Located on a gentrifying stretch of Washington Boulevard, Deluxe 1717 is a venture of veteran Pasadena chef Onil Chibás. The intimate restaurant has the vibe of an unpretentious neighborhood bistro, and guests can immediately sense that the menu is a labor of love.
Shareable starters include a billowy, sugar-dusted, Bolivian-inspired empanada (pictured) that’s large enough to hang over the edge of the plate yet incredibly light. A whiff of steam rises as the savory pastry deflates, revealing a thin filling of manchego, mozzarella, and queso fresco.
A Latin American theme reappears in a trio of tacos filled with chunks of house-smoked pork belly, peanut salsa, pickled red onion, and Oaxacan crema.
Salad offerings can change, but there’s usually one with fresh burrata accompanied by seasonal fruits and infused oils.
Salads are constantly evolving, but one usually showcases fresh Burrata accompanied by seasonal fruits and infused oils. The kitchen demonstrates considerable finesse with soups—the velvety celeriac and the corn chowder with bacon foam exemplify elegant yet heartily satisfying creations.
Among the entrées, pillowy house-made gnocchi and other pastas usually arrive with sauces incorporating seasonal vegetables, and salmon or branzino receive imaginative treatments. Asian fish-and-chips, consisting of miso-marinated snapper, is a signature dish, served with taro chips and a spicy sambal-infused tartar sauce.
An upscale Cuban sandwich features roasted pork shoulder, house-smoked pork belly, ham, and Gruyère.
An upscale Cuban sandwich is also available, as well as an All-American Burger layered with Gruyère and tomato-bacon jam. Closed Mondays–Wednesdays.
Best dishes
Bolivian empanada, burrata salad, pork belly tacos, Cuban sandwich
Dinner prices
Starters, $13–$24; entrées, $18–$45; desserts, $6–$14
Address
1717 E. Washington Boulevard, Pasadena
AAA discounts
