The Scene
Inside the modest Beverly Terrace Motor Hotel, this diminutive dining room bustles with attentive servers and casual diners. Low ceilings make the space seem even smaller, but bundles of dried flowers and terra-cotta floors turn the otherwise cramped quarters into a cozy nook. The romantic patio is always packed on mild summer nights.
The Food
Fresh, unpretentious dishes draw folks looking for home-style Italian cooking and reasonable prices. For starters, the no-frills tomato soup sprinkled with chopped basil leaves bursts with refreshing flavor. Thin-crusted pizzas are big enough to share, amply topped with prosciutto, chicken or smoked salmon. A zesty tomato sauce cloaks rigatoni tubes and slices of light chicken sausage, a pasta standout. The hearty fish soup entree is a spicy tomato broth chock-full of shrimp and white fish chunks. And save room for a sinful homemade tart-the raspberry and chocolate versions are simply divine.