Reviewing Cento Pasta Bar: A casual yet elegant Italian dining experience in West Los Angeles.

Finding a date night spot in LA is not as easy as one might think. You have to account for aesthetics and vibes, quality of service, and of course, the quality of the food. I have a long list of restaurants I am dying to try, but they are not all “date-approved,” so to speak. However, we landed on Cento Pasta Bar on West Adams as an option and decided to book it. We actually heard from another couple that this was the best date night spot in Los Angeles and that the food was amazing, so we thought we should try it. Parking was easy to find on the street, which started the night off on a good note. Upon walking in, we approached the host stand and were seated at our table for two outside under a nicely lit tree. The white marble tables with the red chairs give Cento a homey feeling. In due time, I was lost in the trance of the food and forgot where I was for a moment. 

First things first, I did a little pre-research, so I knew what I wanted to order before even arriving at Cento. However, the waiter listed off some Cento specials and I was tempted to change this pre-planned order of mine. But, I did not! I ordered the Spicy Pomodoro which consisted of Lumaconi pasta, Calabrian chili, truffle, ricotta, and basil. This dish was the perfect level of spiciness, and the flavoring was phenomenal! I really appreciated how the waiter informed us not to mix the ricotta and basil oil in with the rest of the dish, because the “per bite” rule made the bursting ricotta-basil flavoring present in each bite. This “per bite” rule means that each piece of pasta or bite was accompanied with a little bit of ricotta and basil oil from the center of the dish. This was honestly one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had in LA.  

We also got Nonna’s Broccoli Bucatini which consisted of thick spaghetti-like pasta with a tiny hole running through each strand, garlic, pecorino, burrata, and bread crumbs. The bread crumbs on top added the perfect crunch to the dish, and I enjoyed the burrata pairing. I prefer burrata over ricotta in general, but each cheese paired with their respective pasta dish perfectly! Of the two pasta dishes, I prefer the Spicy Pomodoro, but both were spectacular. 

And for the grand finale– the banana pudding tiramisu! Now you might think these flavors sound like a weird pairing, and I would be lying if I said I did not think the same at first. However, this is by far one of the best dessert dishes in LA, maybe even a top five of all desserts I have ever had! The “reveal” alone makes the dish taste good before even trying it. It is so unique to watch the creamy banana pudding fall out of the plastic tower over the various layers of tiramisu and Nilla wafers. The creaminess of the banana pudding dusted with cocoa powder compliments the tiramisu and Nilla wafers perfectly. I would go back to Cento just to see the unveiling of this dessert one more time! It is a must-order for sure! I was extremely pleased by the taste and presentation of the three dishes we ordered, as well as how fast they came out. I see why they include “pasta bar” in their title now because the pasta dishes we ordered were out of this world! 

As mentioned previously, the ambiance of Cento is very homey. The outdoor seating is where I prefer to sit, but the inside open kitchen is also nice! I always love an open kitchen because you can truly get a feel of the behind-the-scenes functionality of the food being served. The staff at Cento was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. At the end of our meal, I even had the chance to meet the head chef: Avner Levi. He could not have been nicer! He has done a phenomenal job with Cento, and I cannot wait to visit again sometime soon to try more of the menu. Next time, I will certainly be broadening my scope of what I order to some of the appetizers and other main dishes, as well as re-ordering my favorites (aka the Spicy Pomodoro and Banana Pudding Tiramisu) from this visit.