ANGE March 2010 : Page 116
food drink Guide Cut Wolfgang Puck said he was going to reinvent the steakhouse, and he has. With the help of acclaimed designer/ architect Richard Meier, Puck has created a bright, airy and casual steakhouse with a glorious exhibition kitchen, and the steaks are hands-down the best on the West Coast, and possibly the world, but you might need to cash in a few bonds to pay for dinner. Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Blvd., 310.276.8500, wolfgangpuck.com $$$$ Enoteca Drago Celestino Drago’s latest project was supposed to be a simple enoteca (wine bar). Simple, it is not. Te bar offers 50 Italian wines by the glass—and if you want to buy a bottle to take home, this is the only place you can do it. 410 N. Cañon Dr., 310.786.8236, celestinodrago.com $$ The Farm of Beverly Hills Tis is our very favorite place in Beverly Hills to dine with Fifi and Fido. But the dog-friendly patio isn’t the only thing we love about this all-day cafe. Te burger never disappoints. And those “Farmeoohs” cookies... mmm. 439 N. Beverly Dr., 310.273.5578, thefarmofbeverlyhills.com, $$ The Grill on the Alley Easily mistaken for the William Morris Agency’s lunchroom, Te Grill is crawling with Hollywood agents and their clients. Classic chophouse fare is the draw, including a legendary Cobb salad, big steaks, fat burgers, grilled fish and chicken pot pie. 9560 Dayton Wy., 310.276.0615, thegrill.com $$$ Il Cielo Tousands, if not millions, of twinkling lights in the trees on the patio make this old Italian standby one of the most romantic places in town. 9018 Burton Wy., 310.276.9990, ilcielo. com $$ Il Pastaio It’s all about pasta at this wonderful casual restaurant from two of the Drago brothers where rarely is there ever an empty table. Excellent Italian wines, too, and very affordably priced. 400 N. Cañon Dr., 310.205.5444, giacomindrago.com $$ Jaan Te restaurant at the L’Ermitage hotel is a quiet refuge with a super-sexy and private 116 | Angeleno | March 2010 patio. Mmm, amazing truffle fries, too! Raffles L’Ermitage Hotel, 9291 Burton Wy., 310.278.3344, raffles. com $$$$ La Bottega Marino Chef Salvatore Marino (of Il Grano) and his brother Mario have launched the third and most ambitious branch yet of their bottega concept—except that this one isn’t really a bottega (store) like the others. Tis is a festive café serving a full menu that includes pizzas, pastas and an amazing porchetta (slow-roasted pork). 9669 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.271.7274, labottegausa.com $$ Mako Makoto Tanaka proves fusion can be a very good thing, and he’s completely revamped the menu, introducing a new “small-plates” approach akin to tapas but with an East-West flair: jellyfish and crabmeat salad, quail in tangerine sauce, duck potstickers, Wagyu short ribs, etc. 225 S. Beverly Dr., 310.288.8338, makorestaurant.com $$ Mariposa Lobster club sandwiches and foie gras ravioli make this the most elegant basement hideout in Beverly Hills for the ladies who lunch and the men who love to shop. At Neiman Marcus, 9700 Wilshire Blvd., 310.975.4350, neimanmarcus.com $$ Mastro’s Steakhouse Celebrity publicists woo clients over big steaks and stiff Martinis at this stylish two-story steakhouse. Dim lighting and multiple enclaves assure privacy for those seeking it. Live music upstairs. Te steaks are enormous. 246 N. Cañon Dr., 310.888.8782, mastrosrestaurants.com $$$$ Mr. Chow A-list actors are so prevalent at this bastion of chic that average folks of Mr. Chow’s world are in the minority. Fortunately, the Chinese cuisine is top-notch. 344 N. Camden Dr., 310.278.9911, mrchow.com $$$ Nic’s Te ice bar must be seen to be believed. Tere’s no better place in the country to sip vodka at 28 degrees (faux fur coats and hats provided, of course). Nic’s is one of the sexiest spots in town for martinis and jazz, and it’s also a great spot for unpretentious dining (on eclectic modern fare like delicious fried oysters and slow-roasted pork ribs). 453 N. Cañon Dr., 310.550.5707, nicsbeverlyhills.com $$$ Nineteen12 Te new bar and patio lounge at Te Beverly Hills Hotel has completely transformed the vibe at this classic celebrity haunt. Could this be the city’s sexiest new patio? Add sirloin sliders and coconut lobster tails, and the answer just might be yes. 9641 Sunset Blvd., 310.273.1912, barnineteen12.com $$ Oliver Tis tiny cafe might be one of the best- kept secrets in Beverly Hills. Certainly, it is the cutest. Attached to Sports Club L.A., with a separate entrance on Wilshire, Oliver serves an eclectic international menu and a full bar (along with a well-edited selection of wines). 9601 Wilshire Blvd., 310.888.8160, olivercafe. com $ Oliverio Formerly known as Blue on Blue, this so-sexy-it-hurts poolside restaurant at the Avalon hotel has emerged from a Kelly Wearstler facelift with a new concept and chef. Te new menu is all Italian, all the time, with acclaimed chef Mirko Paderno heating up the kitchen. Avalon Hotel, 9400 W. Olympic Boulevard., 310.407.7791, avalonbeverlyhills. com $$ Parq Te Montage hotel has closed it’s upstairs restaurant, Muse, in order to focus on this ground-floor offering where the same great chef, John Cuevas, serves foie gras sliders and a coffee-crusted New York strip. 225 N. Cañon Dr., 310.860.7800, montagebeverlyhills.com $$$ Polo Lounge Chef Alex Chen replaces Robert Allen at this landmark restaurant inside the Beverly Hills Hotel, which has long been the site of one of the city’s most important power lunches. Word’s still out on the new menus. Stay tuned. 9641 Sunset Blvd., 310.887.2777, thebeverlyhillshotel.com $$$ The Roof Garden Te poolside cafe and bar on the rooftop of Te Peninsula Hotel is one of Beverly Hills’ best-kept secrets, and we can’t think of any place we’d rather be on our day off than here eating citrus-marinated kampachi in the sunshine. Come nightfall, you’ll find us in front of the fire pit with a perfect Martini in hand. 9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd., 310.975.2855, peninsula.com/beverly_hills $$$ Spago Wolfgang Puck’s flagship is still the most important restaurant in town. Chef Lee Hefter does most of the cooking these days (sublime California cuisine), but you can still sample Puck’s famous pizzas, pastas and Austrian classics. 176 N. Cañon Dr., 310.385.0880, wolfgangpuck.com $$$ 208 Rodeo Munch on sesame-orange shrimp or mascarpone pumpkin ravioli while enjoying some of the best people- watching in town atop the steps via the Rodeo shopping plaza. 208 Via Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310.275.2428, 208rodeo.com $$ Urasawa Chef Hiro Urasawa is the best chef of Japanese cuisine in California—if not all of North America. His attention to detail is simply unparalleled. Te kaiseke menu is set, so all you have to do is show up and enjoy. Tis is one of the most expensive restaurants on the West Coast ($350 per person), but worth absolutely every penny. Be forewarned: After one meal here, you will have trouble enjoying sushi anywhere else. By appointment only. 218 N. Rodeo Dr., 310.247.8939 $$$$ Villa Blanca Done up in shabby chic style with Roman-like columns and fabulous floral arrangements, this restaurant serves an array of classic Italian/ Mediterranean fare with an occasional Asian accent (naturally, since the chef hails from perennial hot spot Koi). 9601 Brighton Way, 310.859.7600, villablancarestaurant.com $$$ Wolfgang’s Steakhouse Wolfgang Zwiener, former head waiter at the legendary Peter Luger Steakhouse in Brooklyn, has opened a branch of his new steakhouse chain (superb porterhouse steaks) in BeverlyHills, where the staff routinely delivers rousing renditions of “Happy Birthday.” 445 N. Cañon Dr., Beverly Hills, 310.385.0640, wolfgangssteakhouse.com $$$$
Publication List
