Rustico (Westlake Village, CA)

I returned on March 11th, 17 years since I last had dinner at Rustico (after having moved out of state) and found its quality had not faltered, food-wise and service-wise. Still tops! Roberto, co-owner and GM, was in his usual professional warm demeanor. Master chef and co-owner Maurizio was not there but I experienced the superb imprint of his cooking nonetheless. Sharam, veteran waiter who’s been there for decades, was attentive as always, never short of recommendations. The warm octopus calamari arugula salad was a delightful starter; the linguine with clams was flawless, the branzino was perfectly grilled, served with a unique sauce, the tiramisu was a classic winner. Nice touches too: the negroni cocktail was served in an elegant martini glass; the Sancerre, though by no means Italian, was a lovely white wine by the glass option. One thing: the elegant somewhat dark ambience might benefit from a facelift: how about a sunny bright Puglian palette?

Hubby and I enjoy coming here! The service is prompt and has a nice atmosphere. The food is always delicious and well prepared. The cocktail menu has a great selection. Desserts are delicious… great selection! They have patio seating, and parking is available at no charge.

Came with a large group and the restaurant put tables together very quickly for us to sit on the terrace. We were impressed with the fresh pastas, salads and delicious sauces. The waiters were very organized and the service was excellent. Didn't stop for dessert and drinks but would definitely visit again.

Enjoyed this lively place. We went with a group, it was full, the service was good, the food was tasty and hot. I had ravioli, it was light, the tomato sauce was bright, calamari was light and crispy, everyone enjoyed their meal the most popular was the dessert something not on the menu, called jokingly 'I don 't know why the F it is ' if your ask for that, they 'll know.

Nice Italian restaurant. All the ambiance and furnishings of which a fine dining establishment is made. Food was delicious. Service was good, but somehow I didn't feel welcome. Hard to describe, but unmistakable; and it wasn't the company at our table. Could have been an off night for our server, or for me. Would like to go again to see, but this was vacation. It bears repeating that our food was very good.