Rossoblu, the new restaurant from Sotto's Steve Samson (and one of our most anticipated restaurant openings of 2017) is slated to open to the public on May 17. At Sotto, Samson has always aimed for regional specificity in terms of the food of Italy, and Rossoblu is no different. The menu will focus on Bologna and its region of Emilia-Romagna.

Samson's mother and grandmother were born in Bologna, and the chef spent his summers there as a child. According to press materials:

All of Rossoblu’s pasta will be freshly made “al matterello” – by hand and with a traditional, large rolling pin in the underground, glassed-in pasta room. The kitchen will also pay homage to Samson’s grandfather with a large wood-burning hearth powered by oak coals and outfitted with a spit for roasting. Fresh sausages and aged salumi will mostly be produced in-house. The downstairs Butcher Box, housing the butchering and preparation of the meats will be on display for guests in the private dining room via a connecting glass window.

The wine list, curated by Jeremy Parzen and Christine Veys, is described as “pan-Italian,” meaning there will be lots of Italian wines but also some wines from California. The space, which was once the oldest wholesale produce market in Los Angeles, has been designed by Marwan Al Sayed and Mies Al Sayed, and takes advantage of the building's dramatic industrial features.

The restaurant is part of the city's great Italian restaurant boom of 2017, joining The Ponte, Felix, and the forthcoming Cosa Buona. Even amongst the glut of pasta we're seeing right now, Samson's stellar track record makes this restaurant something to get excited about.

Rossoblu will be open from 6-10 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, 6-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and closed on Mondays. Reservations are already available via OpenTable.

Rossoblu, 1124 San Julian Street, downtown. (213) 749-1099. rossoblula.com

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