Liza Minnelli is almost never seen in public anymore. But in late March, paparazzi waited in the bougainvillea on Robertson Boulevard in West Hollywood to catch the actress—wearing all black and diamonds—leaving one of the few restaurants that could coax her outside: Il Piccolino.
Unlike its flashier Los Angeles neighbors, such as Craig’s, Cecconi’s, or the Ivy, Il Piccolino was homey. It was elegant—white tablecloths, a single red rose on each table—but comfortable too. This month, after preparing lobster linguine, Dame Joan’s Broccoli (named after Joan Collins), and Artichoke “Robert Day” (after the British filmmaker) for Hollywood heavyweights for nearly two decades, the restaurant closed. It leaves behind many devotees, from Anjelica Huston to Mitch Glazer and Kelly Lynch to Irwin Winkler.
