So, it was the day after Thanksgiving, and the last thing anyone wanted to do was eat more turkey and stuffing!  Since the family was still together, we all headed out to Il Garage for some wonderful pasta!

It is definitely a hidden gem in the middle of Stanton, California located just behind Park Ave Restaurant from the same chef.  Check out the lovely little courtyard behind Park Ave which separates the two restaurants.

For our anniversary last year, we went to Park Ave, which is a great restaurant and the star of the show.  I love that vintage flair to their sign!

Okay, now to get to Il Garage, you walk through the courtyard and you are greeted by a completely different sign…  Yes, they’re sibling restaurants but completely different!

The entrance leads you out into their organic garden, which has many fresh herbs and vegetables that are used in the restaurant dishes!

To the left is a literal garage!  It is lit by cozy candlelight, so I chose not to both the other diners too much with my photos.  🙂  Also, it is completely open to the outside, so there are heaters everywhere to keep everyone warm and toasty!  Also, can you see the piece of farm equipment just under the menu?  It definitely lends itself to the al fresco, farm-to-table ambiance.

By the way, you might notice the garage door spring mechanism on the right of the picture.  I was seated just where the garage door opens to the garden.

In fact, this was the view just over my shoulder!

Now, to the menu!  There were quite a few of us, so we decided to share a few antipasti.  They were all so wonderful!

First, this wonderful bread was amazing.  I am not always a huge proponent of garlic bread, BUT this was a garlic, pesto focaccia with cherry tomatoes.  If this was on the menu, I could have ordered a whole basket for my meal and been happy.  🙂

The Caprese Salad is always a favorite!  As you may know, I LOVE tomatoes and it’s probably something I learned from my dad.  We could eat these every day and be very happy people.  🙂  But really, it is so fresh, with many of the items grown in their garden or their farm.  Delicious!

This was the Venetian Polenta with Mixed Mushroom Ragu and a Mascarpone Dollop.  As you can tell, I did not photograph this dish…  However, my family has gotten so used to my food blogging, that they try to pose the pictures as best they can.  How sweet!  We’ll have to talk about lighting next.  🙂

As for the polenta, I am always a fan.  There is something so warming and comforting about polenta, and it is always served best with something very flavorful and salty as a contrast.  The mushroom ragu is rustic and hearty, with just a bit of creaminess from the mascarpone to top it off.  Perfection!

This dish is the Prosciutto Principe with Sweet Melon.  Although I could not have it, I was told it was wonderful and definitely looked delicious!

The Roasted Cauliflower was amazing!  I love cauliflower because it can be prepared so many different ways.  When it is roasted like this with so many different spices, it is definitely a winner.  More importantly, it was cooked just enough to caramelize just the edges but not be overcooked.  Yum!

I have a love-hate relationship with stuffed squash blossoms.  Although I love them when cooked right, it is so often prepared incorrectly: too underdone and mushy, overly oily, bland filling, etc.  These were some of the only squash blossoms that I have enjoyed lately.  Bravo!

The Fettucini was prepared with Mussels, Whitefish, Salmon and Shrimp according to the menu, but nowhere did it mention that the fettucini was of the squid ink variety!  I love squid ink because it gives that earthy, umami flavor that makes a dish feel even more comforting.  What a nice surprise!

For myself, I ordered the Linguini Primavera with eggplant (grown in the gardens), greens, and broccolini.  The dish was green and beautiful, plus the pasta was freshly made and cooked perfectly.  In my opinion, the best dishes are ones in which the components are grown and made from scratch.  You can tell the difference right away!

Another person at the table ordered the Lasgna al Forno.  It is massive!  Somehow, it manages to stay very light, possibly due to the very thin sheets of homemade pasta.

Lastly, the Beef Ravioli filled with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis was delicious!  I really adore roasted red peppers and the flavor is completely unique, even though it looks like an ordinary tomato sauce.

For dessert, everyone shared a tiramisu, which was perfectly light, sweet, and creamy!

I have to admit, the Flourless Chocolate Cake was not my favorite…  Next, time we’ll just double up on the Tiramisu and I’ll be happy!  🙂

On the way out, we strolled through the garden so we could get a peek at some of the delicious herbs that were growing…

And this beautiful head of white and green kale.  I don’t know what dish this is used for, but I know I’ll be coming back soon to try it!

For me, the “must-try” dishes are the Focaccia bread, Caprese salad, Venetian Polenta, Fettucini with seafood, Linguini Primavera, and Tiramisu.

11200 Beach Boulevard
Stanton, CA 90680
(714) 901-4400
ilgarageristorante.com