With Eataly still in the works, Toscanova continues their reign as the Italian restaurant at  Westfield Century City (sorry, Obica). At lunchtime and during Happy Hour, their patio is completely packed with customers enjoying their pasta and pizza while dining al fresco.

Toscanova’s pasta are homemade which might explain why their pricing is on the high side. The basic penne pomodoro e basilico (penne in tomato sauce and basil) costs a whopping $17. At that price, you’d expect something a little more than the straight-forward dish that you receive.

The ravioli burro e salvia, priced at $19, had a spinach and ricotta filling. The ricotta was very dry, and the butter sage sauce nothing special, though the fried sage pieces were a nice touch, enlivening an otherwise plain dish.

On weekends, Toscanova serves brunch, with omelettes (which are somewhat more reasonably priced) and some additional salads. The smoked salmon was nicely done, a bed of mixed greens and goat cheese covering the fish.

The best time to visit Toscanova is for their happy hour on the patio (Sun-Thurs 4pm to closing and Fri-Sat 3pm-7pm), where the prices significantly drop (almost 50%) for slightly smaller portions of pizza, pasta and the like. Now that construction is nearing completion, dining on the patio has returned to being a pleasant experience (as opposed to when the din of drills and such filled the air).

It will be interesting to see how Toscanova fares once Eataly opens. For now, Toscanova can sit pretty, basking in the knowledge that customers will still come for their overpriced food.

Location –  Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles 90025. Additional location in Calabasas.
Website – http://www.toscanova.com
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – Yes. Gluten-free pasta is available for an additional $3.