Nestled between the French Riviera and the hilltops of Tuscany lives a land where sea and earth coexist in a luscious love affair. This Ligurian region I have visited but once - one thousand times more if fantasies count. The Cinque Terrre, or "five lands" of the cliff-strewn Italian Riviera comprise an enchanted retreat of villages, beach, and authentic Italian food good enough to draw a tear from even the most meticulous of palates.

But with too much ocean between us, I wondered, would I ever know such godly unification again?

The Cinque Terre Ristorante lead was passed onto me as all the best secrets are: through the good word of good friends who find great things in strip malls. Holed up in a nearly invisible nook on Santa Monica Boulevard lives this little sleeper.

Let us begin.

The Pappa al Pomodoro is an ode to robust simplicity. Tomato soup - a meal unto itself. True to Tuscan tradition, it is a mélange of hearty rusticity; peeled tomatoes, olive oil, chopped red and white onion, garlic, salt, fresh basil, and chunks of uncrusted bread you'll swear is gnocchi. Compliment it with the arugula and artichoke salad (it's a special - request it if you have to), topped with sheets of shaved Parmesan and dressed in tangy lemon, and there you have it. Tuscany for lunch.

But if you're there for dinner as I was, you have the pleasure of continuing. While the lobster ravioli is exceptional, do not miss the pumpkin ravioli. Pasta so thin, so delicate, you could pass an eye test through it, enclosing a melt in your mouth marriage of ricotta and pumpkin, with a weightless douse of butter and sage.

Providing he finishes the chocolate mousse in time (served cheesecake style, by far the best I've ever had), executive chef and owner Gianbattista Vinzoni will pull up a seat tableside and share tales of his Cinque Terre upbringing with an accent thicker than the Pappa al Pomodoro. With a brute exterior and a waterfall tattoo cascading down his arm, this ex-Navy Seal is everything you wish him to be. Right down to his angelic touch with homemade Tiramisu.

Alas, there is a drawback. While Vernazza rests at the base of the Italian Riviera, Cinque Terre Ristorante rests at the base of the 405. Do not let geographical pretense rob you of this delectable joyride. If I can get over its challenged location you can too. Like that little place you found in that tiny town with that pesto you'll never get over, let this be your under-the-radar pearl. If the pumpkin ravioli doesn't convince you to return, the chocolate mousse will insist upon it. Take my word, take Gianbattista's talent, and take what you don't finish home. I promise, whenever you return, like Italy, it will not be soon enough.

THE DETAILS: Cinque Terre Ristorante
11047 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
www.cinqueterrela.com
310.473.9292

Story by Jolie Loeb.

STILL HUNGRY? GET SAUCY WITH IVAN KANE'S CAFE WA S.