Innovative Dining Group and Gino Angelini Plan New Italian Resto

Angelini serving his famous lasagna at LAFW

By Lesley Balla

IDG, the group behind the Sushi Rokus and BOA Steakhouses, Delphine and now Soleto in Downtown LA, has big expansion plans, both within and outside the California border. In addition to B Grill by BOA Steakhouse, a more casual version of the popular restaurant, at LAX (add it to the list), the group now plans to open Boa in the United Arab Emirates. But what we're really waiting for? The new Italian restaurant IDG plans to open with Gino Angelini, he of Angelini Osteria, one of the most consistent and highest rated Italian restaurants in town.

The still unnamed restaurant takes over the former Hamburger Hamlet space in West Hollywood, and will evoke "the feeling of stepping into a rustic Tuscan farmhouse," thanks to design firm, Studio Collective. The food will be more high-end Italian (more high-end than, say, Soleto), with a diverse selection of artisan pizzas, handmade pastas, salads and the like. Modern and simple. Agelini first moved here to work at Rex and then opened Vincenti. He left to debut his modest Beverly Boulevard osteria in 2001. The new co-branded West Hollywood will debut sometime this winter.