58760 Fri Feb 27 19:08:23 -0800 2004 7 2 Los Angeles Area 0 308167 I'd like to compare notes with anyone who has been to the new Patina in Disney Hall. I'd like to think that my less than wonderful experience was a fluke. The room was attractive. The square plates look sleek but make you chase food around a flat surface. The cutlery are really unattractive as well as impractical. The cutting edge of the knife looks the same as the non-cutting edge and the forks are really awful. Heavy and with too much space between the tines. The food was mediocre and the sommelier was snotty. We were happy to pay corkage but he did not even offer to decant a 1982 Bordeaux. Not only that but poured the second bottle right into the glasses which were still half full of the first. Granted it was the same vintage but nontheless when you pay the kind of prices they charge, you would think they would atleast let you finish what was in your glass before topping it up. The desserts were SHOCKINGLY bad. We had a blood orange mousse which had absolutely no taste. At least they took if off our bill when informed. It was a really disappointing experience as once upon a time Patina used to be my favourite restaurant in LA. Fri Feb 27 19:08:23 -0800 2004 0 K.L.Wang 1 308170 There was just a thread on this yesterday (included below). Seems like the verdict is pretty universal----this place just doesn't cut it. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/58701#307787 Fri Feb 27 19:16:32 -0800 2004 308167 0 Eric Archer 2 308175 What happened? Did they change chef's in the move? Fri Feb 27 19:37:28 -0800 2004 308170 0 David Tseng 3 308179 not just chefs, the entire waitstaff quit as well. that's what i heard. when i went for dinner they had no record of having reserved a booth for me and they sat us right by the door. i thought the food was really nice--we went for the black truffle dinner and the service was great. but the missing reservation was an unexpected surprise. and that was after they had somehow doubled our reservation for the night. overall though, i really enjoyed the restaurant. Fri Feb 27 19:47:16 -0800 2004 308175 0 Me 1 308202 Was having a hard time believing that this iconic place could be as poor as reflected on this board, especially after reading the rave in Los Angeles Magazine this month. So went earlier this week. Shockingly mediocre food at world class prices, knowlegable, but high strung and somewhat dismissive wine steward, problems with comfortable seating. Waitstaff per se were fine and I can vouch for those who raved about the cheese service. You can go only so far on pure reputation. Fri Feb 27 23:46:46 -0800 2004 308167 0 DE Bowman 2 308214 I feel so much better now. I was beginning to think I was getting crotchety in my old age. I have wonderful memories of dinners at Patina on Melrose. Chris Meeske was also one of the best sommeliers in the city so it was doubly disappointing that his replacement was such a horror. In the old days, if you had arrived at Patina with a nice bottle of red, Chris would always ask whether we wanted to start with some white or go directly into the red. I hear he has opened a wine shop in South Pasadena and I wish him all the best. Sat Feb 28 03:18:52 -0800 2004 308202 0 K.L.Wang 3 308318 I couldn't agree more. Chris was a true gem. The new guy is probably as knowlegable, but doesn't compare in people skills. I used to go to Patina regurarly to restore my faith that LA really did have a great restaurant. Patina's decline is all the more difficult to personally accept in view of its past. Sun Feb 29 23:17:29 -0800 2004 308214 0 Griller141 1 308206 Interesting that the wine steward was overly generous when the wine was yours, but parsimonious to say the least when ordering the by the glass tasting matches. Sat Feb 28 00:13:15 -0800 2004 308167 0 Gary G.