Tag Archives: Los Angeles Tasting Menus

Fez Not Required

Tagine Beverly Hills
When I hear “Moroccan restaurant,” I think of waiters in fezzes and embroidered vests, belly dancers, exotic over-the-top decor and eating with my hands. Tagine in Beverly Hills has none of these things and is all the better for it. Instead of the typical Disney-esque tourist treatment of a Moroccan dining experience, you get the kind of meal that I could see served in the home of a wealthy and cultured family in Tangier or Marrakech.

Tagine, which is co-owned by actor Ryan Gosling, is upscale and incredibly romantic; the ultimate date spot if you’re looking to score. It’s intimate, beautifully understated and dimly lit. Parties of two sit side by side.

As for the food, talented chef Abdessamad “Ben” Benameur elevates classic Moroccan dishes and serves cuisine which is highly refined and across-the-board excellent. I highly recommend going with the tasting menu. Whether you do or not, your meal starts with a tray of amuse-bouches which often include cups of asparagus soup, vegetable cigars and spoons of goat cheese with dates. The homemade hummus with freshly baked Berber bread and the tomato and cucumber tartar topped with lemon sorbet and raspberries should not be missed. I also love the bastilla with buttery, crispy phyllo dough atop a mixture of Cornish hen, scrambled eggs, saffron and sugar, as well as the tender and juicy lamb chops marinated in Moroccan seven spices.

The best is saved for last: a life-altering rich chocolate soup with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream, accompanied by sticky and sweet baklava. It’s one of the best chocolate desserts I’ve ever eaten; right up there with the Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity in NYC.

Tagine is located at 132 N. Robertson Blvd. in Beverly Hills.

Amuse Bouche:  Asparagus Soup, Goat Cheese with Dates, and Vegetable Cigars

Amuse-Bouches: Asparagus Soup, Goat Cheese with Dates, and Vegetable Cigars


Bastilla

Bastilla


Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables


Sea Bass Tagine

Sea Bass Tagine


Lamb Chops marinated in the seven spices

Lamb Chops marinated in the seven spices


Chocolate Soup served with Vanilla Ice Cream and Baklava

Chocolate Soup served with Vanilla Ice Cream and Baklava



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Haute Stuff


If you’ve read my Manifesto, you know I believe that Los Angeles is the most exciting food city in the world right now.  But with that said, there’s one thing that’s sorely lacking here.  There is a surprising dearth of fine dining restaurants in this city; places that offer very high end cuisine, a tasting menu, a sommelier, impeccable service and an elegant and romantic atmosphere. One of the few such places that we do have is Melisse. Helmed by master chef Josiah Citrin, Melisse serves gorgeous plates of contemporary French cuisine and offers a world-class wine list. The food is refined and innovative, and the offerings change nightly.

Dinner at Melisse is not just a meal, it’s an experience, and one that typically lasts between 3 1/2 and 4 hours, especially if you get one of the lengthier tasting menus. One of Chef Citrin’s signature dishes is “Egg Caviar,” a cut eggshell with a layer of runny yolk at the bottom, a layer of lemon-chive creme fraiche in the middle and a pile of American Osetra caviar on top. When all mixed together, it is a spectacular taste sensation. Other dishes I love are the unusual Fennel Flan with Orange Gelee, Cashew Foam and Vanilla, the incredible Maine Lobster Bolognese with Fresh Capellini, Truffle Froth & Grated Black Truffle, and the perfectly cooked Filet of Beef and Braised Cheek with Potato Pave and Puree, Mustard Greens, Bearnaise and Red Wine Braising Jus. As you would expect, a meal at Melisse is not inexpensive. So for most of us, this is a special occasion restaurant; the perfect place to celebrate an important birthday, anniversary or job promotion, and live large for a few hours.

Melisse is located at 1104 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica.

Amuse Bouche: Salmon Skin with Cured Salmon and Salmon Roe


Fennel Flan with Orange Gelee, Cashew Foam and Vanilla


Egg Caviar with Poached Egg, Lemon-Chive Creme Fraiche and American Osetra Caviar


Blue Fin Tuna with Abalone Gelee, Rhubarb, Fennel & Finger Lime


Hot and Cold Foie Gras with Blueberry, Ginger and Hazelnut (off the menu now because of the foie gras ban)


Artichoke Truffle Agnolotti with Charred Leek-Orange Blossom Jus

Maine Lobster Bolognese with Fresh Capellini, Truffle Froth & Grated Black Truffle


Seared Hokkaido Scallop with Salsify, Toasted Barley and Vadouvan


Filet of Beef and Braised Cheek with Potato Pave and Puree, Mustard Greens, Bearnaise and Red Wine Braising Jus


Liberty Duck Breast with Confit of Blood Oranges and Turnips, Spiced Couscous and Sauce Bigarade


Chocolate, Caramel & Strawberry

The dining room is elegant, romantic and understated.



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