49588 Thu Mar 07 11:39:06 -0800 2002 13 2 Los Angeles Area 0 249472 After a year in LA where upscale food was considered a taco stand with chairs, I'm off to Patina. Any suggestions on what's best? Thu Mar 07 11:39:06 -0800 2002 0 rachael 1 249478 Patina's menu changes with the seasons, as I recall. The prix fixe menus are very good. Never tried the vegetarian one even though it always sounds delicious. Patina has some special 2-person meat dishes that take two hours or so to prepare. I believe you can order them ahead (check with the restaurant) and they have received good reviews. I have tried the cheese cart a couple times and always found it very good. Thu Mar 07 12:16:09 -0800 2002 249472 0 Marco Polo 1 249479 I hope I'm not in a minority here, but the best thing would be to change your reservation to a different restaurant. I have had nothing but disappointing meals at Patina. The food is invariably over-seasoned and over-salted, to an unbelievable degree. On top of that, the service is creepy at best and sycophantic at worst. I hate to trash a place but I’ve had many friends who share this opinion. Patina is an upscale business-expense account place that has somehow been sold to people as a temple of dining and I just don’t think it’s so. It’s certainly the nicest and flagship restaurant of the chain but as such it’s also the most expensive. Thu Mar 07 12:34:41 -0800 2002 249472 0 Fidelixi 2 249484 Agree completely...I've only been a few times, each time with someone else paying, but I've never thought it to be a great dining experience. The room, even with the remodel, is not very comfortable. The food is sorta bland and boring - it seems that JS puts more effort into naming the dishes than cooking them.(Cheese cart was superb, however). Wine list nice, but pricey. For my $$$, I'd go to Spago. It's more festive and the food is better. Jon Thu Mar 07 13:06:57 -0800 2002 249479 0 Jon Leventhal 2 249486 hmm -what differing opinions. The choice of restaurant was not mine to make or change. Thu Mar 07 13:17:19 -0800 2002 249479 0 rachael 3 249503 Then I suggest, formost: a good attitude and a suitable dining companion. That way you'll enjoy yourself and with lowered expectations you may be pleasantly surprised. Additionally, it also sounds like you won't be paying for it, which makes it less disturbing should things go south. Ask for a private table (namely, away from the kitchen entrance) and drinks lots of water between courses. I would stick to the game, which I've had better luck with than other dishes. If they have venison etc., I would go for that. Would love to hear your report after you've dined! Thu Mar 07 14:44:30 -0800 2002 249486 0 Fidelixi 3 249547 Check the menu. Check the specials. If cost is not a concern, unless something else really grabs you, go for the tasting menu if they have one that night. Thu Mar 07 19:48:15 -0800 2002 249486 0 mc michael 1 249499 Before it was Patina, it was Le Saint Germaine and I was eating there once or twice week. Then came Patina and it was fabulous, since then (several years ago) it has seriously SLIPPED in the food dept especially recently and I totally agree with the NAY SAYERS about, changing your resv to somewhere else like :MELISSE or LA CACHETTE or SPAGO the owner and Chef of Melisse orginally worked at Patina back in the good old days, the Chef and owner of La Cachette was at L' Orangerie for several years before opening his own place. Thu Mar 07 14:13:28 -0800 2002 249472 0 russkar 1 249527 I haven't been a huge fan of patina for years, but i did have an absolutely wonderful dinner there a couple of weeks ago. In the past, I've found the food pretty and "interesting" but bland. This time there was great interplay of textures and flavors. one of the best "big deal" meals i've eaten in los angeles in the last couple of years. Thu Mar 07 18:20:43 -0800 2002 249472 0 FED 1 249548 Link to the menu. Link: http://patinagroup.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/0067.4.2433731097911487020 Thu Mar 07 19:53:34 -0800 2002 249472 0 mc michael 2 249551 Actually, that link was to Nick & Stef's. Here's Patina... (Nick & Stef's looks a whole lot more enticing...) Link: http://patinagroup.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/0067.28.2424209064611487020 Thu Mar 07 20:17:09 -0800 2002 249548 0 Jeff Shore 3 249560 Nick and Steffs food is only average unfortunately, go to Arnie's around the corner, ask for Joe. Thu Mar 07 22:25:55 -0800 2002 249551 0 russkar 3 249580 This whole link thing has odd angles. When I posted, I intended to cut and paste the page with the Patina Menu. I have every reason to believe you did as well. Now, we both link up to the home page for Patina Group. It's a conspiracy. Fri Mar 08 11:27:37 -0800 2002 249551 0 mc michael 1 249980 So...how was it? Are you an enthusiast or a naysayer? Thu Mar 14 11:36:50 -0800 2002 249472 0 Fidelixi