- 整體 5
- 食物 5
- 服務 5
- 氛圍 5
I'll start with the obvious - it's an expensive restaurant. $295 base price + $125 for the non-alcoholic beverage pairing (more on that later). But I would argue that if you're looking for a splurgy, high-end meal in LA this is the one you should go for and that it's worth the price for three main reasons.
1. Chef Dave has always been a conceptual sort of guy and while he's easing into it since it's just the first month of a new restaurant, you can already see how smart all of this food is and how much thought has going in to creating a narrative that is seasonal, thought-provoking, and delicious. This is probably the restaurant at it's most accessible if you want to go out with friends who like good food but are scared of Vespertine. I love that I never quite know where in the tasting menu I am - Chef Dave is great at mixing sweet and savory and disrupting the usual soup -salad-fish-fowl-meat-dessert parade.
2. The NA pairing is exceptional. These are true pairings that actively enhance the dishes (something I sometimes struggle to feel with a normal wine pairing). Each drink is complex and layered and obviously made with witchcraft. I audibly gasped twice. Do not sleep on this, it's super unique and exactly the type of thing you come to a restaurant like this for!!
3. The experience is good (I think it will become great once they hit their stride). Service is warm and attentive without being suffocating. Every server I asked could answer all of my persnickety questions about each dish. The space itself is brooding and moody, but warm. The impeccable ceramics will give you your Instagram shot (especially if you get the vividly colorful NA pairing). There are only 12 tables. The pacing of the meal was great and we left feeling full but not stuffed. This is a very comfortable place to come eat - you're mindful that something special is happening, but you don't feel like you need to be special to deserve to be there.
10/10 will go back again!