Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Spago

I love Dine LA Week!

Dine LA Week is when everyone in town takes advantage of the somewhat easy-on-the-wallet 3-course meal at selected restaurants. There are three pricing groups: inexpensive, moderate, and expensive. I usually go straight to the restaurants that are expensive. Now it is wise to check out their Dine LA week menu to make sure it's worth spending the money even though the 3-course meal is a fraction of what normal prices are. I was quite disappointed with the menus this time around. The only restaurant that piqued my interest was Wolfgang Puck's Spago.

I don't know why it has taken me almost 14 years to finally try Spago. Ok, well, the first decade was because I just couldn't afford it and I hated going to Beverly Hills where everything's so expensive and image is the utmost important thing in life...fast forward - I finally see a Spago's Dine LA Week menu that's worth my$28 bucks. Oh there's a lunch price and a dinner price. Dinner was $44, so I went for the lunch instead. My colleagues Dimiter, who's cheaper than me, and Julie joined me in popping my Spago cherry.

I now know to request a table in the courtyard as that's the power seating area. Every one's eyes wandered to that section, star gazing, while I was food gazing. I'm such a hippo.

We started with prosciutto...
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and the braised oxtail tortellini with wild mushrooms and pea shoots...
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The prosciutto was delicious-- lean and not chewy, but the braised oxtail tortellini was out of this world. It was my favorite part of the entire meal.

Julie struck out on ordering the grilled ‘tandoori’ loch duart salmon with marinated cucumbers, cilantro-mint raita and tomato-tamarind chutney.

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With all the spices, one would have expected to be in India with one bite but unfortunately you find yourself in Ireland. It severely lacked flavor. Thank goodness I ordered the
roasted rack of kurobuta pork with alsacien style cabbage and apple-rosemary compote. The fruit concoction really complimented with the pork.

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As we were about to start our dessert, Mr. Wolfgang Puck showed up at our table. Now that's sweet! I don't know if it's because it's LA Dine week but he made his round to every table. Well, I guess that's guaranteeing a return visit to Spago. We ordered the lemon, lemon, lemon – cake, creamy sabayon, glace winter farmers market sorbet, and my friend, you do not need to drink coffee to wake up. Spago probably used up an entire lemon farm for that one dessert. Don't get me wrong, it was good but VERY lemony.
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Um...I forgot what our our next dessert was called as it was different from the website, but we were relieved that it was a chocolate dessert. It was very light and certainly hit the spot!
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We loved our experience at Spago and definitely look forward to our next visit.

Address: 176 N. Canon Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Phone#: 310.385.0880

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1 comment:

  1. Looks fantastic! Sign me up for some oxtail tortellini..after lent.

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