Imagine, if you will, a space that has all the right ingredients: a custom-built cheese bar, world-class wine cellar, a charcuterie fridge twice the size of most closets. Your imagination transports you to far-flung haunts in Europe and South America, surely, but reality only requires you to make a small trip north on the 154. Los Olivos’ Nella, sister restaurant to the local and lauded SY Kitchen, is nestled inside of the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn on Grand Avenue, arguably the social hub of laid-back Los Olivos life. An overnight stay in the charming town is absolutely justified by the sole purpose of dining at Nella (and gives you an excuse to wine taste the day away), as the SY Kitchen encore is seamlessly doing it all and making their own name with a simple yet diverse globally-sourced menu.
Baby Artichoke Pinsa
The current star of Nella’s selection is their take on the Roman “Pinsa,” the traditional Italian iteration of pizza. Chef Luca masterfully crafts the delicate dough into a crispy crust that holds such local and worldly jewels as artichoke hearts, black truffle, and—my personal favorite—the Scarpetta, which substitutes traditional tomato sauce for an impossibly rich and fresh five-hour bolognese. Small plates (think venison meatballs and romini lettuces with buttery-tart caesar dressing) and main course triumphs (the likes of Muscovy duck and Wagyu short ribs) typically bookend the crescendo of the pinsa, all to be washed down by the extensive and expertly curated wine list.
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