Grissini Ristorante Italiano

I’m kind of at a loss for what to write here, because of the lack of memorability of any of the dishes I had. The menu looked really interesting, and the waiter, JC, was excellent. He really did a good job of explaining the specials, and actually, on his recommendation, I went with that instead of what I had chosen.
I started with the carpaccio of pear salad. Pears, gorgonzola, arugula, walnuts… all quite tasty, but, instead of using reduced balsamic or a balsamic glaze, they just used straight balsamic vinegar, which was too thin to stick to any of the salad, so it just pooled in the bottom of the plate. Otherwise — pretty decent dish.
I had the crusted ahi for my main course. I recall feeling more full after having eaten it, but there was absolutely no flavor to it. My glass of water was more lively. The compote of capers, tomatoes, and olives on the plate, while interesting, did not go with the (flavorless) fish, but it at least gave me something that my body registered as «I have eaten something.» There were also some sliced potatoes which were cooked to hockey-​pucks, but I wasn’t there for the potatoes, anyway.
All in all, I’m sure their pasta dishes are delicious, and, when I’m feeling more calorically sound one day, I’ll try one, but skip the specials.

Consistently outstanding food and service. Every time. Without fail! Mille Grazie!
Each time I order something different and everything is wonderful. I’ve visited with friends and family and everyone agrees. This is some of the best Italian food in Los Angeles.
Beautiful ambiance and great service from servers who care about what they are doing.

Loved Grissini, great waiters. Giuseppe the owner is very family oriented. Try the gnocchi! Must have in the conejo valley area.

I’ve been going to Grissini since they opened their doors. This is one of the best restaurants around town and definitely a top Italian restaurant in CA. Food is excellent and authentic, service is great and Italian style and very well worth the wait. I order here often for take out as well.

My boyfriend and I came here after our friends were raving about it. I am so glad they shared this hidden gem with us… it has definitely become one of my new favorite spots. The restaurant is tucked away in a little shopping center off Reyes Adobe. The décor is nice, dim lights and big comfy booths and the outside had cute twinkle lights strung across above the tables. It was too cold to sit outside but come summer I will definitely be enjoying some glasses of wine on the patio. We were greeted by our waiter, I forgot his name but he was so nice! He asked if we had ever been there and told him it was our first time, he explained the menu to us, but being my boyfriend is Italian and my favorite city in the world is Rome we had a pretty good idea. We ordered a couple of the specials, the osso bucco and a seafood pasta. They were both amazing!!! The osso bucco was so tender and flavorful and sat on a bed of creamy mushroom risotto. The pasta was homemade and came with chunks of blue crab, organic tomatoes, capers and kalamata olives. It was to die for! The portions were large but I didn’t mind it because the food was amazing. It definitely rivaled the pasta I had in Rome. At the end of our dinner he brought us a complimentary panna cotta and it was delicious! If you love Italian food, and I mean real authentic Italian, not Olive Garden, you have to check this place out. And if you love Olive Garden you should still come here to see what real Italian food tastes like. Definitely coming back!

Found a few more receipts I’d hung on to for a reminder to write a Unilocal review. Were there to celebrate a birthday with friends. Asked to be seated outside, which consisted of one of several tables stuck off to the side of the building, overlooking a ravine. Rather an unusual view, but a pleasant one. Made us feel like we weren’t in a strip mall in Agoura.
There were lights in the trees, and the atmosphere became more appealing as the sun went down and lights came on.
However, to me the food was not commensurate with the price. Service and pacing of the meal was uneven. The most and best attention came from the busser, who was very friendly and timely with water refills.
There was an huge annoyance factor with the music, which had been turned up so loud that normal conversation wasn’t possible. We had to ask several times for them to lower the volume. The server nervously indicated that he’d try, but the owner liked to control the music. Apparently, the owner left for about half an hour, so we were able to enjoy a lower volume level for part of the meal. When he returned, he cranked the sound up to an intolerable level again.
Was very off-​putting and ruined the mood. Being outside in a SoCal evening, once the sun goes down, it’s nice to have the option for outdoor heaters to take the chill out of the air. They didn’t have that option available, which also became distracting.
Our friend remembers the experience differently and wants to go back. I am in no hurry to do so. There are other options for Italian fine dining without leaving one’s paycheck at the establishment.

My company had their Christmas time luncheon here for 18 people. Sadly, the room/​table we were at was really best for no more than 16 people so we were very squished together and way too cozy. I loved the thin, crisp bread sticks on the table as well as the other breads they brought out. The appetizers were all right, though there weren’t any that people seemed to totally love. Leftovers all around. We had a limited menu and nothing really interested me — I wanted to order the fish without pepper or other seasoning but I was informed that the fish was already seasoned and could not be cooked without… this makes me sad. I felt like the waiter was unhappy with my indecision based on wanting food without breading, tomato sauce, garlic or pepper, which it seemed like everything on our very limited menu-​options had. Finally decided on the breaded chicken w/​o sauce and with only one of the sides as the other could not be made without garlic and/​or pepper. I actually really enjoyed it, though the fish that my co-​workers got looked amazing and I was sad they couldn’t have made it for me without seasoning on the fish. While I really liked my chicken, another woman who ordered it (including the sauce) said hers was overcooked and dry. She ate little of it and boxed the rest up. Those who ordered the fish liked it. I also really liked the apple tart dessert I ordered. It was like a tasty apple pie without the top crust. I would definitely recommend that. Finally, missing a star because I was frequently out of soda. I have trouble sometimes with choking on food and if I don’t have something to drink handy it can be dangerous for me. Servers were not at all prompt about refilling drinks and were not always easy to flag down during a work luncheon. Pacing of the meal was slow. If I lived in the area I might return, but since it would be a bit of a drive for me, and based on the issues I had, I don’t see myself coming back.

I love this place…
Old school feel… lights in the trees… Sinatra playing outside… you feel like heaven before you even sit down.
The servers are true professionals and just add to the ambiance. Start with the Stuffed Artichoke, it has to be in the top 5 of all time. The fresh pastas are creative and well made sauces top them off. Had the Trout, the Scampi and some Veal along way and all of them exceeded expectations.
Next you are in Agoura Hills this is a must eat Italian treat!

You will feel like you are in Italy in this restaurant. The owner is fabulous with his open button shirt and gold chain. They bring you bread and tapenade before the meal and a cannoli after both complimentary.
It’s a little dead during lunch so you can get in and out in an hour, but it picks up at dinner. Prices are a bit high for pastas, but it’s worth a try to make your own opinion.

REVIEW #555 – because this is the among the most 5-​star-​worthy restaurants I have ever visited. I wish I could give it 5 cubed stars.
Despite its somewhat random location in a strip mall (though all good restaurants seem to be located in strip malls nowadays), Grissini has solid Italian food in a classy ambiance, complete with fancy chinaware and real candles. It has less gusto than SD’s Godfather and much more of a local business/​family-​run vibe so you forego a booklet-​like menu of infinite entrees and an army of tuxedoed waiters, but Grissini does not disappoint.
Mama mia, whose heart could not be won over by the complimentary appetizers (!!), a very good selection on the menu including infinite combinations of mix n match pasta (housemade pasta, too!!!), and the sweetest, kindest staff. I rate restaurants almost-​Michelin style with minimal consideration of service, but the owner and the rest of the servers were so friendly and pleasant I could almost have melted like the cheese on the pasta.
(++) Complimentary grissini: The restaurant is named after a type of breadsticks, and accordingly they grant free breadsticks. And this isn’t generic-​tasting carbs to nosh on while waiting for your food; the grissini breadsticks are thin and cracker-​like – the type of high-​end adult snack you’d see in the wine n cheese section of Whole Foods.
(++) Complimentary bread with olive oil and tapanade: They give you two types of bread: a fresh soft one and another similar to garlic bread, only light on the garlic and very light on the butter. Conveniently saves you stomach space for pasta
(+++) Affettati misti (mixed platter of cured Tuscan meats): As a former health-​freak-​turned-​foodie-​wannabe (I used to avoid pepperoni like the plague), I’m not a huge fan of cured meats, but Grissini’s Tuscan meats platter was nothing short of a flavor explosion. The meats had quite a kick of spice and an overlying smokiness that brought out the complex savory flavors. The addition of cheese and ample veggies made the dish well balanced overall.
(+++) Fresh pasta: I go cray over fresh housemade pasta just like how I go cray over fresh housemade noodles. Cray like fan-​girl cray. And the pasta here is not only amazing; their choices are many and original. I’ve tried the whole wheat mafalda (nice graineyness), butternut squash ravioli (reminds me of the pumpkin/​butternut squash trends come October), lemon pepper fettuccine (surprisingly tasty), and papperdelle (classic bouge). You get the choice to mix n match with a pasta sauce, which can be a bad thing because there are too many delicious options.
(+++) Fruitti di mare (seafood pasta in tomato sauce): This pasta sauce costs a little more than the others, but it comes in über heaping piles of seafood. The portions of mussels, clams, squid, octopus, and shrimp are so generous it’s likely twice the amount as stingier restaurants.
(++) Arrabiatta (tomato sauce, garlic, parsley, peperoncino): I added extra chili flakes to this… bad idea.
(++) Pomorodo (tomato sauce, fresh tomato, basil): Nice basic simple option, but not worth it in comparison to the majestic fruitti di mare.
(++) Pesto di pistachio e gamberi (pistachios, pesto, shrimp): Very interesting concept, something of a gimick that you wouldn’t expect to make it past Pinterest into a legit restaurant, but it melds together well.
(++) Salmone (Alaskan salmon filet in orange brandy sauce; served with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables): Good quality fatty salmon, though the sauce could have used more brandy.
(+) Pollo cacciatore (chicken braised in red wine, tomatoes, onions, capers, black olives; served with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables): Probably the least memorable, but that it not to say it was a disappointment; it’s just that everything else blew my mind. I dig the ample veggies though.
(++) Tiramisu: Not the best I’ve ever had, but decent rum infusion and perfect airy fluffiness.
Prices are reasonable for the quality, quantity, and overall dining experience. I know much of my review may sound like exaggerations, but Grissini is really that good in my opinion. I like planning to pass by Agoura Hills during Socal trips so I can try another mix n match pasta P: