Attraversiamo means ‘let’s cross over’ in Italian. It’s usually used when crossing the street or passing through.
This word was made famous by Elizabeth Gilbert in her book Eat Pray Love.
Attraversiamo in Brentwood, California always surprises me because I leave wondering why I don’t dine here more often.
Ron and I arrived at 5:00 p.m. on a week night with a reservation, and the place was already stacked outside with early-bird diners.
“Looks like there are a lot of people who like to dine early like us,” I said to the crowd.
“I’d be here at 4:00 if they were open,” said one nicely dressed diner, waiting with his lady friend. “Me, too,” I replied.
Everything about this restaurant feels curated. The menu, the drinks, even the music, which I find a crucial element to the whole experience when dining out.
When the restaurant opened, the tables nearly all filled with diners. I secretly worried for the kitchen staff to be inundated with so many orders all at one time. Obviously, they have it dialed.
I ordered a strawberry basil martini, a drink not on the menu and one I learned to love from another restaurant in Brentwood, Zephyr’s Bar & Grill. Antonio, our server, assured me the bartender was astute in his cocktail repertoire and that he was up to the task. Sure enough, the pink beauty tasted delicious! A valiant attempt; however, next time I’d order it heavy on the basil. No fault of this bartender. I’m new to the strawberry basil martini fandom, but to date, few meet my expectation. I seldom drink alcohol anymore and when I do, I really, really hope it’s special. This proved worthy, especially on a moment’s notice.
Then I ordered their featured cocktail, a Cherry Bomb, even though it contained ginger beer. I’m not a fan of beer, gingered or not, but this proved delicious and refreshing —and it wasn’t too sweet. Ron chose a craft beer. Forgive me for not knowing which one— I don’t drink beer and the names run together in my mind like those of race horses: their names don’t correspond to any tangible attribute. I do know that he was hoping for more choices, and of course on draft, but we’ve noticed this is a sign of our times and not a fault of this or any restaurant. The world is wonky right now and getting a variety of beer is not excluded.
You know how sometimes the server can make or break a dining experience?
Antonio set the mood with his positive demeanor and genuine, movie-star smile. He provided excellent service overall and even offered to exchange the ginger beer in the Cherry Bomb for a myriad of other sparkling options—an extra step I appreciated. I didn’t know one could change up the ingredients so easily with any good results. Ultimately, I decided to leave the drink-making concoction to the expert and ordered it as advertised. Delicious!
The menu offers eight entrées, five starters, two sides, and one dessert. Fewer options equals better choices in my overall experience. Ron and I love their cheeseburgers so they are a staple. And while the menu changes periodically, the cheeseburgers are a mainstay. That must prove something. I always opt for the truffle fries—crispy and delicate with fringy Parmesan curls. So tasty!
I appreciated the music vibe that grooved in a beat just right for diners: loud enough to feel like a night out on the town, but not so loud it rousts the beef in the back. The dining room is intimate, yet open enough with the large windows to feel bright and special, elegant and still down-to-earth.
Attra’s (as it’s lovingly referred to) dining hours are limited to Wednesday thru Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. I recommend reservations, which you can make on their site.
Cheers!
~I recommend clicking on a picture for a full-picture slide show and captions~
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