La Parolaccia Osteria - Long Beach

I had very high expectations for this Long Beach Italian restaurant, based on reviews I've read and on the fact that the owners are from Rome, the city where I was born and raised. I mean, it's a good restaurant and the food is good, but if I compared it to any good restaurant in Rome, it would totally lose. We had suppli' (fried rice balls with a ragù sauce and mozzarella) as an antipasto, which is a staple of Roman street food, and that was the first disappointment. Like I said, I don't mean to say the food was bad, but it was on the bland side, when compared to what you can eat in any Roman "rosticceria" or restaurant. I can say the same about the Amatriciana pasta. The pasta itself was very good and well-cooked, but the sauce was nowhere near as savory as what you'd typically get in Rome. I suspect one of the reasons is that real guanciale and 100% pecorino cheese (what the original recipe calls for) make this dish a tad too pungent for people who aren't used to this flavor. The pizza was much better and pretty much on a par with an average pizza in Rome. But not with the best pizzerias in the city. Finally, the panna cotta dessert was OK, but nothing special. Consider that this isn't a cheap restaurant, and my reviews are always based on value for the money.

Well deserved 10/10 from me. Had my birthday dinner here, with total of 11 people in our party. Austin took care of our table and he was incredible, along with all the staff who were extremely attentive the entire night. My group really enjoyed the calamari and focaccia as appetizers. I enjoyed the pappardelle with the oxtail ragu. My party was very pleased with all the dishes they ordered. Our dinner ended with the staff singing happy birthday. A truly pleasant experience here.

La Parolaccia Osteria is an Italian gem! The decor transported me through time and space to the old world.The menu is loaded with Roman classics that have me dreaming about my next visit already. Tonight I had the special of the day, the Lamb Shank with Risotto, thanks to Marco's recommendation (our server). It was amazing! The lamb was tender and beautifully prepared. For the full Italian experience, I ordered a Negroni as well - an Italian cocktail original. So good! When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

My boyfriend, my best friend, and I absolutely love this place! The ambiance is quite intimate and the food is made with quality and love. For some reason, we always get Marco as our waiter and he’s always so skilled. On many occasions, we’ve overheard Italian people come in and talk with the staff in Italian and you can really tell that it’s a real local, authentic place. The pizza is thin and usually comes out quick, the sauce always has great consistency, enjoyable mouth feel. My personal favorite that I must always get is the paparadelle e burrata (with braised short rib and saffron cream sauce). The pasta is fresh and the texture tells you it was hand made; soft, but still held its structure. The cream sauce is subtle, but you can not get enough of it! A true culinary experience, beautiful food and beautiful people!