Sal Marino
By Leslee Komaiko
For dineLA.com
Sal Marino comes from restaurant royalty. His dad Ciro Marino, better known as Mario Marino (more on that below), who passed away in March, operated some of the most beloved Italian restaurants in Los Angeles, including Marino on Melrose. The younger Marino owns La Bottega in West LA and on Larchmont with his big brother. (Beverly Hills will get its very own La Bottega any day now.) It is Il Grano, however, for which he is best known. The low profile restaurant just west of the 405 on Santa Monica Boulevard serves some of the best Italian food in town. And Sal is the consummate host.
Does anyone call you Salvatore?
My mom when I was in trouble.
You grew up in Los Angeles right?
I was born in LA and lived in LA until the age of seven or eight. Then we moved to Naples.
Why?
My father was in the restaurant business. He opened his first place in the late 50s in LA in what is now Sunset Plaza. Let me back track. My dad’s first job here in LA was at the original Chianti on Melrose. From there he took a job at Villa Capri. In the 1950s Villa Capri was the hangout. James Dean, Howard Hughes… all those people used to go there. The original staff of Villa Capri was Dan Tana, Matty Jordan of Matteo’s, Jimmy Ullo from La Dolce Vita, Jean Leon from La Scala, Tony Riccio and my father Ciro. No one could pronounce it so he changed it to Mario. The bartender was Carmine of the famous Carmine’s.
What did your dad do?
He was a waiter, then a captain. Then he bought a little place in Sunset Plaza. With his former colleague Tony Riccio he opened Martoni. In the 60s it was the really hot spot: three deep with Beatles and everyone. “I Got You Babe” was written the night [Sonny Bono and Cher] got thrown out of Martoni, because he was always drunk.
He also owned Marquis on Sunset. Dad was an old style Neapolitan, a traditional guy. With sex, drugs and rock and roll, he was like, my kids should grow up in Italy. He sold Martoni to his brother and Marquis to Alice Cooper’s manager.
Do you remember being moved to Italy?
It was kind of cool. But after living 25 years in the U.S., dad didn’t like living in Naples anymore with all the restrictions and crazy things like bribes. He said screw it. So in 1980, he decided to come back to the U.S. Mario was almost 17. I was almost 16. My sister was almost nine. That was tough. We had our first moped, our first girlfriend. In 1983 dad opened Marino on Melrose. I grew up working in the restaurant.
Did you enjoy that?
In high school it was the coolest because it was a really popular place. I was making a ton of money and I was flush with cash.
What were you doing?
We started as water boys, then busboys, then waiters, then maitre d’s. The maitre d’ job I got in college. Mario and I could work the six nights a few nights each. I graduated from business school. I wanted to do international finance. I realized that was not as creative as cooking and the world of wine and food. By 18 I was already sneaking into wine tastings. I got the bug.
So it sounds like you were planning on going in a different direction altogether.
I didn’t want to be in the business because I grew up with my dad in the restaurant business and I never saw my dad. But when I graduated, I realized I did not want to give my youth to a bank working 50 weeks a year. By then I loved the restaurant business. I moved to Italy for a couple years, did internships.
Why did you feel the need to go elsewhere?
I spoke Italian. I was barely happy with what Marino was doing. Where was I going to go? I would go to Italy every year once or twice a year. What was being served in Italy was not what was being served in America and I wanted to cook Italian. I was a young college graduate who wanted to change the world.
Where was I going to go? To someone in New York? That would make me gag: big bowls of overcooked pasta with sauce. Going back 20 years, what was the traditional Italian meal? Caesar salad? That’s from Mexico. No one had mozzarella marinara in Italy. Who puts green peppers and capers on veal? That wasn’t Italian food.
When I opened in 1997 and I did crudo, I got martyred. People said I was a fusion restaurant, I was a Japanese influenced restaurant. Then when Mario Batali opened Esca in 2000 [and served crudo], everyone rushed to kiss his ass. Not that I’m saying I’m better. But why are LA writers kissing NY chefs? It was a lost cause.
How has the economy effected operations?
Thank god I’m the chef owner.
Why do you say that? Because you don’t have to pay an expensive chef?
Yes. Also wine was my first and real love. I met my wife at Vin Italy. So I don’t have to pay an $80,000 sommelier. And I’ve been doing this all my life so I know how to not piss away money.
Have you lowered prices?
Here’s my little secret. I tell people, “You don’t have to come in and spend $85 on a tasting menu. Please come in and just have a plate of pasta.” That’s my reaction to it. And I’ve launched “Rustic Tuesdays.” It’s been really popular.
What’s Rustic Tuesdays?
It’s small dishes at a lower price. We started it earlier this year in response to economic times. The first one we did was from Naples.
Is there always a theme?
Yes.
And of course tomato Wednesdays is coming up fast, right?
We do all small plates, all tomatoes, starting from a cocktail made with tomato to pastas, sauces for fish and meat, sorbets, gelatos.
And a lot of the tomatoes are from your garden yes?
Yes, yes, yes.
It seems like Angelenos have a particular affinity for Italian food. Why do you figure this is?
It was the first major ethnic food without a doubt: ethnic affordable with a big variety.
Do you listen to music when you cook?
No. I love music. But when I work it’s gotta be silence and not a lot of talking.
How come?
You have to concentrate. Cooking in the kitchen has to be quiet. It’s imperative that one person gives out the orders and everybody listens. At home I blast the music.
Do you cook at home?
Sometimes. I work so much.
Where do you like to eat out?
It’s not a find. But I think that Quinn and Karen Hatfield are doing a great job. Of course you’re going to have a great meal at Sona, Spago or Melisse. But they’re a given. And Sal likes ethnic food. I’m down at the sushi market every morning. I know what everybody buys. Mori sushi on Pico is just the best. The guy is devoted. He grows his own rice. He mills it every night for the next day. All the pottery he makes himself. One casual place if I’m ever just leaving the restaurant and it’s late is Father’s Office. In the new [Culver City] kitchen they’re doing things that are better than most restaurants. Their salad frisee lardon is as good as anywhere you can find in France. They do this bone marrow-like custard. It’s not just a burger and beer place. By MacArthur Park, right there by the lake on Eighth Street, there are three or four places for tamales.
You’re a dad now right?
Yes. We have a little girl who is almost three.
Is she into food?
Big time. She’s in preschool. She’s always the last girl eating.
And probably not Kraft macaroni and cheese.
I don’t think she’s ever had that.
BOOK IT
to LA >>
