Los Angeles Best Restaurant

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Los Angeles Best Restaurants.

The Belvedere
Contemporary
The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel
9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd. (Wilshire Blvd.)
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
310-788-2306
At this ultra-posh hotel dining room, a pretty patio beckons in sunny weather as the sounds of the regular pianist float inside and out. Sean Hardy heads the kitchen that prepares creative, artfully presented contemporary cuisine. Classic technique abounds, but playful interpretations of all-American favorites are also featured. House-smoked salmon on delicate scallion pancakes with chive crème fraîche is offered as a starter, along with an upscale macaroni-and-cheese made with Taleggio and shaved truffles. Enticing small bites include a single perfect diver scallop, a petite taste of duck liver or an espresso cup of clam chowder. We recommend such entrées as five-spiced Peking duck with raisins and cinnamon sauce, striped bass with tomato confit and green olive nage, and truffle-roasted Châteaubriand of veal. Dessert is as appealing as all that precedes it, the service is generally impeccable, and the wine list includes many French and American treasures, adding up to an experience with an air of civility uncommon to casual L.A. Lunch is also a treat, when the menu offers upscale twists on familiar items like a Cuban sandwich, patty melt or po'

The Dining Room
Contemporary The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa
1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave. (Huntington Garden Dr.)
Pasadena, CA 91106
626-568-3900
The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa is a landmark, and so is its restaurant, The Dining Room. Some might think that it is avant-garde, and we agree with them. The California-born chef, Craig Strong, has nerve and it shows on the plate. He is one of those chefs that should mark his generation with his adventurous combinations. What he does is not what we are used to; it will surprise you---this is what Strong wants to achieve. Some might find the dishes are a bit too far off---like the warm English peas purée with cold mint sorbet---but the silky strawberry gazpacho with shellfish is a real pleasure. For other delights, you can choose from the peekytoe crab salad or zucchini squash blossom with brandade; the variation of foie gras, seared, rémoulade and parfait, three innovative presentations; the Alaskan halibut with ginger crust; grilled lamb chops and lamb loin roulade; or the veal tenderloin in Parma ham and Swiss chard with a fine cèpes tarte, with a béarnaise sauce we don't find necessary. Even the cheese is presented differently. The evening we went, we tasted Brie stuffed with black truffles on a potato purée, and we liked it very much. Strong offers you a pre-dessert he defines as a bridge between the savory of the main course and the sweetness of the dessert, an intermezzo that cleans the palette and prepares it for the next course which, of course, is dessert. The coconut sorbet on a little baba au rhum with exotic fruits is a good example. Strong then serves an apple crème brûlée in an apple, the slow-roasted pineapple with warm coconut-mango risotto or a warm chocolate cake with a praline center and vanilla milk ice cream. Don't leave without trying the exquisite petits fours, chocolate truffles, coconut cake, cookies and the banana fruit jelly. By the way, Strong's first diploma was for pastry when he was fifteen. He then trained with Guenter Seeger and Joël Antunes. As it should be, the wine list is extensive. You can be sure that you will have a great, different experience. Strong is a talented chef with a brilliant future and an evening at The Dining Room is an evening to remember.

L'Orangerie
French
903 N. La Cienega Blvd. (Melrose Ave.)
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310-652-9770
Why do "les bonnes choses de la vie" (the good things in life) have to end? We are sad to report that Gérard and Virginie Ferry will be closing the doors of their restaurant after serving dinner on December 31, 2006. Unfortunately, since there are no younger Ferrys, this will not evolve like Le Cirque and the Maccionis in New York; after twice closing, that restaurant reopened later in a different part of the Big Apple. The past two years have seen a great team in the Ferry's kitchen, maybe the best ever, under the orchestration of chef Christophe Bellanca, who was formerly at the illustrious Pic in Valence. He brought with him serious classical training that enables him to juggle skillfully such pristine ingredients as a Santa Barbara spiny lobster, which he doses with just the right amount of Thai spices to endow the superb product with a subtle fragrance that respects its nature and taste. Some may hate what he does to crème brûlée---a good reason to believe that this unexpected rapprochement with foie gras is his masterpiece, a learned elaboration on the sweet-and-sour theme, with a green apple cream that achieves a unique and spectacular union of possibly antagonistic tastes. This dish alone is worth the trip. You can tell Christophe loves vegetables when you savour what he does with Swiss chard finely wrapped in ravioli, or when he presents as a finger food an incredible emulsion of spinach and beetroots. The subtle presence of Asian flavors also shows with distinction in cod gremolata, where Mediterranean basil oil and fennel meet a hint of Indian chutney. Breast of squab follows a similarly creative but not eccentric approach with its crust of walnuts and cinnamon and its accompanying roasted figs and purée of cèpes mushrooms. This rare experience finds a conclusion, if not a coronation, in the light desserts, prepared by the young and talented pastry chef Hugo Artinian, such as the original chocolate mousse with caramel ice cream, coffee and praline mousse or raspberry mille-feuille. Over the years, sommelier Emmanuel Faure built a magnificent and intelligent wine cellar that the new owner (the Nobu group) will enjoy. We will miss the voice of Gérard, the smile of Virginie, and her floral extravaganza composed weekly. Don't find yourself in 2007 saying "I should have gone to L'Orangerie." Go now and enjoy, while it lasts, the rare pleasure of a house devoted to class and refinement.

Mélisse
French
1104 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-395-0881
Owner-chef Josiah Citrin, who was formerly partnered in nearby JiRaffe, created his own restaurant with the notion of emphasizing more traditional French cuisine instead of the mostly California-Italian fare he'd been cooking previously. The result combines an obsession with fresh produce and herbs with Citrin's training in the culinary classics. We love to dine here when time and price are no object. Starters might include such treats as foie gras terrine with apricot-date confiture; hamachi and ahi tartare with black truffles, celery and Meyer lemon; or diver scallops with apple-vanilla pur e, pancetta and green peppercorn-Sauvignon Blanc sauce. Entrées range from duck à l'orange made with blood oranges to sweetbreads in a wonderful Juran on reduction to a grand côte de boeuf for two. Finales---best enjoyed after sampling one of the best cheese trays in town---include items like cr pes Suzette and brown butter-pear tart with Poire Williams bavarois and spiced pear ice cream. Serious foodies should consider one of the pricy but satisfying multi-course tasting menus. With its large crystal chandelier and generously spaced tables topped with fine linen, Limoges china and Riedel stemware, Mélisse is suitably elegant---more reminiscent of San Francisco than L.A.---without feeling particularly stuffy.

Patina
California
Walt Disney Concert Hall
141 S. Grand Ave. (Third St.)
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-972-3331
Christine and Joachim Splichal have created a restaurant empire that they now steer. They picked up the hardware from the flagship location and transferred it along with some faithful staff to downtown where Splichal had his Los Angeles debut over twenty years ago. Very popular at lunch, this warm dining room in L.A.'s too-cool Gehry-designed, deconstructed edifice, Walt Disney Concert Hall, tries to find a balance at night amongst the crowd of theater-goers. The chef, Theo Schoenegger, and the sommelier operate in a well-orchestrated fashion. There is no doubt that this is a classy joint blending new and classical touches. A creative menu couples up with tableside preparations and a cheese cart. Like any luxury item, the food comes with a high price tag, and on principle there is nothing wrong with that; we just wish it could last a little longer. Despite the menu's simple presentation, the food is much more promising. Ravioli of diver scallops and goose liver in saffron-Riesling emulsion, and braised veal cheeks with parsnip purée could constitute a decent meal. Want more of a performance? For $85 you could try the Ocean menu or the five-course Chef's menu. Still want more? Gather ten foodie buddies and reserve the Chef's table at $1,200---there goes that Armani suit---of course, you still have to tack on accoutrements from the beverage menu. It goes like this: If you have to ask... But the answer is: Yes, go there and like a good performance, which is subjective, you might enjoy it, like we did.

Providence
Sea Food
5955 Melrose Ave. (Highland Ave.)
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323-460-4170
If only these walls could talk. Over the years, starting with Le St. Germain, then Patina in its varied incarnations and now Providence, 5955 Melrose has seen its share of deals, movers, shakers and celebs. Paramount studio execs, Hancock Park affluents and Michael Cimarusti aficionados now flock to this address for seafood supreme. Water Grill downtown is no more for Michael and his wife, Cristina. Another familiar face is maître d' extraordinaire Donato Poto, ex-Bastide, Primi, etc. To reinforce the team, fish-master Cimarusti is assisted by the conscientious Paul Shoemaker and a small army of serious elves. Personally, Cimarusti is an avid fisherman (a family tradition) but mostly practices catch-and-release---which you won't want to do with his dishes, once you have selected a few options from one of the menus (Market, Chef's or à la carte). Dishes change often as you will only be presented with available fresh seafood. May we tempt you with an appetizer of peekytoe crab and chilled sweet pea soup? How about trying risotto with Japanese freshwater eel and shimeji mushrooms? Main courses of monkfish and octopus won't disappoint either. Meat-lovers need not despair since duck, pork, beef and other land animals are offered as well. In all cases this fare comes paired with wines should you desire. Saké and herb-infused drinks are also a good option with the sometimes edgy food. Conclude with a dessert from pastry chef Adrian Vasquez, maybe the pineapple "torchon" with pain perdu and fennel ice cream, or the milk chocolate panna cotta with cocoa-coconut streusel.

Sona
California
401 N. La Cienega Blvd. (Melrose Ave.)
West Hollywood, CA 90048
310-659-7708
The latest offering from chefs David and Michelle Myers, the proprietors refer to their restaurant as an urban oasis. And it truly is an oasis, a floating island of gastronomy in a neighborhood best noted for a men's club, a car wash and a lingerie shop with trashy in the name. Sona's quality of ingredients and attention to detail are reflected in the prices, which are high by LA standards but a bargain by San Francisco and New York City measures. Executive chef David Myers, noted for creating a sensation at the Raffles L'Ermitage hotel's Jaan, specializes in complex, unique dishes. The dramatic and inspiring menu features flavors like an amuse bouche of delicate monkfish liver on a razor thin chip of persimmon, tumeric-preserved Santa Barbara prawns with lime leaves and a yucca root purée, and Liberty Farms duck breast over roasted eggplant, hijiki seaweed and forbidden rice. Michelle Myers obviously shares her husband's passion for intricacy, as seen in desserts such as the chocolate bread pudding swimming in hot chocolate with malted ice cream and caramelized bananas. An original wine list with carefully selected offerings sorted in course progression will help things go down. Mostly California and French bottles are featured. But it isn't just the cuisine that makes dining at Sona special, it is the attention to detail reflected in every aspect of the dining room. From the Riedel stemware to the natural elements of stone, granite and wood integrated into the décor, Sona offers more than fine cuisine, it shares a true dining experience.

Spago Beverly Hills
California
176 N. Canon Dr. (Wilshire Blvd.)
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310-385-0880
This is the movie capital, after all. Big productions with plenty of stars and special effects are expected. Wolfgang Puck has just that for us at Spago Beverly Hills. With executive chef Lee Hefter, he plays the starring role in the big restaurant show in a multimillion dollar set artistically designed by Barbara Lazaroff. The stage welcomes many guest stars, special appearances and, of course, extras. No wonder it's the preferred ground for paparazzi of any description. The glamour dripping from that firmament is a part of the experience, if not its major component. Restaurateur, actor and producer Wolf Puck (the other star native of Austria) and Hefter present an international (French, Asian, California) voyage. To embark on it, trust the chef's imagination and pick the tasting menu for $120 per person, or $180 per person with wines. Based upon multiple experiences, the tasting menu is the royal way to go if you want to fully explore the potential of Spago, especially if Puck is in action and displays all his art, although we acknowledge the talent of Hefter. As appetizers, we liked the smoked salmon on lemon-herb blinis, the Japanese hamachi sashimi and Hudson Valley foie gras done three ways, including one marrying this luxe indulgence with pan-roasted apples and currants in a mousse. Entrées can take you to the Far East with a Hong Kong-style steamed salmon or to Northern California with roasted rack and loin of Sonoma lamb. Nostalgia floats around with a few of Wolfgang's Childhood Favorites---de rigueur for an Austrian boy---such as Wiener Schnitzel or a spicy beef goulash with sautéed spätzle. As one can imagine, with all these ingredients, this is the hottest ticket in town and the box office suggests making reservations one month in advance.

Urasawa
Japanese
218 N. Rodeo Dr. (Wilshire Blvd.)
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310-247-8939
An experience at chef Hiroyuki Urasawa's namesake ultra-upscale restaurant on Rodeo Drive is so unique that despite the prices, it is a great value. Figure this, your very own private chef (up to ten patrons) will prepare, in a completely original fashion, organic ingredients freshly flown from Japan, chosen according to your reservation suggestions. There is a basic nine-course here succeeded by the sushi selections that starts at $250 per person and goes up from there. Should we mention a totally sensual toro seared in front of you on a hot plate or a light scallop and foie gras shabu shabu simmered with the assistance of the Urasawa staff? The fact is that in these days of interactivity, instead of a computer, you get to have a real someone to observe and vice versa to build an unmatched dining experience. Live prawns become instant sushi. And finally the sushi is more about the fish than the rice. Everything is registered to help get to the next course or for a future meal, but you'd never know it. Everything is custom made and chosen by Urasawa-san himself, from the flower arrangements to the ice carvings, the antique tableware and even the salt. Chef has trained exclusively in Japan and worked in this location---then called Ginza Sushi-Ko with Masa Takayama, who moved to New York to open Masa and Bar Masa. A very short, exclusively French wine list (with the exception of a Kistler Chardonnay) is there to accompany your four hour journey, although we'd recommend to dine with one of the regional sakes, such as Kubota Manju from Niigata, that pair perfectly with the food. All this sounds like a feasting extravaganza---that it is, but the best part of it is that you actually feel good the next morning.

Valentino
Italian
3115 W. Pico Blvd. (Bundy Dr.)
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-829-4313
Piero Selvaggio must be a magician. In a city where success is as ephemeral as a cactus flower and restaurants come and go in less time than it takes to learn their names, Valentino holds strong and firm and continues to shine on Pico Boulevard (and in Las Vegas). With his charming smile, Selvaggio has weathered storms of all descriptions from Italian nueva cucina to seismic tremors, not to mention the ever-changing mood of Angelenos. He has wisely tamed the exuberance of the novelties of the '70s and shaped a style where the traditional resources and mainstays of his native Italy are prevalent. Although Piero is the common denominator, he has had to assemble a competent team year after year. These days, dynamic Italian chef Angelo Auriana, a prodigal son who has returned to the kitchen after time away, executes the classic menu flawlessly. All this well-executed food is delivered by real pro service. We have not said anything about Valentino restaurant until we describe, if even possible, the wine list and cellar. In fact, it is best for you to go there for a special celebration, book the private wine room upstairs and chip away at the telephone book size list. Pick anything amongst 140,000 bottles. There are unique diamonds such as an 1893 Château Lafite Rothschild---and many more incredible offerings from Italy, Napa and beyond.

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