Drago Ends Good, Long Run

For the younger, third Musketeer of a trio of pioneering Italian chefs, it's finally time to move on.

As first reported Wednesday by the Los Angeles Times, after 21 years at 2628 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica, Celestino Drago will close the doors to his namesake restaurant, an acclaimed establishment that "solidified his place in the evolution of West coast Italian cuisine.” 

“Our lease is up and it is just not working economically to stay open,” said Drago. “We’ve had a good and very long run.”

The triumverate—Piero Selvaggio and Mauro Vincente followed by Drago—entered the California dining scene more than two decades ago, embracing, they said, the authentic regional foods of Italy with respect for fine ingredients.

Ingredients that are increasingly ever-present today, were strikingly absent from markets in the chefs' burgeoning years. "The ingredients, the produce—even fresh basil were not readily available,” said Drago.

Drago Restaurant helped changed the landscape of Italian food in California. “When I came to this country in the 70s, there really wasn’t Italian food that was like the food we eat in Italy," he said.

It has consistently been rated among the best Italian eateries in Los Angeles, and its success catalyzed the openings of Il Pastaio, Enoteca Drago, Drago Centro in downtown Los Angeles, Drago Catering and Dolce Forno bakery in Culver City.

“People were asleep here until authentic, creative, Italian cuisine was ushered into the mainstream by journalists like Ruth Riechl who began to tell our stories in magazines and newspapers,” said Selvaggio. “It became a very exciting and magical time in food when people started to discover our authentic Italian cuisine.”

Customers, who have included such notables as David Chase, creator of the HBO drama The Sopranos, and longtime employees, said Drago's closure will leave an irreplaceable void.

Santa Monica dentist Stephen Effron and his wife said they "just don’t know where we will go instead."

Manager Silvio Cicconi began a career at Drago, starting as a waiter, the day it opened. 

"It is my home of 21 years,” he said.

Although the restaurant is closing, many of the restaurant's popular dishes will make their way onto the menu of Drago Catering.

For the Effrons, those favorite dishes have included Spaghetti con Sarde all Siciliana—spaghetti with fresh sardines—and Risotto Nero—a shellfish in black ink risotto. Together they reminisced over other entrees and desserts.  

“It is like a good show that has done its time and it doesn’t have enough spectators. It’s just time to move on," Selvaggio said. "It’s still an excellent show [but] you can’t keep putting chestnuts in a fire that doesn’t exist.”

Starting Monday until the end of the month, Drago will feature the six Sicilian dishes he introduced at the bottom of the menu in 1991 that started the food and media buzz. 

These include a polenta sandwich with wild mushrooms, fontina cheese and  truffle fondue; sautéed duck liver with aged balsamic glace and grilled endive; baked ziti with meat and cheese sauce, wrapped with eggplant; black and white tagliolini with bay scallop sauce; spaghetti with bottarga; sausage-filled quail and saltimbocca sauce; and pan-roasted lamb loin with potato tart and grilled mushrooms agrodolce.   

Drago is at 2628 Wilshire Blvd. For more information, visit Patch's directory, or contact the restaurant at  (310) 828-1585 and celestinodrago.com.