Any fine young man seeking to rid Pepperdine of its terrible deficiency in dating or any enterprising young woman who desire to take said deficiency into her own hands should come to know and love C&O Trattoria in Marina del Rey (the C&O stands for Cheese and Olive). This fine restaurant offers excellent northern Italian cuisine at a wonderful price and in a perfect location for the romantic evening or active afternoon.
Upon arrival at C&O, one is instantly greeted with a never-ending supply of their world-famous (well, at least Los Angeles famous) garlic knots. Even on those early Friday nights when waits can be up to 30 minutes at C&O, garlic knots are dished out while waiting to be seated.
Once seated, you have a selection of more than 30 ready-made pasta dishes and the continued supply of knots. Nothing on the menu is ever set in stone. In fact, the options presented are only recommendations. Additions and subtractions, even your most outlandish pasta concoctions, can be made to order within minutes.
A personal favorite is the Penne al Fumo: penne pasta with smoked mozzarella, cream, roma tomatoes, sweet basil and smoked eggplant. Chicken, Italian sausage, or shrimp can be added to any pasta for a minimal charge.
If spicy cuisine is what you desire then the Spaghettini with Spicy Tomato Sauce is quite a treat. Drinks are plentiful with the house specialty being home-brewed Chianti with refills on the honor system. Another great option is the fresh lemonade.
The most one could spend per person on an overly large half-order and something to drink is approximately $12. Half-orders are about $7.95 and are highly recommended, as full-orders at approximately $10.95 are enough pasta for at least three people.
The only thing missing from this wonderfully Italian experience is the opportunity to finish with some Italian gelato.
Located at 31 Washington Blvd. in Marina del Rey, C&O is at some distance from Pepperdine. However, given acceptable traffic on Pacific Coast Highway, it’s approximately a half-hour drive.
Valet parking is available from the restaurant and there are various places to park relatively nearby. The restaurant is less than half a block from the pier and there are many skate and bike rental options in the area for a fun afternoon of skating or biking along the ocean.
February 14, 2002
