First Impressions: Pazia and Moonlight Tango

Is there any similarity between Pazia at 755 N. La Cienega Blvd. in Los Angeles, (213) 657-9271, and Moonlight Tango at 13730 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, (818) 788-2000? Yes--they were both opened by experienced restaurateurs, and they both opened last week. In every other respect, it’s hard to think of two more different restaurants.

Pazia (emphasis on the z) may mean “craziness” but everything in this spare, elegant new restaurant seems very much under control. It was opened by Mauro Vincenti (of Rex Il Ristorante), and his hand is evident in every touch. The ceilings are high, the silverware is Ricci, and the food is unlike anything you’re likely to find elsewhere. Start with pappa al pomodoro, a seductive mush of tomatoes, bread and olive oil, and you’ll be tempted to simply order seconds. Try the green bean salad with poached egg and bottarga instead, or the sformato of ricotta and spinach. Try the excellent pasta. And then try the entrees. Are you ready for veal served with clams? How about pork with honey and chili pepper sauce? Too crazy for your taste? You can safely stick to filet of beef or striped bass with onion marmalade. And you may want to consider cafe in the cool little courtyard.

There’s nothing cool about Moonlight Tango, the latest offering of Ernie Criezis, who owns 14 restaurants, among them The Great Greek. This is an entirely different sort of madness. The waiters get up and sing, a chanteuse strolls through the room, and the guests are likely to line up and conga out the door. Both the decor and the menu are a sort of international melange, and both are a bit overdone.

If you like one restaurant, you probably won’t like the other. Still, I suspect that both will have lots of fans. Isn’t it nice to know that Los Angeles feeds all sorts of hungers?