A brand new casual fine dining restaurant called Posto 896 is making its debut in Encino, located at 15615 Ventura Blvd.
Owner Peter Fabian-Zomora tells What Now Los Angeles this is the first time the United States has ever seen a restaurant like this. The new restaurant will feature an Italian Chef and a Hungarian Chef, both using fresh and organic ingredients from farm to table to create authentic dishes from both cultures. Posto 896, named after the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin, is expected to open later this year. Ownership hopes to open in early October, but city planning inspections can potentially delay the opening by a month or two.
When the restaurant does open, customers can expect a one-of-a-kind Hungarian-Italian experience. Ownership stresses that this is not a fusion restaurant but two different food cultures coming together under one roof. The restaurant will be a small space with only 17 tables, making reservations recommended. Ownership will be more than just an owner; telling What Now Los Angeles he will work as a server, providing tips and information to guests regarding Hungarian cuisine and how to eat it properly.
“In American culture, salads are usually served first as an appetizer,” Fabian-Zomora tells What Now Los Angeles. “In Hungary, soups are the appetizer, and the salads are meant to be eaten with the entree. One time, about ten years ago, I went out to eat at a Hungarian restaurant and saw a group of young men order some food. They started to eat the salad before the entree arrived. Their faces were visibly disgusted, so I showed them how to eat the salad properly.”
Along with the delicious Italian or Hungarian dishes, which will eventually include specials on the menu, Posto 896 will feature an impressive wine selection. There will be six California wines (three red and three white), as well as dozens of authentic Italian and Hungarian wine that is meant to be paired with specific meals or served by themselves. One of the wines available at this restaurant includes a variety of choices from Hungarian winemaker Agoston Haraszthy, often referred to as the “Father of California Wine.” On top of that, ownership is working on obtaining the rights to serve Hungarian beer broth, which is not often served in America.
Ownership has worked on this restaurant for years, but the pandemic has delayed many plans. Now that the restaurant is under construction, the concept is beginning to become a reality. Posto 896’s interior will be upscale and modern, with an outdoor patio that will eventually be covered. Overall, ownership is confident this new restaurant will not only provide the area with the not-so-common Hungarian food but also provide customers with a one-of-a-kind experience made possible through the attention to detail in the food, service, and people.
