Owners Fabrizio Amati (La Finestra) and Salvatore Careddea (Il Balcone) have a gold mine here at the former home of La Finestra on Ventura Boulevard. We were looking for a quick
bite to eat Friday night before going to watch our son-in-law-to-be's band perform, and this was the perfect choice. Squeeze in like sardines to tiny parking spots in the back if you can find them, and get ready to enjoy some authentic Italian
cuisine. Both owners, born in Italy, have been in the food biz for over 30 years, and you can tell. Start off with the Carpacio di Manzo, raw beef tenderloin, arugula, and parmigiano. This antipasti was both beautifully served and delicious.
Linguine alle Vongole included tons of fresh clams, olive oil, garlic, and clam sauce. Even though it wasn't my dinner, I loved it. I had the Lasagne Bolognese. A hearty serving of lasagne stuffed with meat sauce and cheese satisfied my appetite.
Ask for the tomato sauce on the side! Have your server recommend an Italian wine for you. I didn't post prices because nothing here is very expensive. Dinner will run you under $20 a person without wine. Ancora Cucina Italiana 19647 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana,
(818) 881-8411. Mon-Thu, Sun 5pm-9pm, Tue-Fri 11:30am-2pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-9:30 pm
Recommended Dishes: Linguini and Clams, Lasagne, Carpacio, Italian
wines by the glass.