The beginning of our visit lived up to our visual expectations, and when first walking into the restaurant the aura and the atmosphere of the restaurant felt like a glimpse into Italy.
With the new location of North Italia opening in the Topanga mall last December. One out of 38 locations, Topanga can finally experience the hype around the Cheesecake Factory-owned business for themselves. North Italia makes classic Italian dishes from scratch. They also have plenty of vegan and gluten free options, assuring inclusive options for all clientele.
The warm lighting and tall windows felt like something out of a fairytale, and lining the walls were shelves with books, vases, and leafy plants with garden vines displaced throughout. At the back of the restaurant was a window looking into the kitchen where you could see all of the chefs preparing the handmade dishes, allowing the customers to see for themselves the craftsmanship that goes into making each dish.
We had the opportunity to speak with Scott Anderson, the manager of the restaurant, and he addressed their relationship with the Cheesecake factory.
“We’ve been able to have a really great partnership with Cheesecake [Factory] and they are big supporters in our mission,” shared Anderson.
It is clear that the people who work there love what they do, and it seems like a positive work environment.
“I’ve been with the company for about 5 years and I wouldn’t change a thing,” explained Anderson.
The customer service was exceptional, and our waitress frequently came in to check on us and brought us exactly what we requested in a timely manner. We ordered the Chicken Parmesan and the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka pasta, and they both tasted pretty good, although the sausage and beef in the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka pasta was wildly overcooked.
Price-wise, most items on the menu were around 25 dollars. However, the portions were quite small for what we were paying. Anderson disagreed, saying he thought the portion sizes were just right.
“I really like our chicken parm. It’s probably the best chicken I’ve had anywhere. It’s flavorful, and it’s a big portion,” Anderson said.
The greatest letdown in our experience was the shock of locating a piece of short blonde hair in the buttered rigatoni that came with the Chicken Parmesan. This discovery made the dish considerably less enjoyable and destroyed our appetites. Fortunately, our displeasure with this specific unhygienic encounter was met with understanding on the part of the waitress, who kindly took that item off of the bill.
We were glad we got to have this experience for ourselves, but both of us have decided to stick with what we know we can depend on, like Il Fernio or Rosti’s. North Italia has a gorgeous welcoming atmosphere and incredible customer service that transports the customers outside of the Topanga Mall, but unfortunately is over priced in comparison to the portion sizes and has kinks to work out in some of their classic Italian dishes.
