Inside Bestia

The pizza alla ‘nduja, with house-made spicy ‘nduja, San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and wild arugula. The pizzas are fired in a wood-burning oven.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Fusilli Lunghi al Sugo di Capra pasta dish.   (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

The salumi plate offers a chef’s selection of house-cured meats, served with pickles, mostarda and grilled bread.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Mascarpone rice pudding with Hachiya persimmons, orange blossom pistachios and persimmon caramel.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Grilled whole orata with rapini ripassati.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

The interior of Bestia is stripped down with exposed ceilings and rough brick.   (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

The agnolotti alla Vaccinara is cacao-flavored pasta parcels with braised ox tail, burro fuso, grana padano, pine nuts and currants.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

The cassoeula is a Milanese dish with braised pork and veal ribs, house-made pork sausage, winter greens and cabbage.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Diners Jim Song and Jacqueline Chiu go over menu items with one of the waiters at Bestia.   (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Husband-and-wife team Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis are chef and pastry chef, respectively, at Bestia.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

The Valrhona fair trade bittersweet chocolate budino tart is made with salted caramel, a cacao crust, olive oil and sea salt.  (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)