Soleto Trattoria (801 S Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90017; 213.622.3255) is turning a new leaf and it’s making a stir in DTLA. It still has the large outdoor patio in the heart of downtown, a pizza bar displaying their wood-fired oven, and a bar hopping with happy hour specials, but the restaurant’s new menu features dishes that eliminate the use of butter and use only very little oil. Insert record scratch sound effect here. Say wha? That’s right, Soleto is setting itself apart from every other trattoria by providing traditional Italian fare but without that ‘heavy, I feel like I just took 10 pounds of butter through an IV’ feeling, and people are noticing. One bite of the flavorful lemon-thymed Roasted Chicken and you’ll see why – taste won’t be sacrificed at all and there’s plenty of flavor to go around. The Roasted Mushroom Rigatoni and the Kansas City Strip Steak are also highlights, and of course you cannot forget about their delicious pies, especially their new Toasted Walnut Pie, with black pepper ricotta and garlic cream!
