available on Amazon. He currently works for several companies that source and distribute food and wine products internationally. Send comments to mervynhecht@yahoo.com.