Lunch--fine dining experience, good value (Friday)

[Ms. Verde]

It has been my experience that you can often experience a really upscale restaurant, much more reasonably at lunch. I'm lunching with an old friend who is not too adventurous, so the menu needs to have some tasty, but not too spicy, salad type options. I'm a hound, so I'd love some either classic old school favorites or something more original. We are meeting at Union Station, but have the whole day together, so we are not confined to downtown.

[ElissaInPlaya]

Scarpetta at the Montage might be lovely -- if you can go to Beverly Hills.

http://www.montagebeverlyhills.com/be...

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Scarpetta
225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

[sushigirlie]

With the focus being on good value, as opposed to the best restaurants I can name that are open for lunch, I'd recommend Cafe Pinot downtown. They have a $20 two-course lunch menu.

If you sit at the bar, Pizzeria Mozza has an excellent $20 special. You get a glass of house wine, a pizza of your choice, and a dessert of your choice. http://girl-loves-food.blogspot.com/2... . I don't know that Pizzeria Mozza is "fine dining" or "really upscale" but the food is excellent.

Not worrying so much about value, my favorite place to have lunch is the patio at Spago.

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Cafe Pinot
700 West Fifth St., Los Angeles, CA 90071

Pizzeria Mozza
641 N. Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036

[Servorg]

I think the Mozza lunch special runs only Monday through Thursday, and since the OP is going on Friday it wouldn't be available.

[westsidegal]

although i don't know of any "fine dining" that also has "good value,"
the "fine dining places that i've liked are:
1) fig restaurant in santa monica located in the hotel at 101 wilshire blvd. they serve lunch until 2 pm, i believe. i LOVE LOVE LOVE this place and the food they serve.
and
2) michaels restaurant in santa monica serves entree salads that cost about $25/salad.
they definitely offer fine dining in a beautiful environment. generally their food items cost more than the food at Fig.
or, alternatively,

if you want "good value" and are willing to forego "fine" dining, then get one of the lovely $15 entree salads that are served at 26 Beach restaurant at 3100 washington blvd in the marina.

if you want a steakhouse kind of place, there is always Pacific Dining Car which is downtownish. i've enjoyed many terrific expense-account lunches there. . . .

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26 Beach
3100 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292

Pacific Dining Car
1310 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017

[perk]

Providence is open for lunch on Friday....always my top choice for fine dining.

[foodiemahoodie]

This is a challenge. And a little oxymoronic - fine dining and good value though not mutually exclusive, are problematic in concert. A salad? Really?

Providence is open on Fridays. I'd say try to make a value out of it by sharing food.

[Juji]

Valentino is open for lunch on Fridays, but I'm not sure if the prices are any less than they are at dinner. The web site doesn't have a lunch menu. But it definitely qualifies as fine dining.

[foodiemahoodie]

Chinois.

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Chinois
2709 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405