C & O No You Didn't


So, it's a Saturday night. C & O Trattoria in Marina Del Rey is packed. We have a reservation for 14. Ten of the 14 of our group are there. The other four are parking cars and locking up their bikes. After 10 minutes, we're told that our table has been released. There's no getting back on the list. Good luck waiting for a table for 14 on a Saturday night. The manager was an unreasonable a$$hole. (And we facetiously wondered why we hadn't been here recently.)


In a mad rush to try and salvage the evening, we inquired with neighboring establishments... ("Do you have room 14? ...The wait is how long?") Thankfully, our prayers were answered in the form of one of Washington Blvd.'s newest additions: Canali Cafe.


As the name (sort of) suggests, it's Italian. Because it opened a scant three weeks ago, the one-room restaurant was practically deserted. After we were seated promptly and our attentive waiter Paolo and his associates began breaking out the vino and family-style plate after plate, we collectively agreed how happy we were that C&O pulled their usual we-don't-need-more-customers-we're-always-packed-anyway antics. If they had been even a little bit cool, we may never have given Canali a shot.


First came the fresh mozzarella and basil, the lightly fried Calamari, then the carpaccio. By the time the pumpkin ravioli and chicken parmesan made the rounds; we were all toasting good friends, new experiences and chiming a unamimous "C & O who?"


Canali Cafe
123 Washginton Blvd.
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 822.5379