Cal-Ital

Since 1992, Terroni has been pleasing Torontonians with its trad Southern Italian fare (fresh pasta, thin-crust pizza), opening its largest location last December in the old Courthouse space on Adelaide. A month earlier, Terroni unveiled its first American outpost in West Hollywood, a partnership between the chain’s founder, Cosimo Mammoliti, resto-lounge impresario Shereen Arazm (who got her start washing dishes at the Queen West location and now runs L.A. hot spots Shag Hollywood and Parc) and food and wine specialist Max Stefanelli. But will a city that bends over backwards to please its celebrity citizenry embrace the eatery’s famously draconian food policies: no substitutions or modifications, no skim milk in your cappuccino (or anywhere else) and—brace yourself, La Lohan—absolutely no Diet Coke? The blogosphere is abuzz: “We admire the ‘our way or the highway’ rules,” Eater LA averred, “but for the love of sweet baby Jesus, either cut the pizza or supply a proper cutter.” Nonetheless, Angelenos have packed the place, and Mammoliti, pleased with the reception, has no intention of changing his formula: “We don’t want to be like other Italian restaurants, with caesar salad and fettuccine alfredo. We want things to be as authentic as possible—we’re doing it the way things should be done.” It looks like Terroni is serving up said authenticity with a healthy dose of genuine attitude.—Ava Robertson