Everything Glendale

Filed Under: Divina Cucina, Food, Italian Cuisine, Montrose, Restaurant Reviews

A friend accustomed to fine dining was visiting from London and wanted to take me to a "nice" dinner in my neck of the woods—Montrose. I'd heard good things about Divina Cucina on Verdugo Road, so we decided to give it a try.

We sat on the covered patio by an attractive fountain, as the main restaurant was packed and a little noisy for quiet conversation.

The menu is extensive, and we were struggling to decide from the many tasty sounding offerings when the waiter threw a spanner in the works by coming up with some irresistible-sounding specials.

After much deliberation, I opted for polenta e gamberetti—sauteed shrimp and mixed peppers over grilled polenta with red pepper sauce. And my partner opted for funghi portobello alla griglia—grilled portobello mushroom and red onion, smoked mozzarella, and sweet pepper sauce. Both were beautifully presented and mouth-wateringly good.

For our main course, we both chose handmade pasta—I went for the spinach tortellini and my friend for one of the day's specials, linguine in a light lemon sauce. Even though he's normally a steak man, he was raving about it.

The cuisine could best be described as Italian with an elegant twist, thanks to the charming and equally elegant husband-and-wife owners, Alicia and Horatio Lavanchy, who hail from Argentina by way of Italian parentage.

For a small restaurant, there's a surprisingly extensive wine list with a very nice selection of Italian wines in particular. I counted seven varieties of pinot grigio and 11 chiantis. We opted for a pinot noir, with nine to pick from. There's also a good choice of port, sherry, and dessert wine.

We came out at around $90 for a superb two-course meal, including delicious homemade breads, with wine and coffee.

Divina Cucina is more upscale than your average Italian, but relaxed and friendly as a family run restaurant should be. My friend was so impressed he insisted on picking up the tab—needless to say, he can come back anytime!

It's super busy on Fridays and Saturdays so if you want a quiet romantic dinner, pick a week night. Divina Cucina is also open for lunch. Reservations are recommended for parties, especially on weekends. There is parking at the restaurant but very few spaces on a tricky corner, so best to park in a public lot or on the street and walk.

Divina Cucina
3730 N. Verdugo Road
Montrose, CA 91020
818.248.3077
www.divinacucinarestaurant.com

Entrée Price Range:
$12.95-$20.95
(Plus a selection of daily market price fish)

Hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.


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