REVIEW: PALAZZO RESTUARANT (3-28-08)

I have to say, I was pretty psyched for Italian night. But when one of my fellow Diner's Club toasters told me we were going to an Italian Restuarnt in Reseda, I was a little disappointed. When I learned it was right across the street from our High School and I'd STILL never heard of it, I was downright pissed. The Anthony Ling Fine Diner's Club was created as a way to expand beyond the local eateries we normally go to, to explore the best Los Angeles had to offer, and and at any cost, which is why we only do it once a month. Wasting an outing on a place I could go to on the drive home from work was just very unattractive.

Which is why when we parked and we were stepping on roaches on the way to Palazzo's front door I'd pretty much given up. But when we stepped inside, I was surprised to find a very intimate place with only about 12 tables. The classic Italian opera music playing in the background was a nice touch as well.

Upon being seated, the service was great. Our waiter was polite and everything was prompt. I was happy to find the Veal Marsala I'd been wanting throughout the week on the menu, and at a reasonable price of $14.95. Along with a $5 glass of the house Merlot, we ordered Bruschetta (in Sicily was call it Broos-Ke-Tah) as our appetizer. The free house garlic bread was icing on the cake. At this point, Palazzo's had really grown on me and I was ready for a top notch meal. Sure it might have been located in the roach infested alleys behind a corner Taco shop, but the essence of Italy was alive and well in Reseda! What came next is still as unexplainable as anything on Twin Peaks...

The $5 merlot wasn't anything to call home about. A couple steps away from cherry flavored NyQuil.

"This isn't the kind of place where you order wine," Joseph tells me in Palazzo's defense. Fair enough.

Our food arrived, and for the life of me, they had to have mixed up our orders. Although ordering two completely different dishes, my meal looked exactly like my cohorts, only his had noodles. My veal looked like small slices of turkey with gravy on top, and my vegetables looked and tasted as if they came straight out of the frozen section aisle at Vons. Even my carrots were criss cut. The small side of mashed potatoes were dry, and combined with the turkey and gravy Veal, my meal tasted exactly like a Banquet TV dinner. I've had enough of them to know, trust me. I honestly couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"This isn't the kind of place where you order Veal Marsala," Joseph tells me in defense of Palazzo's.

Well then. In regards to Palazzo's getting a great review from me, and a worthy addition to the Diner's Club...

...this isn't the kind of place.

1 Luigi out of 5.













NOTE: You might be wondering why I didn't just instate the JINTAPRACHA rule right off the bat, at the first site of roaches outside the door. I'm wondering the same.