Chef-owner Mark Peel has mastered the mix of robust Mediterranean flavors with homey Americana. The 1926 building (which once housed the offices of Charlie Chaplin) exudes a lovely Renaissance charm and Campanile is one of L.A.'s most acclaimed and beloved restaurants. Appetizers may include butternut squash risotto topped with white truffles, while pan-seared black cod with white bean-eggplant puree and prime rib with tapenade are likely to appear as entrées. Thursday night, grilled cheese sandwiches are a huge draw, as the beloved five-and-dime classic is morphed into exotic creations. For an ultimate L.A. experience, come for weekend brunch on the enclosed patio.
Reviewed by MartinPKiel from Miami on 4/1/07
Our brunch experience this past Sunday was horrendous. We were seated next to the area where the servers pick up their orders from the kitchen, which wasn't the main issue. The server we had was completely disinterested from the beginning. He paid little attention to our table and although there were only two of us, I received the wrong entree despite confirming I'd ordered something different. I realize there was a large party at the restaurant from Loyola but that did not mean that we should have been treated as a burden. The worst part was that we could clearly see our server the entire time. He almost never made eye contact with our table with further infuriated me. I will never return this restaurant despite the fact that the food was actually very good. Save your money and your time...don't go here.
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