Stalwarts of the Los Angeles food press descended upon an out-of-the-way public cooking space in Monterey or Highland Park — somewhere off the 110, between Downtown and Pasadena (writes the provincial Westsider) Wednesday evening to sample dishes from Crateful, a meal-delivery company and catering service that specializes in rich, hearty, chef-made, healthy, freshly cooked dishes.

Chef Luciano Pellegrini specializes in creating delicious, perfectly balanced meals using only the highest quality ingredients, and works with an experienced team of nutritionists to create wholesome, individualized meal options. Crateful attempts to meet the rapidly evolving trend of providing convenient, healthy, locally-sourced, organic, fully prepared meals in an eco-friendly, BPA-free, oven- and microwave-safe package. The farm-to-table dishes are prepared daily, and the calorie counts are listed.

The dinner — functioning as a surrogate Thanksgiving for food journalists who find more commonality in the kindred spirits of their fellows than in family wherever “back home” is, centered on black and white truffles — specifically Urbani Truffles — deliciously incorporated into traditional Italian fare.

“The addition of Urbani Truffle came after a conversation with one of our customers who mentioned she was dreaming of experiencing a truffle-hunting trip to Alba,” the founders say, “that’s when we decided the experience of truffle should be accessible for all our clients, through a signature dish created by our Chef Luciano Pellegrini, inspired by the earthiness of Urbani Black Truffles, yet easy to eat in the comfort of your home.”

The wine-paired sample menu for the evening featured a pasta course and a dessert course, which bookended a main course of Norwegian salmon medallion with foamy roasted tomato sauce (cover photo); veal scaloppini folded over truffle cheese with cream sauce and Urbani white truffle; and chestnut-stuffed chicken doulas with mushroom sauce and Urbani black truffle.

Crateful offers free delivery, six nights a week — Sunday through Friday, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Crateful also caters to high end private events and weddings. We know, LaLaScoop used Crateful for their wedding in Malibu in September complete with passed appetizers, a live burrata bar and live taco station.