Trattoria Farfalla Los Feliz

I was at the Griffith Observatory and found this restaurant nearby. The staff was super nice. I chose a table at the corner outside next to the traffics light. It was a funny weird. The penne with arrabiatta sauce was great. The penne was Al dente, which is perfect. The sauce was spicy enough to make my nose run, and 4 spoons of the cheese made it cheesy, fatty enough to enjoy. I added seared shrimps but actually no need. The penne and sauce itself made it just right. The restaurant free appetizer was good too, the garlic and paprika in oil. The old classic chocolate cake was really rich but not too sweet, the chocolate coating was mirror shiny. Generally I like this place, the vibe and the food

In my opinion, this is the best Italian restaurant of many in town. On a recent night I had the spaghetti amatriciana, which perfectly balances flavors, spice, and meat. My partner had the lasagna bolognese, filling and superb. Wine pairings were excellent. The service is old school and attentive, as if you're family. To top it off, prices are slightly lower than nearby trendier places, offering great value.

Perhaps we dined on an “off” night (26th of December) but I am genuinely confused as to why anyone would opt for this over Little Doms just up the street. The service was sub par at best, with wait staff constantly walking up and down the tables but never clearing dirty dishes until asked, not filling up waters until asked, and not coming to check on tables unless asked. It was like they were just trying to look busy but not be busy. I can understand from a personal angle, but as a customer paying more than $100, a bit frustrating. Then the food. We ordered a penne bolognese which tasted bland and not like bolognese at all. It was like… canned tomato sauce with celery and meat thrown in and heated for maybe 10 min. The pasta tasted like the discount penne I have sitting in my pantry and the peas absolutely tasted like frozen ones acquired in the Albertsons freezer. Cool atmosphere, just wish the service and food (you know, the things that make a place a Resturant and not just a place where people feast on disappointment ) was better.