Simon LA in Sofitel Hotel - Yay or Nay?

[Marvin]

Am thinking of taking my SO her for her birthday. Would appreciate it if anyone who has dined here can share with me their impressions - food, service, ambiance and crowd (what age range is it?) especially.

[Marvin]

Thanks for the tips everyone. Sounds like its best to pass on Simon LA for the main meal, but might hit it up after dinner. For dinner, probably gonna try Comme Ca instead.

[AquaW]

From what I've heard, nay for a meal, but yay for small bites (particularly desserts) and drinks. Their most famous offering is a dessert platter (diabetic coma on a plate, as J Gold of LA Weekly described it). Been meaning to check that out myself, but haven't found a dining companion with as big a sweet tooth. ;)

~H.C.
http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com

[paulfromla]

Nay

[hrhboo]

Based on food alone, I'd have to say Nay. You could eat at Comme Ca, Lucques or Sona nearby and go there afterwards for drinks and dessert.

[cookie doh]

We had a family birthday brunch in December at Simon LA and loved it. It's got a great menu, and the service was fantastic. Given that we were there for brunch and it was darned near empty (our reservations were for the earliest they had), I couldn't comment on the crowd or scene elements, but it's a place we'd certainly return, and the management was overwhelmingly accommodating.

I don't know if it's part of the regular dessert menu, but we had the junk food platter for dessert - cotton candy, milkshakes, cookies, snowballs, "hostess" cupcakes, caramel corn and something else - it was so spectacular, we took pictures.

[wutzizname]

It is part of their regular menu...the one thing people continually comment on. But it's way too big for just two people to share, so I didn't get it when I was there. They should offer a mini-version.

[cdub]

they actually do offer a smaller version. you just need to ask them for it. with that said, i didn't think anything in particular in the junk food desert was that great.

[ipsedixit]

Ok place for drinks and maybe dessert.

Full blown dinner for a b-day? Nay.

[wutzizname]

Very mixed reviews on the board, though they really seemed to rise to the Dine LA challenge. My first dinner there, about a year ago, was good but not spectacular. Lunch last month was much better. Crowd is generally 30-something hip. It's definitely got an "event" dinner vibe. But for the money, there are probably better options.