Madeo, located on Melrose, LA, is a family run venture. We’d heard good things about this Italian celebrity hot spot, and were excited to sample it for ourselves.
Having heard big things regarding Madeo’s cult celebrity following, we were prepared to venture through a crowd of paparazzi upon arrival - something I expect is a common occurrence, so worth remembering when you choose to visit.
“This is not a pretentious, or lavish restaurant - this is a real taste of Italy in the heart of Los Angeles.”
Madeo has a special, truly authentic feel, and we were pleasantly surprised upon arrival to take in the wonderfully Italian atmosphere. This is not a pretentious, or lavish restaurant - this is a real taste of Italy in the heart of Los Angeles.
We opted to kick start out evening with a couple of cocktails from the cocktail menu, and opted to try the Cucumber Martini - which was beautifully refreshing - and the Mojito, which was expertly made.
We then proceeded to order a bottle of the 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva from Tuscany, Italy, and enjoyed sipping our glasses as we made our menu choices.
To start, we enjoyed the parma ham and melon served with eggplant parmigiana; and the diced maine lobster in a light tomato sauce with basil, and parmesan cheese. The dishes were beautiful in simplicity and flavour, and we were very impressed by the wonderful presentation.
For our main courses, we chose the filet mignon with sautéed porcini mushrooms, and the grilled and sliced New York steak with aromatic herbs. The meat was cooked beautifully, and the subtle flavours from the mushrooms and the herbs really accentuated the depth of flavour from the wonderfully tender steak. We thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful.
We would certainly recommend Madeo to anyone who likes their authentic Italian cuisine. Although a celebrity hang out, Madeo also retains it’s privacy, and the restaurant itself holds a lovely, relaxed atmosphere. We would definitely return.
The Bill: £78 per head
