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Anthony Bourdain may have made his name traveling the world and sampling just about every kind of cuisine there is, but even for him, there was no denying a great steak. Bourdain’s taste in steaks was not complicated or unusual, generally preferring rich cuts from the rib area of the cow, like the ever-popular ribeye. But being the celebrity chef that he was, he had access to some of the best steakhouses in the country. One of Bourdain’s favorite places to eat in the U.S. was the high-end Italian Steakhouse Chi Spacca in Los Angeles.
Bourdain had high praise for the restaurant after eating there for the first time, saying, “That was amazing. I really, really, really appreciated it and enjoyed it.” Located on Melrose Avenue near Hollywood, Chi Spacca is the brainchild of another big-name celebrity chef, Nancy Silverton. Best known as the founder of La Brea Bakery, Silverton also owns several other restaurants on the same block, including the popular Pizzeria Mozza and her Michelin-starred Italian restaurant Osteria Mozza.
Chi Spacca actually grew out of Mozza’s cooking school. Before the steakhouse opened, another collaborator of Silverton, Chef Chad Colby, hosted Thursday night pop-up “Salumi Nights” dinners. The popularity of those events inspired Silverton and Colby to open the meat-focused Chi Spacca in that space — and that Italian inspiration still lives on in the restaurant’s menu today.
Anthony Bourdain had high praise for Nancy Silverton’s LA steakhouse Chi Spacca
Maybe the most unique aspect of Chi Spacca isn’t the steak, but how its origins in serving Italian salumi influenced what it became. Founded with a “nose to tail” philosophy, Chi Spacca is dedicated to using every part of the animal. To that end, the chefs created Los Angeles’ first certified salumi program.
While the main courses still lean toward big steaks and chops, the salumi plate remains a major draw, featuring capicola, pate, and veal tongue, among others. Originally a baker by profession, Nancy Silverton also dedicated tons of time to developing a special focaccia recipe for Chi Spacca, and the cheesy focaccia di recco is now one of the menu’s highlights.
Bourdain himself explored every corner of Chi Spacca’s menu. He ordered the salumi, of course, but as part of a big shared meal, he also had a massive cut of the famous Italian bistecca alla Fiorentina, which at Chi Spacca runs 50 ounces. There were also zucchini blossoms, grilled octopus, and warm figs, some of which are still on the menu today. And after all that, we still haven’t touched on perhaps the most distinctive thing on the menu: A savory beef and bone marrow pie with pearl onions and mushrooms. It’s certainly not an everyday or affordable meal, but when Bourdain raves about a spread like this, you know it’s at least worth the price.
Dining and Cooking