658378 Fri Oct 09 16:13:32 -0700 2009 2 2 Los Angeles Area 0 5092246 Just last week LAist released tips on how to get the most out of dineLA and one of their points is to not go for restaurant week menu offering dishes not originally on their regular menu. At Spago, none of the dishes (minus desserts) offered are on the regular menu. Does this mean Spago dineLA is not a deal? Let me see here. Burrata fig salad with jamon serrano and either poussin or kurobuta pork chop+dessert seems worthy of a $45 Spago meal to me. If you actually look at their regular menu, you'd notice that their cheapest entree offered is $38. A $45 3-course Spago meal? That would be impossible without restaurant week! Fig salad with burrata and jamon serrano. Great figs, great burrata, great jamon. I am not sure about the combination of it all though. I certainly loved the burrata with the jamon and the greens, but not with the figs. I ended up eating the figs separately. Kurobuta Pork Chop. Smaller portion? I think not. This pork chop was so big I managed to take leftovers home. It was a very good pork chop, quite tender and moist, well seasoned. Great flavor and very complementary sauce and garnish. The desserts offered actually do come from the regular menu. I got the Apple Cider Upside Down Cake. The cake had a great flavor but it was a bit too dry for my taste. I should've remembered these types of cakes are generally too dry for my palate. A lot of people seemed to like this though. PepsiMonster got the Dobos, 12 layer chocolate and praline cake with nutella gelato. I like his dessert much better, the chocolate buttercream layer was very smooth but you get just a teeny crunchiness. Great taste and texture. Fri Oct 09 16:13:32 -0700 2009 137622 burumun 1 5114948 I must woefully disagree - not with the contention that you are getting a bargain price on a Spago meal, but that it is actually worth it to dine at Spago, one of the most overrated eateries in Beverly Hills. Even at $44 per person, the menu offerings have zero wow factor in taste or creative preparation. It is always a travesty to me when one peaks at the appetizer course, as was the case here. Despite enjoying the fig salad described above, I felt each of the main courses offered was only "okay," as with the desserts. In fact, I actually felt bad for my dining companion, whose chicken was dry and tasteless. Thank goodness for the wine. Mon Oct 19 12:57:39 -0700 2009 5092246 48080 schmamo 2 5117172 I don't think Spago is overrated at all. However, if you go to Spago and order an appetizer and a main, you won't have the real Spago experience. It is essential to order a tasting menu - just let the chefs cook for you. Also the patio at lunch is one of the prettiest outdoor spaces in Beverly Hills. From a lunch in early October: Tuna tartar in a sesame cone Hamachi Ceviche with Heirloom Tomato Confit Smoked Trout Mousse, Salmon Eggs, Chives, Red Onion, Corn Blini Duck Liver Mousse, Pear Compote, Golden Raisin Tartlets Bruschetta, Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil Aioli Bacon En Croute Heirloom Tomato Sorbet, Tomato Carpaccio, Basil Oil Warm Crispy Baked Pig’s Ears, Gigantic Beans, Chanterelles, Balsamic, Mushroom Emulsion, Wild Arugula Pan Roasted Langoustine, Maryland Crab, Baby Leek Puree, Matsutake Mushrooms, Fresh Grated Yuzu White Corn Agnolotti, Shaved White Truffle Roasted Saddle of Sonoma Lamb, Blood sausage, Sweetbreads, Ragout of Porcini Mushrooms, Figs, Natural Jus Cheese A lovely lunch on a warm, sunny afternoon. More Pics here: http://lizziee.wordpress.com/category/southern-california/spago-beverly-hills/ Tue Oct 20 09:33:27 -0700 2009 5114948 11756 lizziee