Editor’s note: When it comes to commercial real estate in Pacific Palisades this year, investors seem particularly keen about offering restaurants, specialty eateries (Juice Crafters on Antioch) and stores centering around beauty and health. In the past few months, Palisades Garden Caf’ on La Cruz started an expansion (into the former Sabrina’s Nails space) that will provide seating for close to 50 diners; Chez Mimi has opened in the former Mogan’s Caf’ on Palisades Drive; and Matthew’s Garden Caf’, which replaces Mick’s Caf’ on Swarthmore, will soon be serving breakfast, lunch and late-afternoon sweets. Meanwhile, Fahi’s Skin & Wax Bar (in the former Self-Centre space on Sunset) and the Atrium Salon on Via de la Paz (haircuts for men, women and children) have opened, and Happy Feet Running Shoes will debut on Via de la Paz in late September. Il Piccolo Ritrovo, a pizzeria and trattoria catering to families, will open the beginning of October in the space formerly occupied by J’s Trattoria at 15415 Sunset Blvd, next to the Shell station. J’s, which had replaced Jacopo’s restaurant and pizzeria in February 2010, closed early this summer. Last Friday, Ritrovo co-owners Nando Silvestri and Tarcisio Mosconi oversaw the installation of a $25,000 wood-burning Marra Fornia oven. ’This is handmade by a Neapolitan family,’ said Silvestri, noting that the oven is made from Mt. Vesuvius bricks and that the oven temperature reaches 1000 degrees, meaning the eatery’s artesian pizzas will be cooked in 90 seconds. Silvestri, who owns five Spumoni restaurants (in Santa Monica, Brentwood, Mlaibu, Sherman Oaks and Valencia), was asked why he had not tried to open another Spumoni here. ’This is a different concept and the menu will be slightly different,’ he said. ‘We’ll have lots of homemade pasta and pizzaillo. We’ll also have a bambini menu.’ Mosconi owns Tra di Noi on Cross Creek Road in Malibu, which was awarded an ‘Excellent’ rating as one of the premier Italian restaurants in Southern California by the Zagat Survey. ‘I have a lot of customers from Pacific Palisades who asked why I don’t come to the Palisades,’ he said. So here he is. Inside the 2,500-sq.-ft. restaurant, the interior has been gutted, the floors are now walnut and there are oak walls with Marmorino Venetian plaster. There will be seating for 40 inside and 30 on the patio. Wine and beer will be available. ‘Parking has always been a problem at this location,’ said Silvestri, ‘so we are introducing free valet parking.’
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