A Taste of Italy: Dining at Felix Trattoria in Venice, CA

What drives someone to spend eight years in Italy to master the art and science of traditional pasta making? This question lingered in our minds when we first heard about Chef Evan Funke. Since then, we've been eagerly anticipating the chance to sample his culinary creations.

In 2017, Funke launched Felix in Venice, CA. Given its proximity to our home, it became a must-visit spot for us. After months of patient efforts, a reservation was finally secured for a Sunday evening last month.

Dressed up for the occasion and buzzing with excitement, we were not disappointed. The service was impeccable, with attentive staff ensuring a delightful dining experience.

We started with a couple of drinks: a Negroni and a nice wine.

Our appetizer was a dream.I can't stop thinking about the focaccia bread we had. It was a cloud of perfection, with lots of air bubbles that made it cut beautifully and taste heavenly. This bread, known as Sfincione (focaccia Siciliana, rosemary, sea salt, and olive oil), was simply unforgettable.

The pizza was quite good too. The crust was lovely, and the pizza melted in the mouth. We had a Margherita pizza with fior di latte (fresh cow's milk mozzarella), basil, Pomodoro, and olive oil.

However, the highlight of the evening was the two vegetarian pasta dishes we ordered.

One was Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe, a pasta with black pepper and pecorino Romano from Central Italy. The other was Trofie, a pasta variety from Northern Italy, served with an outstanding pesto.

At Felix, "al dente" takes on a whole new meaning. Both pasta dishes had a slightly chewy texture, and both were fantastic.

I absolutely loved this experience and hope to return to celebrate a birthday or an anniversary. Felix is definitely still on my mind.