"This town is like a little island," says La Parolaccia Osteria Italiana General Manager Mario Guterrez about the East San Gabriel Valley city of Claremont.
And Guterrez seems to know each islander by name, extending handshakes and warm greetings to each table as though he's hosting a family reunion. The walls of the dining room are filled with Italian memorabilia, while brick and dark woods resonate throughout.

La Parolaccia is as traditional and authentic an Italian restaurant as you'll find anywhere in Los Angeles (in fact, there's a Long Beach location, as well). The menu is filled with the classics we've come to love over the years.

The name translates as "the bad language." Why they named the restaurant that, I have no idea. But I did find myself uttering some salty talk after the first bite of cannelloni, to the effect of "@#%*, that's some good @#%*ing cannelloni."

Why you should go:

At the risk of stereotyping, Italians, perhaps more than any other nationality, provide an unparalleled level of hospitality when it comes to food. My own family is less familial than some Italian restaurants where I've dined. Not to belabor the point, but I could show up on the front door step on Christmas morning.

What to order:

It's hard to go wrong with anything on the menu, but if push came to shove, I'd have you order the Carpaccio Ponte Milvio: paper-thin raw beef tenderloin topped with shaved asiago and parmesan, capers, arugula, extra virgin olive oil (or EVOO – as I saw somewhere recently) and lemon.

Then again, you'd probably regret not having the Carcio Fritti: fried artichoke hearts with grilled tomatoes, topped with goat cheese and shaved parmesan.

"This town is like a little island," says La Parolaccia Osteria Italiana General Manager Mario Guterrez about the East San Gabriel Valley city of Claremont.
And Guterrez seems to know each islander by name, extending handshakes and warm greetings to each table as though he's hosting a family reunion. The walls of the dining room are filled with Italian memorabilia, while brick and dark woods resonate throughout.

La Parolaccia is as traditional and authentic an Italian restaurant as you'll find anywhere in Los Angeles (in fact, there's a Long Beach location, as well). The menu is filled with the classics we've come to love over the years.
The name translates as "the bad language." Why they named the restaurant that, I have no idea. But I did find myself uttering some salty talk after the first bite of cannelloni, to the effect of "@#%*, that's some good @#%*ing cannelloni."

Why you should go:

At the risk of stereotyping, Italians, perhaps more than any other nationality, provide an unparalleled level of hospitality when it comes to food. My own family is less familial than some Italian restaurants where I've dined. Not to belabor the point, but I could show up on the front door step on Christmas morning.

What to order:

It's hard to go wrong with anything on the menu, but if push came to shove, I'd have you order the Carpaccio Ponte Milvio: paper-thin raw beef tenderloin topped with shaved asiago and parmesan, capers, arugula, extra virgin olive oil (or EVOO – as I saw somewhere recently) and lemon.
Then again, you'd probably regret not having the Carcio Fritti: fried artichoke hearts with grilled tomatoes, topped with goat cheese and shaved parmesan.
The pasta is a house specialty, and shouldn't be missed. But the best dishes are those from the wood-burning oven. The Cannelloni Cristina, for example, is hard to write about without simultaneously fantasizing about it. The rolled pasta is filled with roasted chicken, mozzarella and parmesan, and blended veggies in a béchamel sauce.
Then there's the Totti – half pizza, half calzone, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, salami, sausage, mushrooms and a little arugula to top it off.
Most decadent of all are the desserts. Words fail in describing a light-as-air limoncello concoction with raspberry sauce that has to be tasted to be believed.

For drinkers:

Beer and wine are available, and there's a bar to enjoy both. The wine list is brief, but includes some affordable nuggets from both California and Italy.

What people are saying:

From Zagat, "The pizza is outstanding and all the dishes, so far, have ranged from good to outstanding."

And Gayot gives it a 13 of 20 rating, saying, "A solid Italian osteria offering carpaccio with Gorgonzola cream and wood-fired pizzas."

The Yelpers are really high on the restaurant, showering it with plenty of four- and five-star reviews. Those who are down on the joint cite slow service as one of the pet peeves, and one person even compared the food to The Olive Garden(!).

What I think:

La Parolaccia is a home away from home. It's about 40 miles from my own neighborhood (read two and a half hours at dinner time), already rich in cozy Italian eateries, but when Mario slaps a hand on my shoulder and hollers out "Benvenuto", it feels like I'm just around the corner.

by Scott Bridges - has covered the Los Angeles scene for over ten years as a journalist and food critic. Follow him on the Huffington Post