Tastes of LA: Donna’s
Donna’s
It’s been a while since I’ve found a restaurant I could recommend without reservation. In fact, that may be the only way you’ll get to eat at Donna’s in Echo Park because reservations are almost impossible to score. Foodie Friend #1 and I had been talking about going there for months and finally resolved to bypass the long wait for a reserved table and show up at the ungodly, but oh-so-senior-friendly hour of 4:30 to head the walk-in line. We did and enjoyed the passing carnival of funk that is Sunset Blvd. while we waited for the magic words at 5 o’clock, “We have a table for you.”
Kids of all ages, I can’t recommend this place enough. From the gracious hipster at the door, to the warm, attentive waiter, to the subway tiles and botanical wallpaper and the vintage glass holding the perfect martini to every single dish we tried, this place is a total homerun.
Start with a half loaf of freshly -baked garlic bread, taffy-soft and steaming on the inside, crackling on the outside with a flurry of fresh Parm on top. The subtle infusion of garlic amid a smattering of parsley makes this wedge of bread a robust delicacy. (Are those two words even allowed together?)
Moving on, the Caesar salad has a secret, and it’s the substitution of tuna for anchovies in the dressing; a milder, yet equally flavorful addition.
Next up, the meatball course; substantial yet pillowy light (again, am I breaking culinary lingo norms here?) and brilliantly, not over-sauced. The balance is masterful.
And now for the coup de grace, (or would colpo de grazia be more fitting?) Who cares? The linguine and clams are to die for in any language! If you’re up to date on my meanderings, you know how I gravitate to that dish when on offer, and I have definitely found worthy competitors, but Donna’s is the grand slam; the Freddie Freeman and Kirk Gibson of the genre. Buttery and perfectly piquant; the noodles exactly al dente, the clams just briny enough, and the heat of the dish sparks without catching fire. Divine!
Part Two of this review will undoubtedly be in the pipeline, as I plan to go back almost immediately to try the dishes I had no room for. Suffice it to say, line up and chow down ASAP!
Molly Cheek
Molly Cheek is a retired actor and Epicurean School graduate. She is best known for her roles in “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” and the “American Pie” franchise, (she baked the pie!). For her second act, she turned to her real love: Eating!!! Molly created a catering and home-cooked gourmet gift basket business, placing her baked goods in coffee joints and on craft service tables around Los Angeles. And even though she’s moved on from that endeavor, she still loves to eat. She starts dreaming of lunch as soon as breakfast is done. Cooking is fun, but eating out is her happy place. And she loves to talk about what she eats…..and what you eat and what people on TV eat…. So, she hopes her enthusiasm for food will ignite some tastebuds and inspire you Tomatoes to try something new.
