La Maschera

82 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena (626) 304-0004

 

The sophisticated traveler knows that the world is not as fragmented as we think or the lines on a map.  Cultures have a way of seeping into one another, recalling a time of Silk Roads and world bazaars where culture, knowledge, food was bartered freely and with passion.  La Maschera, the sensual wine bar and restaurant that is named after the mask worn annually at the famed Venice Carnival, fuses Italian with the Mediterranean in both food and decor, and attempts to recreate the charming aura of a world where friends took nurturing and nourishment from a meal that flowed well into the night.

 

“Over there, life is slower,” says co-owner Sean Jemai.  I would come home from school, work a bit, go to dinner around ten at night, then relax and drink with friends until four in the morning.  I wanted to bring that way of life to America.  The world has too much stress.  I wanted to make a place to take people away from that.”

 

Jemai and the charmingly caffeinated Chef and co-owner Adnen Marouani were born in Tunisia and educated in France.  Their passion for food and travel culminated in Amori Tratoria in Manhattan Beach and now, with the ingenious design talent of Patricia Guerra-Jemai, this Italian gem in Pasadena.  Once you find the inconspicuous restaurant through the heavy Indian wooden doors, you are instantly embraced by the ambiance.  Ornate antique mirrors line the coffee colored walls, intricate Moroccan lanterns hang from ceilings and walls, and dark ebony tables are purposefully devoid of tablecloths to allow for a more tactile meal.  In the wine room adjacent to the restaurant, a long, dark wooden bar sprawls out across the length of he room until it reaches a stunning custom-built wine rack.  Jazz dances in the air as silent black-and-white films pay tribute to classic sensibilities.    

 

You can choose from a full dinner menu or experiment with smaller plates from the infallible Enoteca Menu.  The Salsiccia de taccchino is smoky, sautéed turkey sausage dancing against the pickled taste of sundried tomatoes, accented with a light marsalla sauce and served with lettuce cups.  The succulent marinated tiger shrimp with avocado, melon and fresh herbs is served on crunchy bread wafers and fuses the cool tanginess of lime with the warmth of cumin in its sauce. Mini Tunisian lamb burgers or “Lamb Sliders” are made with succulent ground loin of lamb seasoned with Tunisian spices, and served with hothouse cucumber, roma tomatoes, sautéed red onions, asiago cheese and harissa on a rosemary ciabatta roll.  As passionate wine aficionados, Jemai and Marouani can boast of a wine list of more than 150 Italian and American wines including more than 30 that are offered by the glass.  Hand picked from regions including Montalcino, Tuscany, Venice, and California, there is something here to suit every palate and accent your meal.  The equally charming Anders serves as an involved and knowledgeable sommelier and of his stellar recommendations, the ‘04 Valckenberg Riesling was remarkable.

 

The city is full of masks, eateries hawking ambiance over quality food and what’s trendy over what truly endures so it’s ironic that a restaurant that names itself after the prop is actually one that does everything possible to remove it.  La Maschera is about more than the quality meal and seductive ambiance, both of which it conveys successfully; the restaurant is about coming home, to friends, to a world, to a feeling where a sumptuous meal is made that much more enjoyable with the sound of hearty laughter and meaningful conversation. 

 

--GD/ Victor Riobo