Centanni is open on Lincoln, endowing Venice’s stretch of the street with an “original old Italian Trattoria” and deli. Centanni is run by three veterans of departed Dolce Enoteca, including Chef Marin Santos, and offers authentic Italian cuisine that is mostly all homemade. Though the espresso machine is yet to arrive and breads are temporarily being outsourced, casual lunches and romantic candlelit dinners are now being served. Co-owner Helen Wassell-Paez tells us Centanni is proud to put a fresh face on Lincoln and hopes to “engage the neighborhood” through such moves as selling a local vendor’s homemade cheesecake and using humane and organic ingredients from area farms wherever possible.
Wassell-Paez points to Santos’ lasagna, homemade beef meatball paninis, and pumpkin ravioli as standouts on a menu that also includes a daily board of specials. She also says the tiramisu should not be missed.
We rejoice that prices are closer to Alejo’s than Via Veneto, with a tagliata steak at $15.50 the most expensive item on a tight, traditional trattoria menu of paninis, insalates, zuppe, and pasta and meat plates that appear to average about nine to twelve dollars. Open currently from 11 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Centanni will soon open for breakfast with hopes of becoming a reliable eatery in the service of the neighborhood. Considering the high prices of Venice’s Italian restaurants, Centanni is already taking a step in the right direction. Centanni, 1700 Lincoln Blvd. Venice; (310) 314-7275.
