Guidi Marcello Ltd.

This sign may not look like much, hidden off a one-way street close to the 10 Freeway in an industrial neighborhood of Santa Monica.  But walk inside the bare-bones storefront of Guidi Marcello and you'll find a glorious world of food.  I'd never been there until last week, after three separate people in a 24-hour period (two of them executive chefs) told me that's where they got their vin cotto, their Italian grain, their pappardelle.  So I drew a map on the back of my hand and finally found the place.  Inside I also found Gessica Guidi, granddaughter of the company's late founder, Marcello Guidi (that's an inversion, not a typo), handing out samples and chatting with customers. (Marcello Guidi began the company, but it was his son Marco, Gessica's father, who in 1981 opened the Santa Monica store.)  A Berkel slicer (they sell them) stood inside an office door. Customers congregated to sample five varieties of vin cotto -- a syrup made from wine must that's aged in oak barrels. The small store, which mostly does wholesale business, was filled with shelves stocking Spinosi pasta, cans of San Marzano tomatoes, 1-kilo jars of La Favorita salted capers, refrigerated cases filled with guanciale and salame cresponde and fresh Gioia burrata. Inside a frozen case I found bags of fresh porcini and veal agnolotti.   

And then, on the way out, next to a rack of a dozen or so kinds of olives -- Castelvetranos, Baresane black olives from Puglia -- I spied a wall lined with these beautiful square nesting jars filled with Moreno Cedroni's jams and mustards.  Cedroni is the chef at the Michelin two-star Madonnina del Pescatore in Marzocca di Senigallia, Italy; Guidi Marcello is the L.A. distributor for the Italian chef's line, which will soon include sauces. 

I won't need to write the directions on my hand anymore; after Wednesday's visit, Guidi's has been permanently imprinted in my memory.  Along with the taste of a 50-year-old chestnut balsamic vinegar that Gessica had us sample after the vin cotto.

Guidi Marcello, 1649 10th St., Santa Monica, (310) 452-6277.  Open 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

-- Amy Scattergood

Photos by Amy Scattergood

Comments

[Eileen Haller]

This is the most wonderful bite of Italy with amazing Italian delicacies. Additionally, the owner and his staff and family create an equally delicious atmosphere. I intend to frequent this little treasure of a store frequently.. What a treat!