All in the
FAMILY
Traditions live on at Mario’s Place
Written by Betts Griffone, Photos by Jennifer Cappuccio
THE 112-YEAR-OLD BUILDING that houses Mario’s Place brings to mind an old Tuscan villa, with its brown stucco exterior that has weathered years of sun, wind and rain.
Through the portico and the heavy carved door, however, you find yourself in a sophisticated dinner club — with crisp white table cloths and warm red and gold walls.The narrow bar is separated from the main dining room by a waist-high wall that also serves as bar seating. Used brick from the original walls backs the shelves behind the bar, which is crowded with wines, grappas and a plethora of liquors.
“Growing up in that crazy Hollywood neighborhood was wild and interesting, but probably not what I would do with my family today.” — Leone Palagi
It’s a cozy place to enjoy a glass of ... well, almost anything.
The true spirit of this inviting restaurant is the late Mario Palagi. His three sons — Leone, Andrea and Arrigo — share ownership and carry on the family devotion to food and hospitality that was started by their grandmother, Elda, in Pietresanta, Italy.
Oldest son Leone, who is the chef, says their father “was bigger than life.” When asked who his inspiration was and if he had always wanted to be a chef, Leone said,“My dad was my idol. I would have done anything he was doing.”
Working closely with their brother, Andrea greets guests as the maitre d’, and Arrigo runs the office and bar.
After the family emigrated from Italy in 1969, they lived in West Hollywood. In 1975, Mario found a building on Robertson between Santa Monica and Melrose and converted it into a restaurant — Mario Palagi’s Ristorante Italiano.
Their mother, Elenora, was an artist who had a studio in a warehouse near the famous Formosa Cafe — a hangout for Hollywood glitterati in the 1950s and ’60s.That’s where Leone and his brothers lived for eight years.
Living where they did and attending the exclusive Brentwood Academy presented an interesting dichotomy for Leone. His days were spent with the children of the rich and famous and after school he would ride three different buses to get to the warehouse where his mother cooked on a hot plate across the shop floor from the office where Leone and his brothers slept. As kids, they thought it was fun to ride their bikes, yelling and screaming, through the local massage parlors. It was a crazy neighborhood.
In 1981, Mario opened his first restaurant in Riverside in a little house on Magnolia. It was started on a shoestring and enjoyed success, but less than a year into it, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died in 1984, leaving 18-year-old Leone unsure about his future.While his mother took over management of the restaurant, he studied political science at UC Riverside and worked to help support the family. Then, in 1990, the family opened Mario’s Place on Spruce.
Leone had spent years at his father’s side learning about food and cooking. He never had formal training, but when it came to being a chef, life experience was his classroom. He believes, as his father did, that food should be comforting and that the restaurant represents a “continuity of spirit.”
In 2001, after success at that location, the restaurant was moved to its present location, on Mission Inn Avenue.
Mario’s Place has an eclectic menu that presents food from all over Italy. Many of the recipes have been inspired by Leone’s visits to small, family-owned ristorantes and trattorias in that country — food that appeals as much to the heart as it does the senses.
Two of chef Leone’s favorite foods, however, will probably never be served at Mario’s — sea urchin and tripe. He says they are delicious, but he always gets raised eyebrows whenever he mentions them.
As he finds new recipes, Leone introduces them as specials. If they are well received, he considers adding them to the menu.
Leone believes food should be presented simply. He uses fresh produce from the Los Angeles Grand Central Market and local farmers markets plus artisan meats. For years, he has been getting his tomatoes from an entomologist friend in Riverside.
In addition to the usual menu items, chef Leone also offers a tasting menu. Diners can try up to eight different courses — examples of the chef’s best offerings.
The restaurant serves 450 wines that explore all of Italy as well as boutique wines from California, Spain, France, Germany and Austria.The wine list received the Best Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator — a prestigious honor given to only 700 restaurants internationally.
Mario’s Place
3646 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside
Serving lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Thursday and Friday; dinner Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday; Live music 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; (951) 684-7755, www.mariosplace.com
sautéed maine scallops with caramelized fennel,asparagus and tarragon-grapefruit citronett
Serves 4
8 scallops (2 to 2
1⁄2 oz. each)
2 whole fennel bulbs
12 pieces star anise
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
16 asparagus spears (medium size with
tough bottoms cut off)
3 ruby red grapefruit (oranges can be substituted)
Orange zest (cut into julienne)
Canola oil
4 bunches of fresh tarragon
Directions
Blanch tarragon leaves in boiling water for a few seconds and remove to ice water bath. Remove tarragon, squeeze out the water and place in blender with extra virgin olive oil. Cover in refrigerator for 3 days to infuse. Strain to remove solids and discard, reserving infused oil.
Juice grapefruit, place juice in heavy sauce pan, simmer and reduce slowly, chill and reserve. (This can be done well in advance.)
Trim fennel bulb, discarding outer leaves and stalks, slice from top down 1⁄6-inch thick.
In large pan, heat oil with star anise and fennel seeds until they turn a little gold and release their oils (do not let them burn). Carefully distribute fennel slices in pan, allow to caramelize lightly on a medium flame.They should be moved regularly to allow even cooking on both sides. Cook until tender but not mushy. Allow to cool in oil mixture to further absorb flavor. (This can be done several hours ahead.)
Blanch asparagus in boiling water. Remove to ice water bath to stop cooking and retain color.
Cut orange zest into julienne and cook in light syrup until tender (syrup should be 3 cups of water and one cup sugar). Drain, discard syrup and reserve zest.
Remove caramelized fennel from oil, removing star anise, pat with paper towel to remove excess oil. Heat in pan until just warm and season with salt.
Sauté scallops in hot pan with canola oil until medium done. Pat dry and season with salt.
Arrange fennel in a mound at center of plate. Drizzle tarragon oil around it, then drizzle grapefruit “essence”over the oil. Place scallops on top of fennel. Garnish with a sprinkle of orange zest and arrange 4 asparagus tips on each plate.
sautéd copper river salmon with haricots vert,yellow tomato coulis and basil pesto
Serves 4
4 Copper River salmon filets (6 to 8 oz. each)
10 oz. haricots verts (ends trimmed)
2 lbs. yellow tomatoes
1⁄2 onion, quartered
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs basil
Kosher salt
White pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Simplified pesto
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1⁄2 tsp. garlic minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and white pepper
Heat sauce pan with olive oil, add onions and sweat (cook without browning), and when soft add tomatoes and herb bunch. Cook at medium flame for 20 minutes. Discard herbs, force through coarse strainer, and discard onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add basil, extra virgin olive oil and garlic to blender. Purée and season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Boil pot of water, cook haricots verts until just done. Refresh in ice water bath. Reserve until ready.
Heat non-stick pan with cooking oil and add salmon filets when pan is hot. Sear and turn over. Cook until just medium. Remove from pan, dry with paper towel and season.
Line plate with onion and tomato coulis, reheat haricots verts, divide evenly and place in center of each plate.Top with salmon filet. Add a teaspoon of pesto to the center of each filet and serve.
