Palermo Italian Restaurant, Los Angeles

Feta is the secret to one of the best pizza's in LA, hot or cold. Crust was just right, dough not too heavy and wine for .75! a glass. Booths were big enough when they opened 27 years ago but we are all bigger today. Mr. Fanara is from the old country and very friendly. Only ciriticism, no Genoa salami on the antipasto but anchovies were yours for the asking and the portions are huge.

Palermo really gets its cache by being a Hollywood hot spot. I was unimpressed with the food. (Who doesn't know that minestroni has pasta? Minestra (soup), roni (pasta). Their pizza was pedestrian. I went once several years ago and felt I had wasted an evening waiting for a table and had wasted my money on mediocre food.

I lived fairly close to Palermo's location for several years but it never came up in conversation when friends were looking for good pizza. Most of the 4 and 5 star reviews seem to stress the overall ambience, service, and menu choices and that's fine. Some day, I'll be happy to give it a try. However, when the selection comes down to actual pizza, I have to agree that Casa Bianca is about the best in the city. Yes, other than the pizza itself, Casa B. is somewhat overrated - the other menu items tend to be average at best, and the weekend waiting time is horrendous. What makes it special (I think), and why many will endure that wait, is primarily the tomato sauce they use on the pizza. Judging from my Northern New Jersey background, I can tell this is an authentic New York area pizza sauce recipe. Combined with an excellent crust, this is best I've had on the West Coast. Unless you are from the New York area, it is unlikely you have developed the proper taste buds for great Italian-American pizza, so anything well made will do.

the best is far reaching.... the pizza is good but wow i could not believe the pasta I had there ICK.... casa bianca is in eagle rock is a bit overrated too but it is better than palmero's.

Folks, clearly you know nothing of pizza choices in Los Angeles. For if you did, you'd spend every last cent in your take-out pizza budget at Mulberry's in Beverly Hills (2 locations). Their eggplant parm pizza will convert you for life.

The best around there is Damiano / Mr. Pizza on Fairfax acsoss from Canter's. Jacopo's is OK, Mulberry Street = attitude and hype. If you're more West Side, Villa Italian Culver City is amazingly consistent and cheap. If you venture to the South Bay. Buono's in Pedro is the King, Sorrento and Lamp Post are excellent as well.

Palermos is the place to go if you want delicious food and exceptional service at the best value.try the palermo pizza special! they have a great wine list too!