Spago (DineLA)

There's nothing harder than the gut-wrenching heartache that comes from learning a loved one is sick.

During times like these, the only thing that can make things better is having good food in your stomach. However, sometimes even comfort food at home, like a warm steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup, is not enough to stop your mind from running through the worst possibilities. Sometimes only lunch at a really spectacular restaurant can make things better--even if it means getting out of those sweats and putting make-up over tearstained cheeks.

I chose Spago as our escape. From the moment we valeted behind a yellow Lamborghini and walked through the restaurant doors into a spacious bar area, we began feeling a more alive than we had in days. The hostess led us to one of the tables that spilled out from within the restaurant and onto the beautiful outdoor patio. The lavender umbrellas created a sense of seclusion from stress and worry, and the trickling fountain induced a sense of calm. The Beverly Hills crowd, with their tailored suits and quilted Chanel bags, exuded that quintessential L.A. glamour mixed with the laid-back vibe that only comes from being in California.

As plate after plate of upscale Californian fare arrived with colors so vibrant and bright, my mom and I couldn't help but be a little more hopeful and a little more optimistic.

Spago

176 North Canon Dr.

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

tel: 310 385 0880

Lavash, Olive Bread

A server came by and offered us a selection of bread. My mom and I both picked the lavash and olive bread. The crispy crunchy lavash bread was sprinkled liberally with parmesan cheese and herbs--resembling a large a salty, cheesy cracker. The olive bread was wonderfully soft and studded with kalamata olives. Both were actually very good.

Proscuitto and Burrata Mozzarella

Tenerelli Farm's Fig, Old Balsamic and Micro Arugula Salad

This was a delicious mix of creamy burrata, salty proscuitto, and figs done two ways--fresh, perfectly ripe disks, and a bed of sweet fig compote. I can never say no to burrata, and this was one of my favorite preparations.

Crispy Monterey Bay Calamari

Marinated Cucumbers and Black Bean Vinaigrette

One of the main reasons I decided on Spago, out of so many choices for DineLA lunches, was because their menu offered fried calamari. My mom loves fried calamari. My mom loved this fried calamari. A lot of times, calamari can be kind of bland. This was boldly seasoned. However, I'm pretty sure it wasn't served with a black bean vinaigrette. It seemed more like an herb aioli.

Pumpkin Agnolotti with Safe Butter and Reggiano [$12 supplement]

Pine Nuts and Mascarpone

Spago always has some kind of agnolotti on its menu. The fillings change with this seasons and this pumpkin agnolotti literally tasted like fall. It was definitely a worthy supplement to the meal.

Pan-Roasted Casco Bay Cod

Ratatouille Vegetables "Provencal", Jerusalem Artichoke Puree and Saffron-Champagne Beurre Blanc

For my entrée, I chose the cod. It was the only dish we had that wasn't that mind-blowing. The fish itself wasn't overcooked or anything, it just did not have that much favor.

Tagliatelle Pasta with Maryland Soft-Shell Crab

Garlic, Chili, Baby Arugula and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This dish itself was probably worth more than the $28 DineLA set menu price. There were more than enough pieces of succulent soft-shell crab, hidden within the tangles of freshly made, al dente pasta. I enjoyed the subtle asian flavors in this pasta dish.

Chocolate Bon Bon

Creamy Manjari Chocolate Shell, Cherry Cordial Center

This dessert rekindled my love of chocolate. The chocolate shell was so smooth, so creamy, with a thin, crispy chocolate feuilletine on top. The cherry filling and the sorbet were both slightly tart, adding a nice acidic dimension to the chocolate dessert. It was very, very sinfully good.

Strawberry Shortcake

McGrath Farm Strawberries, Buttermilk Cake, Crème Fraiche

Unfortunately the adorable strawberry dessert was slightly less memorable when compared to the chocolate dessert. The strawberries were so ripe and so fresh. Very simple, but still very good. It seems Sherry Yard can do no wrong. I also had some desserts at WP24 that I really liked.

We felt infinitely better after our meal. Everything, from the the attentive servers to the beautiful dishes, was just what we needed. Wolfgang Puck also came by our table and shook my hand. Yeah, I definitely smiled then. It's funny how just a satisfying meal can leave you feeling so much more optimistic about the future.

Grace Restaurant (DineLA)

My friend and I arrived at Grace on a Wednesday night with a 6pm reservation. The restaurant was just starting to get filled up so it was nice and quiet. We were seated at a table that was a little dark. We asked to sit at brighter table and it wasn't a problem at all. They generously gave us a four-top near a lamp even though we were only two. It is a beautiful restaurant--elegant, not too modern, not trying too hard, yet not old and stuffy. As the night progressed, the restaurant quickly filled up.

Our server was warm and welcoming. We were offered complementary sparking or still water. I LOVE sparkling water. I don't usually order it because I feel like a bottle of Pellegrino is unnecessarily expensive. I think I almost yelled "sparkling!" at the waiter in my excitement. The night was off to the good start. We were given some bread that others have complained about being too hard. I liked it. It was a nice ciabatta, with a nice airy yet chewy center and crunchy crust.

We started to study the menu. It wasn't short and boring like most of the DineLA menus. It was so extensive with so many choices I was almost overwhelmed. There were so many things I wanted to try. The DineLA dinner was $44 and some of the choices came with a supplementary charge. No problem. It makes sense that foie gras would be more expensive than a squash soup. All the supplements that we added on were well worth the money.

The wonderfully long menu

Grace Restaurant

7360 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-4400

Grilled Monterey Bay Calamari

olive oil poached tomatoes, salsa verde, frisee

I am not one to usually order grilled calamari when I see it on a menu so I'm so glad my friend decided to order it. The dish had beautiful colors. The texture of the calamari was delightful--not at all rubbery as some might expect calamari to be. Each piece of the wonderfully fresh calamari was sweet and had a nice smokey, grilled flavor.

Rabbit Cavatelli

olives, oven roasted tomatoes, san andreas, black truffles

This was my appetizer choice. I usually cannot pass up housemade pasta. This cavatelli was tender and light--although I would've preferred for it to be a little more al dente--and the savory rabbit sausage paired well with the sweet tomatoes and salty olives. The delicious clear, sauce that pooled at the bottom of the plate was amazing. It was not overly heavy as an appetizer, yet it was satisfying. I wish I had soaked it all up with a piece of bread.

Sauteed Loch Duart Salmon

leek fondue, swiss chard, black truffle thyme sauce

Salmon is also something that I tend to overlook on menus. However, this salmon was surprisingly good and not boring at all! The meat was so delicate and sweet and fatty. And that leek fondue! It was delicious! I'm not sure what was in it other than leeks but it was so nicely sweet and creamy. The only unspectacular part of the dish was the swiss chard--a little boring and bland.

Grilled Filet of Beef ($5 supplement)

farro, haricot verts, morcilla, ossau-iraty cheese, red wine sauce

I surprised myself when I ordered the filet of beef for my entree. Usually I avoid beef in restaurants because I'm a little paranoid of being given a piece of overcooked meat. I was completely set on ordering the scallop entree with risotto but at the last minute, I decided I felt like having a piece of red meat! I'm so glad I made that decision. I ordered medium rare and the filet came out at the perfect temperature--beautifully pink and juicy. The haricot vert was tender while remaining crisp. The little bites of morcilla sausage along with the cheese added nice punches of flavor to the dish. I also loved how the chewy farro soaked up the delicious red wine sauce. Probably one of the best beef dishes I've ordered at a restaurant.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

bruleed bananas, toffee sauce, hazelnut gelato

I loved the toffee/carmelized flavor of this dessert. It reminded me of a sort of bread pudding, but with an interesting texture that is light and sticky at the same time. Delicious...and who doesnt love hazelnut gelato? I wish we had a bigger scoop of it. And as always, bruleed bananas are a nice touch--easy to pull off but delicious to the unsuspecting!

Chef's Selection Donut Flight ($5 supplement)

Chocolate Bourbon, Salted Caramel, Buttermilk Brown Sugar Donuts

Vanilla, Walnut, Chocolate Ice Cream

Grace is known for their donuts so I knew we HAD to try some. Pretty much every table around us ordered the toffee pudding and the donut flight as their desserts. We liked the salted caramel donut the best. They were all nice and warm and fresh--without the gross after-taste that comes with some fried food--but in the end, they were still just donuts. I'm not usually a fan of donuts and these didn't really succeed in converting me. However, the walnut ice cream was very interesting.

Grace was without a doubt the best meal I had during all of DineLA restaurant week. Everything was great--from the atmosphere and service to the oh-so-delicious food!

Petrossian (DineLA)

On a beautiful Sunday morning, my boyfriend and I drove down Robertson Blvd, found the perfect parking spot just across the street from Petrossian, and decided to take our lunch outside. Petrossian had charming little tables set out on the sidewalk and the weather was just perfect. I had been looking forward to this meal all weekend.

Maybe I had too high of hopes. Maybe the dineLA menu didn't showcase Petrossian's specialties. Maybe chef Ben Bailly wasn't in the kitchen that Sunday. Maybe Petrossian is better for dinner. All I know is...

Petrossian, I am unimpressed.

Don't get me wrong, the food wasn't bad or anything. It just wasn't spectacular at all. For all the praise Petrossian's been getting, I was expecting something with more weight and flavor. Everything was just okay.

Petrossian

321 North Robertson Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(310) 271-6300

Wild Mushroom Cappuccino

braised chestnut, croutons

Well first of all, there were no braised chestnuts in my cup of soup. There was also no texture or flavor. It was a cup of bland, faintly mushroom-y cream. The three croutons was not able to help this soup very much.

Classic Cold Borsht

creme fraiche, caviar

This was perhaps the highlight of my meal. I don't usually like beets but this soup was so good and complex! It was deliciously tangy with a hint of what seemed like sweet balsamic vinegar, and every so often, you'd get salty pops of caviar and creamy creme fraiche. This was yummy.

Black Truffle "Mac 'n' Cheese"

orechiette, bacon, parmesan

I have read reviews where people raved about how this macaroni and cheese dish is the best they've ever had. It was tasty but how bad can a combination of pasta and cheese and bacon be? It was not nearly as spectacular as I was led to believe. I couldn't even taste the truffle.

321 Salad

smoked salmon, tomato, cucumber, burrata, citrus vinaigrette

Their smoked salmon was nice--it wasn't too salty. I loved the creamy burrata. All the ingredients were obviously fresh--crunchy cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, and only the heart of hearts of romaine with their beautiful yellow green color. The dressing was also nice and light.

Sicilian Pistachio Creme Brulee

This creme brulee had a weird texture. It was not tender and creamy, but a little...chunky and thick? My boyfriend remarked that it tasted like poppyseed muffins. Maybe there was almond extract involved to enhance the "pistachio" flavor?

Petrossian Chocolate Moelleux

There was no "moelleux" in this chocolate cake. There was no soft, molten center to the chocolate cake. Yes, it was kind of warm but it was so dry and so disappointing! Definitely over-baked. When I see the word "moelleux" I expect to cut into the cake and have liquid chocolate-ness coming out! Even the picture on the Petrossian website is misleading. It depicts the same little chocolate cake with a waterfall of molten chocolate coming out!

"Description: This ultra moist little cake with the soft "sunken" center is served warm, its velvety molten chocolate flowing seductively onto the plate with your first taste."

Lies!

(Note: the metal chairs outside are remarkably uncomfortable--my tailbone was not happy) Charming as it may seem, avoid sitting outside.

I was so hopeful. Petrossian, I really wanted to like you.

XIV Sunset

XIV by Michael Mina

8117 Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90024

After waiting a good 30 minutes AFTER our reservation time of 9:15, my friends D, A, and I were getting impatient and ready to sit down and begin our meal. We were given a table that had a very clear view of the kitchen--it was perfect--and we all forgot about the 30 min wait. We had such a great time watching the chefs in the kitchen carefully prepare dishes as the suspender-clad waiters rushed them to tables in the busy restaurant.

Given the dark, mood-setting lighting, these pictures were the best I can do. They really don't do the food justice. Every dish was delicious and pristine--not like these blurry pictures.

Tataki of American Wagyu Skirt

Moroccan Spiced Vegetables

The skirt steak was tender and at a perfect doneness. It wasn't anything spectacularly different but it just tasted like a good piece of meat! Luckily, the vegetables on the side were nicely acidic to balance the red meat.

Sweet Corn Soup

Pork Belly, Apple Cider, Cilantro, Sea Salt

The sweet corn soup was a creamy bowl of happiness that I wish I had to my own! This was A's appetizer and they poured the soup into the bowl, on top of the pork belly and corn, after bringing it to your table--nice presentation.

Alaskan Halibut

Cantaloupe Melon, Mustard, Cherry Tomato

This was what I had for my entree. I don't usually go for white fish dishes but the melon component seemed very interesting. Overall a nicely done piece of halibut--not overcook thank goodness! I loved the light broth at the bottom and the little spheres of cantaloupe.

Jidori Chicken "Tajine"

Vadouvan, Red Kuri Squash, Baby Carrots, Cilantro, Side of Jasmine Rice

This was definitely, in my opinion, the best dish of the night. The tender jidori chicken came under a tajine lid with a lovely spiced broth and side of flavorful jasmine rice. This, again, was A's entree and I had to actively restrain myself from taking too many bites from his dish!

Asparagus Risotto

Squash Blossom, Chervil, Castelmagno Cheese

This risotto dish was amazingly light for being risotto. The asparagus pieces were perfectly cooked and tender and the whole dish just smelled of that wonderful cheese.

Dark Chocolate Cake

Coffee Cream, Coconut Sorbet, Crunchy Peanut, Basil Syrup

The plating of this dessert was spectacular--so creative and beautiful. This was also A's dessert! I swear he picked the best combination tonight. The coconut sorbet was delicious, as was the mysterious peanut crunch. The texture is hard to describe--almost like a butterfinger but chewier. I LOVED it.

Michael's Classic Rootbeer Float

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nutella Custard

Popcorn Ice Cream, Toast Streusel, Passion Fruit

This was my dessert--nothing to look at, but the flavor and texture combination was amazing. The foam at the top was interesting and mixed with the cold passion fruit ice cream, creamy nutella custard, spongy toast, and crispy streusel topping, I couldn't stop digging my spoon into the cup. It was so good.

Great dinner at XIV with my lovely D and A!