Shirmp Fra Diavolo – $23
Mora Italiano
17499 Ventura Boulevard
Encino, CA 91316
Don’t let first impressions stop you from booking or staying or you will miss amazing food with employees who care! Mora Italiano restaurant is inspired by the bustling streets, fashion and societal liberation that was emerging in Italy during the 60’s and 70’s. And here we just stumbled upon it as an option for my girlfriend’s birthday, lucky us!
We are always looking at trying new places, we love great food and ambiance is a must. In saying that, our initial feelings around the restaurant were of concern. We had 6:00 reservations and pulled up to a very full parking lot with no room for us to park in it so we ended up parking on the streets. When we walked in, it was still light out, we didn’t get that quaint feeling but more of “wait what did we just do”? There were plenty of open tables when we arrived so we asked to sit at a 4 top, we were denied that option and ended up sitting at our table for two. I will start this review that we were not very happy and maybe not even kind to the waiters as a matter of fact my girlfriend suggested we go across the street to an Italian chain vs stay. We did stay and let me say we do not regret it!
While I don’t have a photo of the menu, I will say that the menu is simple and may be a little limited but it does have something for everyone. We started off by ordering a glass of wine each. They charge $12 for a bread basket so when they came around and offered a fresh, homemade, rosemary bread, well we jumped on it. The bread was perfect and we enjoyed it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Complimentary Rosemary Bread
We did order a glass of wine each and my friend ordered the Margherita pizza, amazing and large enough to take some home.
Margherita Pizza $17.00
I ordered the Shrimp Fra Diavolo, which was the perfect balance of spicy and creamy. The shrimp were poached which complimented the consistency of the sauce. If you like spicy, this is your dish!
Shrimp Fra Diavolo – $23
We also had a piece of the “to die for” gluten-free chocolate cake..it’s dense with so much flavor!
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake $7.00
Our bill for Mora Italiano in Encino came out to a total of $74.46 plus tip. What a perfect night and I will say that Eugene helped to make the night even better as he took so much pride in the restaurant and the food.
$74.46 for our dinner, including drinks
FINAL THOUGHTS: If you are wanting good, Italian food then this is the place for you! They have a decent wine list and the waitstaff is very knowledgeable of the food and will guide you in what works best for you.
For a Date: Don’t let the casual environment fool you, you and your date will love this place as it’s simple and private.
Did you visit this restaurant? Please let me know how what you thought of the restaurant! Leave a comment below and share a picture or tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #yourbestbite!