Is Culver City’s new Etta an Italian restaurant? In a way, but don’t start thinking it’s all giant meatballs and spaghetti. “We don’t need the red and white tablecloths,” says chef/owner Danny Grant, “I’ve got my grandma’s for that kind of stuff.”

Grant and his What If Syndicate group out of Chicago are betting big on Etta as a comfortable California dinner destination, complete with a wood-fired hearth and hearty meats and vegetables cooked over flame. There’s plenty for Italian food lovers to point to on the menu, including pizza and pasta, but Etta is more than that.