Fine Dining in LA or Vicinity

[ErinB]

What do you think are the top few fine dining experiences in the LA area.

I'm going to be in LA for 1-2 months, and may try one or two.

Currently, I'm leaning toward Sona.

I'm not looking to do sushi.

What do people think of Bastide? I haven't seen much discussion of it on here ...

Any other suggestions, even if they're out of town ...

[tsquare]

try this and report back, please:

sous of FL

[hollywood]

What do you think are the top few fine dining experiences in the LA area.

I'm going to be in LA for 1-2 months, and may try one or two.

Currently, I'm leaning toward Sona.

I'm not looking to do sushi.

What do people think of Bastide? I haven't seen much discussion of it on here ...

Any other suggestions, even if they're out of town ...

Where are you coming from and what are you looking for? Does your definition of fine dining include ambience or just the actual food? Fine dining along these lines frequently includes mentions of Spago, Sona, Bastide, Grace, Josie, L'Orangerie, La Cachette, Bel Air Hotel, Lucques, etc.

[mikeczyz]

i ate @ sona back in march and found it interesting. i did the 9 course chef's tasting.

mike

[ErinB]

Coming from the NYC metro area. I have a general idea on what the high end restaurants are, but wanted to hear some thoughts on them, aside from what I can find in the Zagat guide.

Don't want to do Spago. I've already been to Chinois and was underwhelmed.

[robyn]

What do you think are the top few fine dining experiences in the LA area.

I'm going to be in LA for 1-2 months, and may try one or two.

Currently, I'm leaning toward Sona.

I'm not looking to do sushi.

What do people think of Bastide? I haven't seen much discussion of it on here ...

Any other suggestions, even if they're out of town ...

Why no sushi? If you don't like it - or don't want raw seafood for some reason - ok. You won't get an argument. But if you think it's not "fine dining" - or have some similar thoughts - give it another look. We were in Los Angeles for a week last year - and explored a fair amount (given that we only had a week). Hands down - our best "fine dining" experiences were at high end sushi restaurants.

By the way - we had fun at Chinois on Main at lunch on another trip. Guess what made it fun was that I ran into the restaurant in shorts while my husband and a male friend were waiting in the car - and asked if wearing shorts was ok. The fellow at the front desk said "sure". So the guys then came in wearing shorts. And the shorts that were ok for me weren't ok for them. They were told they had to wear long pants. But they didn't have any in the car. So the kitchen staff offered to lend them kitchen pants - kind of a variant on the "borrowed jacket". Normally my husband wouldn't have agreed - but he knew how much I wanted to try the restaurant. So he and his friend dined wearing kitchen pants. It was a hoot :). And the staff was kind of red in the face. To compensate - they brought us out some extra dishes which were better than anything we had from the menu. We did try Spago on our last trip - and think you can safely skip it. Robyn

[ErinB]

The friend i'll be going with doesn't do raw fish.

[hollywood]

All things considered, I'd recommend Josie in Santa Monica, sort of French, sort of American, with some but not sole emphasis on game. If you want something hip, it's the little plates at A.O.C. in West Hollywood. If you want an upscale steakhouse, there's a slew of them now.

[hollywood]

Let's be candid about this. The City is full of New Yorkers who've come to LA looking for fine dining experiences and been disappointed. Only 2 places have generally pleased New Yorkers: Ginza SushiKo (which has moved to Manhattan) and The French Laundry (which is in Napa Valley and is opening up a related store in Manhattan). So, in that regard, why bother? But if you must, here are some recent thoughts. http://www.laweekly.com/ink/04/01/dining-huneven.php

On the other hand, you could get the idea that LA's strength is a bounty of Asian and Pan Latin dining experiences sans white, pink, salmon table cloths. Pick up Gold's Counter Intelligence and check out the variety of Chinese in the San Gabriel Valley, the multitude of Thai in Hollywood (and North Hollywood), the Japanese in Little Tokyo, Sawtelle, etc., the Mexican/Oaxacan/Salvadorean/Cuban all around the place. It's your choice: be disappointed, or be informed.

[jschyun]

Very well said, hollywood.

[mongo_jones]

is there anything more tiresome than new york snobbery about l.a food? i especially like it when new yorkers complain about chinese food in l.a. you could eat in a different restaurant in the san gabriel valley every day of the year without eating a meal that any but the very best chinese restaurant in new york could compare with.

even at the fine dining end of things--for those who don't like "ethnic" foods--there's just so much in l.a. apart from the names hollywood has already mentioned there's joe's, the water grill, the drago bros.' various italian houses, campanile, patina etc. etc.

put this down to a sudden burst of overwhelming nostalgia from a recent exile from lost angela.

[ErinB]

Well, I'm not a complete and total snob. I've already been to LA once, see this post ...

I've already been to A.O.C. and that ranks among my favorite restaurant experiences ever. I was really just wondering what people thought were the best fine dining experiences and why, so I could base my decision on that. I was seriously considering going to Sona, and I'll probably still do that, since that sounds most interesting. If anyone has gone to Bastide, I would be interested in hearing thoughts. I'm basically looking to avoid going to an overrated, hyped up restaurant.

I'll be in the area for two months, so I'll definitely be eating tons of thai and mexican food anyway.

Edited November 30, 2003 by ErinB (log)

[hollywood]

You may have noticed that the fine dining establishments in LA are almost always French based. Well, putting aside Nobu's places. There's also the possibility of Italian, specifically, Valentino in Santa Monica. Good food and a very extensive wine list. Genereally, there are two schools of thought here. First, unless you are known at the restaurant, you are treated cooly and left unsatisfied, what's the big deal, etc. Contrarily, throwing caution (and your credit card) to the wind, you advise the waitstaff that you want the kitchen to put together a memorable meal for you, hang the cost. Ditto with the sommelier. This has produced amazing results.

[Schneier]

Ginza SushiKo (which has moved to Manhattan)

Did it? Where? What's the new location/name?

Bruce

[hollywood]

Ginza SushiKo (which has moved to Manhattan)

Did it? Where? What's the new location/name?

Bruce

I think it's the same name. Supposed to be on Columbus Circle. Apparently in the AOL-Time Warner building. The same building where Keller's place is going to be. Gee, I wonder who has the dough to afford these restaurants?

Edited December 2, 2003 by hollywood (log)

[mikeczyz]

Ginza SushiKo (which has moved to Manhattan)

Did it? Where? What's the new location/name?

Bruce

It's to be called Asayoshi. Rumored to be 500 bucks a diner. I'm really disappointed that I failed to go back in March when I had a chance....

mike

[mixmaster b]

I like Sona! You should check it out. The thing I like about it is that the chef is going his own thing. Very personal. Do the 9 course menu if you can, but skip the wine pairing.

Can't comment on Bastide as I've not been. (It's on the list...)

If you liked AOC, you might check out Lucques. Same chef & proprieter. I'd stay away from the family dinner (monday, I think).

Go to Sona if you want subtle, unusual, cal-french (in the best sense), Lucques is cal-med comfort food--great short ribs!

Mongo, in terms of fine dining, I think the New Yorkers have something to be snobby about. I lived there for 8 years and have been here for 5, and I just find that most LA places emphasize scene/celebs over food. There are some exceptions, of course, but NYC is really filled with so many great places. In terms of Chinese, though, you are right. Asain in general is MUCH better here!

[mongo_jones]

I like Sona! You should check it out. The thing I like about it is that the chef is going his own thing. Very personal. Do the 9 course menu if you can, but skip the wine pairing.

Can't comment on Bastide as I've not been. (It's on the list...)

If you liked AOC, you might check out Lucques. Same chef & proprieter. I'd stay away from the family dinner (monday, I think).

Go to Sona if you want subtle, unusual, cal-french (in the best sense), Lucques is cal-med comfort food--great short ribs!

Mongo, in terms of fine dining, I think the New Yorkers have something to be snobby about. I lived there for 8 years and have been here for 5, and I just find that most LA places emphasize scene/celebs over food. There are some exceptions, of course, but NYC is really filled with so many great places. In terms of Chinese, though, you are right. Asain in general is MUCH better here!

far be it from me to disagree with someone named mixmaster b. doubtless you are right about the larger number of fine dining options in nyc than l.a. i was reacting more to the generic "l.a is a culinary wasteland" kind of thing (not saying someone expressed it here). i guess i don't really care about the fine dining stuff too much anyway since i am moved more by l.a's other cuisines--all of which could care a hoot about the strictures of fine dining.

what are your favorite chinese restaurants in the san gabriel valley?

[dfunghi]

Try Bistro 21, Grace, Sona, Mellise, Luques, AOC, Whist , Mori Sushi ( Mori serves a mix of raw and cooked and you can ask for no raw fish for your friend. On my last visit we didnt get "sushi" until last course), and dont miss at least one trip to a decent Mexican place while out here. Gualegetza (sp) is by far the most different from anything in NY.

Most NY'ers that come west and complain about LA were from somwhere else to begin with and think because they spent a year or 2 or 3 in NYC that they are somehow NY'ers now.They aren't and never will be. NYC is famous for many things including eating. But to assume that NY'ers are food snobs is just wrong. Take the millions of slices of pizza and the millions of hot dogs sold each day. I wont begin to mention the Indian dives on 6th st or the Polish restaurants ( alas dissapearing) of the lower east side, or the Columbian, Carribian, Dominican, Thai, Viet, Korean, Italian , etc... Just on Roosevelt Blvd ( it's in Queens for all you New NY'ers ) Great Jewish deli in all 5 boroughs, Italian delis in Bx Q And Bk, How about Greek food from the sublime (Taygetos) to the ordinarry (gyro II). Dont forget all the Jamaican Soul food of Flatbush. Flushing is to NY what Montery Park is to LA. IMHO NYC is still one of the cheapest and diverse eating places I have ever been. Of course Im born and raised in NYC which slants my view.

In California 15 years and loving it, but when I travel and someone asks where Im from I say NYC but I live in Cal.

Bon Apetitte

D

D

[jschyun]

The problem with L.A. is everything is so spread out that it's hard for a visitor to get to the good stuff.

NYC has the subway and you don't need a car, which is so great for visitors. I wish we could get a subway system going here, but it would have to be huge.

[Beachfan]

Didn't care for Lucques the time I was here. My current favorites

Sona (4 or 5 times this year, best in LA)

Melisse (3 times this year all excellent)

Camponille (2 times this year, very good to excellent)

Joe's (2 times this year, very good , slightly more casual)

Spago was my favorite, but my last meal there was disappointing. First one out of 12 though, I'm gonna give it another try though.

I've heard great things about Bastide but because they don't allow corkage, I'm unlikely to try it.

[ferdlisky]

is there anything more tiresome than new york snobbery about l.a food?

Nope.

NYers just don't get LA food.

[hollywood]

NYers just don't get LA food.

Some do, but I can't mention them here.

[jschyun]

What about L.A. snobbery about NY's Chinese, Korean, not to mention Mexican.

Edited January 17, 2004 by jschyun (log)

[ErinB]

Ok, this could be another topic, but I'm sorry, a true foodie if that's what one calls them self (I do ...) wouldn't look down on a place just because it wasn't a Four Star Jean-Georges or what not. A true foodie will appreciate the place, regardless of the atmosphere, service etc. While those are nice perks for special occasions, it isn't a must. The most important thing is the food.

And honestly, most of the regulars on this board, are here for the food.

Clearly, if you are looking for a Four Star experience, there are more options in New York, but I always find one or two gems in every city. My favorite fine dining experiences include one restaurant in New York, one in Seattle, and one in the Berkshires.

And, clearly, from my short time in LA, what LA does best is the Mexican, Thai, and other ethnic cuisines ... not to say that NYC doesn't have a few of those amazing restaurants as well.

I would consider A.O.C. one of those restaurants that I haven't really found anything comparable to in NYC, and so far has been my favorite all around restaurant in LA.