Dinner at V’s in Malibu is always a pleasure, as the food is excellent and the setting delightful. Just stroll in from the parking lot and you walk past the cozy bar and the extensive array of wines in the wall cabinets. Seating is available either in a booth or at a table. When seated you can look out the charming rear window to see the well-lit garden, which adds a delightful mood to the setting. Furthermore, the low background music means that you can converse easily with your fellow diners.
The menu is fascinating, with an octet of dishes “For the Table” to start with, followed by starters, pizzas, and a quintet of entrees (each of which sound intriguing). With our glass of wine, we were treated to a tasty starter of meatballs with an excellent marinara sauce and delightful wafer-thin and crispy grilled crostini bread.
A shared portion of V’s chopped salad gave a pleasing interlude before our next dishes. This salad of chopped salami, with chickpeas, pieces of artichoke, bits of mozzarella and tomatoes in a house creamy Italian dressing is delicious and perfect to share.
Next came one of the best wild-mushroom pastas I have ever enjoyed. This wild-mushroom tagliatelle (house made of long thin and wide egg noodles) with wild and roasted mushrooms, with a truffle sauce was scrumptious and delicious. My friend and I each took some home to enjoy the next day as we felt we could not eat too much with more to come, but we could not waste any of this beautiful dish.
Our entrée special was equally tasty. Delicately moist sand dabs topped with capers was superb with a touch of the accompanying fresh lemon. And with it came beautifully flavored mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. As I said, every dish here is uniquely flavored.
And for dessert we shared a luscious carrot cake with ice cream and sugared walnuts. With some freshly made coffee this made a perfect finish to our terrific dinner.
What makes V’s so fascinating is the variety of foods and interesting way they are put to- gether. For instance, the jumbo lump crab cake with lobster sauce ($19), or the warm Spanish octopus with cannellini beans and chimichurri sauce ($19), or sauteed fennel P.E.I. mussels with lobster broth ($16).
Pizzas may be gluten free, and gluten-free pastas are available. Pizzas are in the $17 to $19 price range. Entrées vary in price from chicken parmesan for $26, to pesto crusted lamb chops to a grilled filet mignon for $44. The wild-mushroom truffle tagliatelle is $30, while spaghetti Bolognese is only $23.
As one drives towards Malibu, there is parking at the restaurant, which is located on Pacific Coast Highway. A large V lets you know you are there. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday they stay open until 10 p.m. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, visit http://vsmalibu.com.
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