Meet Nicole Lira of L’Opera Ristorante in Long Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Lira.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Nicole. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My personal story begins in 2001. Terry Antonelli (with a couple of partners) owned L’Opera, The Madison and Alegria. I began working at the Madison as a host, bartender and server, all throughout attending CSULB. Once I graduated with my BA in Communication Studies I became a manager and restaurant event planner for Trump’s golf course in Palos Verdes.

About six months later I stopped by L’Opera for a drink and was offered an interview for an open management position. I loved working for the company throughout college so I thought, why not? L’Opera was close to home, felt like family, had incredible food and an impressive wine list. The fit was and still is, perfect.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There is a standout moment where I was standing at the bar with one of the (previous) owners and I asked him “Is this it? Is this all I am going to do here?” I was looking for growth at L’Opera and for a small restaurant this is not an easy feat. I was denied. So my search began for something new. I quickly found another restaurant with opportunity for growth and a nice financial return. After a few months, I was completely miserable and I realized that I belonged at L’Opera. L’Opera was my home and if I was going to work hard for someone it was going to be for them. So I made the call. A month later I was back and I have been at L’Opera ever since. Looking back at my 26-year-old self I was not mature enough to take on more. The owner was right in denying me at that time. But, that moment is in my memory and now when I have staff members who approach me with this same desire I learned from my experience to have the conversation and provide a little guidance.

Please tell us about L’Opera Ristorante.
From the moment you arrive at L’Opera you are swept away by the stunning beauty of old world architecture.

High ceilings accented with original 1906 detailed moldings, marbled columns and one of a kind Aldo Luongo paintings. Executive Chef Walter Cotta features a Homemade Northern Italian Cuisine. All of our raviolis, spaghetti, tagliatelle and bread are made in house every morning. Pastry Chef Dora is continuously baking and creating our homemade sweet treats.

L’Opera is known for a few original dishes. First is the Cappellacci di Zucca: homemade butternut squash and ricotta ravioli, with brown butter, fried sage and shaved parmigiana.

Second is the Lasagna di Pollo: homemade sheet pasta, chicken ragu, mozzarella, ricotta, parmigiana, spicy tomato sauce & creamy pesto sauce. Our Scaloppine Piccata and Scaloppine Milanese are our number one sellers. One cannot make a bad decision when it comes to our decadent desserts. The Soffice e Leggera just made a comeback to our dessert menu by popular demand.

Caramelized crushed pineapple, pound cake, hot caramel sauce & creme anglaise. The list goes on and on. What makes me most proud of L’Opera is exactly what sets us apart from others. L’Opera is FULL service. We have fabulous food, an award-winning wine list, a beautiful full bar, private dining rooms, and employees who aim to please. Most of our staff has been with L’Opera for 15 plus years. We have a number of employees who have been with the company since 1990. It says a lot about the culture of a restaurant when employee retention is high.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I have learned a lot of lessons throughout my L’Opera years. I have worked for Terry Antonelli and the L’Opera family since I was 21 years old. I grew up here. So of course, I could have done a number of things differently. But, do I wish I took another route in life? Not for an instant.

Contact Info:

• Address: 101 Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802
• Website: www.lopera.com
• Phone: 5624910066
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: loperaristorante
• Facebook: LOperaRistorante
• Twitter: LOperaLB
• Yelp: L’Opera

Image Credit:
Seth Dedos

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