Spago's - Dine in LA Week

Saturday, January 19, 2019

Our second of three Dine in LA Week dinners scheduled. www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3635.   Spago's in Beverly Hills.  Loads of people tonight. The place is packed  We were seated right next to the table we had last time. Odd coincidence

5 Amuse Bouches. on the prix fixe menu. 

We started out with a Spicy Tuna Tartare, sesame miso tuille. Soft, succulent tuna with miso set in a tuille (cone shaped). This was a two biter.

Savory Parmesan Marshmallow. Do not know what the "marshmallow" is but it is rolled in very finely grated parmesan cheese. A one biter. When you put it in your mouth it just seems to slowly disappear. Flavor is so good.

Lemon Herb Blini with house smoked salmon. Crispy blini and outstanding salmon.

Heirloom Carrot-Kaffir Lime "Chocolate", Chili Oil.  Served in a very tiny pail with ground chocolate that is supposed to be dirt. Shaped like a carrot with a Kaffir Line "sprig". So cute and great flavor. I wonder who sits around and thinks of these things.

We were then escorted into the kitchen for the last Amuse Bouche.  Got to see the workings of producing hundreds of dinners a night. Quite impressive. We we then served a Maple Macaron, with bacon, egg yolk jam and coffee. So decadent. One of my favorites. I could eat a plate full of these delectable s.

First main was called "The Egg". Served on a small wrought iron stand the soft cooked egg had the top off and was filled with Chawanmushi Custard and topped with a slice of black truffle. Egg looks a bit bigger than a quail but smaller than a chicken. Unless it was a very small chicken egg. Custard was decadent and the black truffle just added to it. 

Next was an Olive Oil Poached Ora King Salmon. Very slowly poached in olive oil with beet ponzu, micro amarenth leaves.. This has got to be the only way to cook salmon. So sublime.

A roasted Baby Abalone along with the shell filled with lemon butter and oyster mushrooms. This I will say was a bit of a disappointment.  I had loads of abalone in the late 50"s and early 60"s so I know whence I speak.  This abalone was overcooked. It had a chewy texture that comes with slightly overcooking the "meat".  Abalone is basically a muscle but it should be tender. When I cooked it way back when there were tricks to make it tender, Apparently Spago's cooks haven't figured it out. The parsley/garlic/lemon butter was excellent. Kudo's on that sauce. 

Then came a Glazed Beet and Goat Cheese salad. Baby beets, glazed with something that was good and a very soft burrata cheese.  This is their 2019 version of a signature salad. 

A plate of Hand Made Agnolotti pasta with Italian Chestnuts and Parmesan Reggiano cheese. Another decadent mouthful. . So creamy and rich.

A large tray/basket of assorted breads and crackers appeared. Served with an excellent quality butter and some other spread. Did not ask what it was. 

Next course I absolutely hated. Braised Veal Cheek in a stone pot with Vietnamese Herbs and Puffed Rice. I had about two bites and that was enough for me.  Staff offered to replace it but I declined. I personally am not a big fan of Vietnamese herbs and spices. I really prefer Thai. But this was just plain nasty to me and I thought the meat was very dry even though it was cooked in a liquid. 

A Snake River Farm's Wagu Beef Rib Eye Steak was our last main. This was Wagu but not grade 5. It was good
 but not great. Baked bone marrow was also on the plate with a red wine reduction. Marrow was perfect. One of my dining companions gave me his marrow which I was delighted to take away from him.

Dessert was a Chocolate Marshmallow "Bizou". A round hard chocolate covered soft chocolate ball with blood orange and passion fruit. Just a perfect ending to a very decadent meal All small potions but so rich and decadent there is no way to leave this table hungry.

Stan bought a bottle of 2005 Dom Perignon Brut Rose off the wine list. He said the list price was the same as the store prices. He thought it was a bargain for a restaurant price. $300.  Corkage at Spago is $50 a pop. So bring a really good wine if that is the way you want to go.

I brought a 2009 Pisoni, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir. Decanted it at home for a few hours. Loads of sediment. Drinking really well . A bit reserved for a California Pinot but was the first red wine to be emptied. 

There was a 2009 Chimney Rock, Tomahawk Vineyards, Stags Leaf, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon. Showing very well. Soft, rich fruit.

NV, Laurent-Pierre, Grand Sicele, Grand Cuvee, Champagne.  We drank the champagnes side by side. That is a good way to do it so you can compared the two types of bubbles with different foods.

Rounded out the wines with a 2008 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir.  I almost brought a 09 Ten. It would have been an interesting comparison.

A great dinner, decadent foods, really good wines and a good group of dining companions.  We do it all over again Monday at The Bazaar by Jose Andes