Mid-City: Salad and Pasta at Jon and Vinny’s

 

I checked out Jon and Vinny’s last week for a quick bite. I do recommend reservations which we didn’t have as it was a spur of the moment decision to go there for dinner. As it were, we waited about 30 minutes for a couple seats at the bar. Then more people tried to walk in but they were discouraged to wait around and told to come back at 9 p.m. (this was around prime dinner time at 6:45) when tables would open up. It is a slim space and very popular for the well-made Italian food. It feels more casual than Animal (which I love) and has the spirit of fun like Son of a Gun.

We shared a couple of appetizers including the heirloom tomato bruschetta which we decided to get without the parmesan. The tomatoes were so ripe and delicious. And the Gjusta ciabatta bread they use is perfect. Other bruschetta that sounded interesting include ricotta and orange blossom honey with sesame seed and the Hass avocado. Perhaps next time we’ll do all the bruschetta including the Calabrian tuna.

 

We were interested in sharing a salad and the choices were between the roasted beet “Greek” or the shaved zucchini with arugula, hazelnut and a Meyer lemon vinaigrette. I’m so glad we got the zucchini salad. It was piled high and very well dressed.

 

My friend really wanted to get a pizza but I was so pizza-ed out from recent slice excursions. So we got a pasta instead. I automatically eyeball all the meaty ones and so that left us with either sausage cavatelli, spaghetti bolognese or linguine and clams. We were actually heading to another event so we decided to keep it light and got the seafood. It is really a good portion for one or it split well for two (with all our other apps and sides, of course). The pasta was al dente, just the way I like it and the clams were in a garlic-y, finger lickin’ good sauce.

 

I tell myself that eating a ton of veggies don’t count towards calories (but who counts calories around the Minty?) and we also got the grilled sugar snap peas. Mainly because I was very interested in the pickled ramp ranch. That was so good! And bonus, someone (okay, it was me) swiped some stray pieces of heirloom tomato from the bruschetta through the ranch dressing. Ah, wonderful. It’s definitely the season of sugar snap peas so get on that!

Next time, I’m gunning for a pie or two. The salad pizza, Sonny’s favorite with bacon, White Lightning with pickled jalepeno and El Chaparrito with housemade chorizo all sounded wonderful. But if I was to pick the best name, Ham and Yeezy wins.

We didn’t have time for dessert but I’m eying chocolate chip cookies, pistachio wedding cookies or Marty’s peanut butter cookies next time. They also have New York cheesecake and cannolis.

Jon and Vinny’s 

412 N Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036  —  (323) 334-3369

 

© The Minty 2016