Sparrow Per Favore
When Hotel Figueroa reopened in 2018, returning to its original Spanish Colonial revival style after a Moroccan themed tenure, the remodel included a modest space for a restaurant opportunity. Enter Sparrow Italia in 2021, with a modern take on coastal Italian fare.
I had already perused the menu excitedly before my first visit. I joined my friend Derek at the bar prior to our reservation. An espresso martini to kick off my Friday night. The bar and main dining area is intimate with warmly dim set lighting, while the exterior facing wall opens entirely to a view of the pool. It’s a classic California layout with a Mediterranean influence.
Once seated at our table, we were served crisp focaccia with olive oil. As a bread lover, the experience was already a success. We ordered some plates to share. Arancini, beets and burrata, chicken parmigiana and baked spaghetti squash. Everything was prepared beautifully and was the perfect amount for two people. The ingredients are organic, sustainable, and create well balanced Italian based dishes. I ordered another vodka cocktail after dinner that came with tiny flowers and made a bubble effect like a spring of water. I was impressed by the overall experience and look forward to going back as the menu changes regularly.
Sparrow recently welcomed a new executive chef. Joana Cruz joined the team as pastry chef in 2021 and was announced executive chef in 2022. An appropriate choice as she grew up in the kitchen with the women in her family, going hand in hand with Hotel Figueroa’s long history in the women’s movement.
The Figueroa Hotel was originally built in 1925 by the Young Women’s Christian Association as safe lodging for solo traveling females. At the time it was unsafe, not to mention disreputable for a woman to travel unaccompanied, a mere 5 years after women were granted the right to vote. Women were entering the workforce and the hotel became a luxurious Mecca for the modern, independent woman. The space was used for business, networking, art, and social clubs. To this day, the Figueroa Hotel honors and celebrates its rich history.
Photos above provided by Sparrow
By Aileen Coyle