Spruzzo

By MAGNOLIA LAFLEUR | Reporter

The new Italian restaurant, Spruzzo, has recently opened its doors to the community—giving Palisadians a fine dining experience for the whole family to enjoy.

Located in the Highlands in the space that formerly housed Taste at the Palisades at 538 Palisades Drive, Spruzzo aims to offer a restaurant experience that caters to “bringing people together,” according to Owner Ryan Gowhari.

A sister restaurant to the eponymous Malibu location, Spruzzo Restaurant & Bar in Pacific Palisades is owned and managed by Ryan.

“This is really a family-friendly place and it’s great for group date nights,” Ryan said to the Palisadian-Post. “We have intimate booths, flowers, lighting that invite families of all sizes and ages to enjoy eachothers company.”

Ryan shared that his father Ray has been running the treasured Malibu location since 1994. He began working for his father at the original Spruzzo location in Malibu in 1994 after highschool, and continued working there while attending California State University, Northridge.

In 2018, he became a full-time manager. Now, with the desire for his son to take over the family business, Ray has taken a backseat at 2the newest Spruzzo.

“He could see my passion and dedication for this business and I’m excited about our new location,” Ryan said about his father, Ray. “The customers, the workers, everyone at the other Spruzzo were like family to me and while I miss them, I look forward to taking on this new location and developing new relationships with the community.”

Content with the reception from the neighborhood, Ryan looks forward to offering guests more than an Italian food experience, but a one-stop-shop that offers “food cooked to perfection” including sandwiches, pasta, chicken, steak, seafood entrees and more.

From the restaurant’s traditional belly-warming spaghetti bolognese to some of the most flavor-filled pizzas in the Palisades, Spruzzo offers the Palisades a spacious and welcoming atmosphere to enjoy large portioned, wonderfully tasting dishes while nestled next to your loved ones.

Spruzzo is equipped with a full-bar and two-television screens to give restaurant goers the best of both worlds: a relaxed dining environment mixed with the feel of a fine-dining restaurant.

To begin, there is a selection of nine appetizers to choose from—that are so satisfying,  they could be eaten as stand-alone mini meals. A fan-favorite, the Ahi Tartare Togarashi awakens the palette with its soft, seared tuna mixed with lemon oil citronette, served on top of fresh guacamole, finished with radish sprouts and crispy wontons—a great opening act.

The Shrimp Ceviche is also a delectable starter dish that satisfies the taste buds with its marinated shrimp, diced onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and cilantro. The dish is served with house-made and perfectly crisp tortilla chips.

If you’re looking for crunch with just a little bit of tenderness, the Bruschetta V+ Toasted French Baguette is the starter for you—topped with fresh tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and basil.

Although these bites marked the start of the meal, they are far from an afterthought.

Like fresh water quenching your thirst, the Chopped Salad was refreshing, to say the least. The salad is comprised of cut romaine, red onion, hearts of palm, bell peppers, provolone, bleu cheese crumbles and garbanzo beans, with an Italian vinaigrette—meeting the needs of health, taste and satisfaction.

The Lentil Soup made for a warm, hearty and soothing dish with its organic french lentil filled with onions, carrots, and potatoes in a light vegetarian broth.

The Fresh Baked Atlantic Salmon was a stand out dish that mixes all the best combinations that food has to offer, from taste, scent and texture. The dish is topped with a papaya, mango salsa and served with white wine lemon cream sauce that melts the tongue, as well as the heart.

Chef Hector Sortos’ popular salmon dish was a tantalizing and fresh piece of fish served with a robust and colorful assortment of vegetables topped with a delicious sauce. The salmon was crisp, moist and flavorful—You will surely crave seconds.

If you’re looking for a traditional Italian dish, Spruzzo’s Meat Lasagna hit the mark. It is complete with thin layers of pasta, baked with a béchamel and meat sauce, and topped with spaghetti bolognese, made of veal, pork and red wine tomato sauce. The flavors of this dish export the mouth to one’s favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Italy.

One of the dishes that surprised me most was the Napoletana Pizza, made of mozzarella with tomato sauce. Although it might sound like an ordinary pizza, its taste yielded an excitement that may make it one of the most delicious tasting pizzas in all of the Palisades.

From the minimalist meals to the more extravagant meals, the time and attention put into each dish will satisfy restaurant goers of all kinds, from children to adults.

Spruzzo spared no detail, ensuring that every meal was made with the highest level of excellence and lives up to their name, Spruzzo, which translates to “splash” in Italian.