need advice please

[fero style]

hi everyone ,

Im from DC and I have 2 nights to spend here in LA , I already booked a table at Patina for tonight , I need help for tomorrow night please. money is not an issue , I need the best service and food and flexibility on the menu . Im thinking about Wolfgang Puck`s Spago , if you have better experiences please let me know

[Carolyn Tillie]

Welcome, fero!

I think Spago is going to be too much like Patina. What don't you get in DC that might be of interest? L.A. is such a diverse place that it might be an opportunity for you to experiment with something really different -- authentic Mexican? REAL California cuisine?

For a true California experience, I would recommend either Josie, Joe's in Venice, or Lucques. L'Orangerie is the ultimate in haute cuisine, but may be too similar to the French-style stuff you can get on the East Coast.

Hope that helps!

[tanabutler]

hi everyone ,

Im from DC and I have 2 nights to spend here in LA , I already booked a table at Patina for tonight , I need help for tomorrow night please. money is not an issue , I need the best service and food and flexibility on the menu . Im thinking about Wolfgang Puck`s Spago , if you have better experiences please let me know

Chef David Kinch, when I asked him about the best restaurants in L.A., recommended Melisse (Chef Josiah Citrin), Bastide ("Bastide is the best"), AOC, Spago, Maple Drive, and possibly Valentino.

Edited August 30, 2004 by tanabutler (log)

[Muffin210]

Where in LA are you staying, and what type of cuisine are you looking for? I agree with Carolyn that Spago and Patina are going to be a lot alike...although, I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing if that is what you are looking for. I also agree with her in that the "best" restaurants in LA might be very similar to the "best" restaurants in DC, and that exploring the diversity of cuisines offered in the area might be another approach.

I like Table 8 alot...Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills is another very L.A. restaurant (go for the omakase -- chef's choice...other LA sushi suggestions: R-23, Mori, Sushi Sasabune, and Nishimura) but I don't know if Nobu already has a restaurant in DC...Melisse in Santa Monica...very popular (but IMHO overrated, although everyone else seems to love them) LA places also include Valentino in Santa Monica and Crustacean in Beverly Hills...

If you narrow down your criteria a little more, maybe we can give you some better suggestions. Let us know what you choose and how your meals turn out!

[fero style]

already thanks for the suggestions , the cuisines I prefer new american , french usually. but if there is a place that is known with its good food and service I can try different cuisines . Im in the restaurant business as a head server , so I also need a place with good service , so I can have new experiences

I also extended my staying another day so I have another night to see another place. I`ll share my experience with you as well

thanks again

[arkestra]

In addition to some of the good suggestions above, consider Campanile. I've never been disappointed by a meal there.

Campanile

[fero style]

thank you so much everyone for the recommendations ,

I was at patina for dinner , spago for lunch , bastide for dinner.

I had ocean tasting menu at patina and I think the food is great , there was no problem with the service but the server didnt know the menu well , he couldnt answer my questions ( just asked if there is any kind of pork products in the food , nothing hard) .but overall its a very nice place ,

spago is the other place where the waitress didnt have a clue about the menu , but the food is still good. for some reason I felt like its a factory .

bastide is definitely the place with the service and the food . everything is so professional and they are willing to do any kind of changes , I had the chefs menu that is not listed on the menu. that was the 4th tasting menu other than the regular tasting menus.

I`d definitely put that restaurant to my number 1 , 2. will be patina and 3. is spago. (I could put spago to number 5 or 6 but I dont have enough time )

I`ll go to chicago tomorrow to try some restaurants in there , I have reservation at Charlie Trotters already. and the chef at bastide told me to try `TRU` so I guess I`ll.

if any of you guys have a chance to come to DC , the restaurant I work at named `Corduroy` new american cuisine, please stop by

thank you again for the help

[Muffin210]

Glad to hear you had some good meals...I should go back to Bastide -- it's been a long time. What was on the chef's menu that you got? Last time I went was when they were having a special white truffle menu...yumm....

By the way: Happy Birthday!

[fero style]

the chefs menu that night ,the amuse was an inspiration from bloody mary :basil mousse and tomato sorbet on a spoon with ciroc vodka , very cool. I started with toro blue fin and sushi rice ice cream with ginger oil (killer), as my second course lamb loin with lemongrass and hazelnuts with lamb tartare , my 3rd course was cauliflower soup with almond essence (another killer) , my fish was dorade royale in meringue ,

than to clean the palate they gave me grape sorbet , I had the long island duck breast with juniper berries, grapefruit mushrooms and grapefruit syrup (excellent)

I had the cheese course , you have to choose among almost 10 different types. pont lavek , banon , and the aged complex cows cheese were very good. I had the choco dessert , I love choco . I think that was a complete pro menu.

anyway , thanks for the birthday , which I celebrated at a local italian restaurant in orange , the name is `pomodoro`, tiramisu is very good . friendly service but too much olive oil in everything , still ok .

see you again