Week in Reviews: Little Dom's Does Little, FOOD, Tomato Pie and MORE

Alen Lin, 1/31/08

S. Irene Virbila likes just about everything about Little Dom's in Los Feliz---the decor, the vibe, the capable, confident service, the eclectic crowd---she's just not that into the food. But Warner Ebbink and chef Brandon Boudet's Dominick's off-shoot is "barely 3 months old," so she's hopeful:

Little Dom's comes on strong with its look and old-school Italian vibe. And with its moderate prices, this Los Feliz newcomer is poised to become a lively neighborhood hang. But the food at this Dominick's spinoff isn't quite there yet. Dominick's shows it's possible to turn out lusty Italian American fare at this price point. The kitchen here may just need some time to pull it all together. Meanwhile, there's the rice balls, the grilled artichoke and that wood-grilled burger. And for plenty of hipsters, that's quite enough.

We thought restaurants didn't get reviewed until after three months, so, sure, Little Dom's probably needs more time. But the constant crowds really don't seem to mind. One star for Little Dom's. Today the "S." stands for "too soon." [LAT]

ELSEWHERE: FOOD, bad name, good food; Linda Burum finds a Salvadoran standout at the newish Jaraguá; Eating L.A. finds Silver Lake's new Tomato Pie "very satisfying" and Pure Luck a "groovy vegan café"; tasting the $46 market menu at Hatfield's; when Roy Yamaguchi's in the house, the kitchen behaves at Roy's; and marathoning through Vegas, Lotus of Siam is no Jitlada.