There’s no slowing chef Celestino Drago down. We recently learned he’s adding Drago Osteria to the celebrity chef pizza triangle that we see forming in O.C. between David Myers’ Pizzeria Ortica, a possible Mozza location, and Drago’s forthcoming Drago Osteria. In the meantime, he is focused on fall at his Drago Ristorante in Santa Monica and Drago Centro in Downtown, offering new lunch menus for the season that take a rustic approach to his clean Italian cooking.
New dishes have been added Downtown at Centro with the help of chef de cuisine Ian Gresik, like braised veal cheeks with endive, parsnips, and almonds, plus house made smoked salmon accompanied with a cauliflower panna cotta and fennel, and a veal lasagna Bolognese. At the Santa Monica flagship, new plates feature spaghetti with fresh sardines, fennel, raisins, and pinenuts, plus semifreddo made with preserved kumquats for dessert.
Both restaurants are making use of the season’s root vegetables, game meats, squash, fruit, and pumpkin, and Santa Monica suggests white truffles might be hiding somewhere too. Check out Drago Centro and Drago Ristorante’s new lunch menus, below.
Drago Ristorante
2628 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica
(310) 828-1585
Insalate e Antipasti
Insalata di Cose Buone 13
Chopped Salad, Balsamic Dressing
Add Chicken Breast or Shrimps 6
Insalata di Spinaci Pere e Pecorino 12
Baby Spinach, Pears, Pecorino Cheese and Candied Walnut
Panzanella 13
Heirloom Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Onions, Olives and Bread
Primavera 9
Mixed Greens, Eggplant, Bell Peppers and Goat Cheese
Cesare 10
Caesar Salad with Baby Romaine Lettuce
Mista 7
Mixed Greens, Balsamic Dressing
Frutti di Mare Tiepidi 14
Warm Seafood, Citrus Dressing and Pickled Vegetables
Burrata 12
Creamy Mozzarella, Heirloom Tomato, Basil Olive Oil
Salumi Misti 15
Prosciutto, Salame, Mortadella, Gnocco Fritto
Paste e Risotti
Tortelloni di Zucca 16
Pumpkin Tortelloni, Creamy Butter Sage Sauce
Pappardelle al Sugo di Fagiano e Morelle 15
Pappardelle with Roasted Pheasant and Morel Mushrooms
Fettuccine alla Bolognese 13
Fettuccine in a Bolognese Style Meat Sauce
Rigatoni Mezze Maniche, Salsicce e Funghi Porcini 14
Short Rigatoni, Sausage and Porcini Mushrooms
Capelli D’Angelo Pomodoro e Basilico 13
Angel Hair Pasta, Fresh Tomato, Basil and Garlic
Spaghetti al Cartoccio 18
Seafood Spaghetti, Light Garlic Tomato Sauce
Spaghetti con Sarde alla Siciliana 16
Fresh Sardines, Fennel, Raisins and Pine Nuts
Risotto con Funghi Porcini e Mascarpone 16
Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone Cheese
Pappa al Pomodoro 7
Thick Tomato and Bread Soup
Minestra di Verdure 7
Minestrone Soup
Pesci e Carne
Pesce Spada con Caponata alla Siciliana 24
Lightly Breaded Sword Fish, Eggplant Caponata
Branzino in Guazzetto 24
Fillet of Sea Bass in a White Wine Broth, Spinach and Thyme
Petto di Pollo Farcito con Prosciutto e Formaggio 22
Pan Roasted Breast of Jidori Chicken, Prosciutto and Mushrooms
Scaloppine al Limone 22
Veal Scaloppine with White Wine and Lemon Sauce
Milanese di Vitella 22
Veal Milanese
Drago Centro
525 S. Flower Street Downtown, Los Angeles
Reservations at (213) 228-8998
antipasti
per cominciare “to begin”
la burrata 12
burrata, tomatoes, crostino
il salmone affumicato 12
smoked salmon, cauliflower panna cotta, fennel
il carpaccio di tonno 15
seared tuna, zucchini puree, squash blossom
la pancetta brasata 12
pork belly, farro, spinach, blueberries
il tagliere di affettati con gnocco fritto 15
house selection of charcuterie, gnocco modena style
la zuppa 9
roasted corn soup, bacon cream
le insalate
“the salads”
i pomodori 14
heirloom tomatoes, candied pine nuts, evoo sabayon
le verdure e lattughe novelle 12
assorted baby vegetables, young lettuces, white balsamic vinegar
le lattughe miste 9
mixed baby lettuces, shaved parmesan, red wine vinaigrette
le paste all’ uovo
“fresh egg pasta”
gli spaghetti alla chitarra con pesto alla trapanese 16
basil spaghetti, tomato-almond pesto
le pappardelle al fagiano 17
pappardelle, roasted pheasant, morel mushrooms
i cavatelli di ricotta e spinaci al ragu di capriolo e funghi 16
spinach ricotta cavatelli, venison, hedgehog mushrooms
i risotti
“italian rice dish”
il risotto ˆvialone nano˜ con pomodori e gorgonzola 16
risotto, cherry tomatoes, basil, gorgonzola
il risotto “vialone nano” ai gamberi 17
saffron risotto, seafood ragout, spot prawns
le paste di grano duro
“hard durum wheat pasta”
i paccheri 18
paccheri, spot prawns, puttanesca sauce
i garganelli 14
garganelli, pork sausage, parmesan, fennel seeds
i pizzoccheri della valtellina 16
buckwheat pizzoccheri, cabbage, potatoes, fontina, sage cream
le paste ripiene e al forno
“filled and baked pasta”
gli agnolotti 14
truffle ricotta agnolotti, shaved parmesan
la lasagna alla bolognese 16
veal bolognese lasagna, vegetable
secondi piatti
le insalate
“the salads mains”
insalata tritata 19
italian style chopped salad, turkey, bacon, gorgonzola
insalata di anatra 19
duck confit, dried cherries, candied walnuts, enoki mushrooms
insalata di salmone 23
scottish salmon, fingerling potatoes, haricot verts, pine nuts, basil pesto
la panzanella di bietole 17
market beets, focaccia croutons, baby spinach, goat cheese
insalate di gamberi e vegetali alla griglia 21
shrimp, grilled eggplant, zucchini, onions, shiitake mushrooms, olives
le pizze
“the pizza”
pizza margherita 13
mozzarella, tomato, basil pizza
pizza alle melanzane 14
eggplant, scarmoza, chili flake pizza
i pesci
“fish”
l’ ippoglosso 25
alaskan halibut, corn, squash, pancetta
il branzino 29
branzino, gnocchi, peppers, scallion purée
il tonno 26
seared albacore, tomato, spinach, balsamic
le carni
“meat”
l’ anatra 26
duck breast, peaches, arugula
il guanciale di vitella 25
braised veal cheeks, endive, parsnips, almonds
il pollo ruspante 24
crispy chicken, assorted beans, haricots verts
