Do you want an extraordinary meal in a comfortable setting with a festive high-end crowd? There's none better than the Polo Lounge, which has been put back on the map by Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage, Robert Allen.




Chef Allen gave the Dining Duo an exclusive recipe, and we're sharing it with you, our loyal readers:



Roasted Scallops, Green Pea & Butter Lettuce Puree, Mint Vinaigrette (Serves 4 people)



Ingredients:

-8 scallops (U-10 count)

-2oz. Butter

-1 small onion - chopped fine

-1 small head butter lettuce – chopped fine

-3 sprigs fresh mint

-1 cup. Fresh peas, shucked, raw

-1/4 cup Fresh peas, blanched & double shucked

-1/4 cup tomato concasse

-3 tsp. sugar

-125ml. white wine

-1/2 shallot very finely chopped

-4oz. heavy cream

-1tsp. lemon juice

-3 tbsp. champagne vinegar - hot

-1/4 cup. safflower oil

-Salt & freshly ground white pepper to taste

-Micro herbs to garnish



Method:

To make the mint vinaigrette:

-Chop the mint leaves, reserving two whole leaves for the pea puree.

-Place the chopped mint, 2 tsp. of the sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium stainless or

glass bowl. Pour the hot vinegar over the mint and let infuse for a few minutes.

-Add the chopped shallots and slowly whisk in ½ of the oil.

-Add the double shucked peas & tomato concasse

-Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.

To make the pea puree:

-Heat half the butter in a medium sauce pot, add the onion and sauté until softened, but do not brown. Add the peas, the remaining mint, the remaining 1 tsp. sugar, pinch of salt, white pepper and the white wine. Simmer gently until the peas are tender.

-Add the cream and reduce by half.

-Add the chopped lettuce and cook just until the lettuce wilts and is still bright green.

-Remove from the heat and puree the mixture with the butter and lemon juice in a blender and pass through a fine mesh sieve.

-Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper.

-Taste and adjust acidity with lemon juice.

To sear the scallops:

-Heat a heavy bottom sauté pan over medium high heat

-Season the scallops with salt and white pepper on all sides

-Add the remaining oil to the hot pan and place the scallops in the pan and sear to golden brown. About 1-2 minutes. Turn the scallops over and sear other until golden brown.

-Remove from heat

-Assemble as per the photo, placing a dollop of the puree on the plate with scallops around the puree and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

-Garnish with fresh micro herbs.

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Vibrato Grill Jazz
2930 Beverly Glen Circle
Bel Air, CA 90077
(310) 474-9400


It’s not that girl from Ipanema; it’s not the big girl from the Abby; it’s that beautiful daughter of the legendary Herb Alpert (and his famous Tijuana Brass), Eden, and when she welcomes you as you walk through the door of Vibrato, you know you’ve arrived to something special.

Hidden at the top of Beverly Glen just south of Mulholland, and far from the maddening crowd, the jam-packed bar is hopping to the cool sounds of jazz as a live band on stage beckons you to come in and join the party. About three years ago, the Alperts poured a ton of money into a defunct restaurant, transforming it into a fashionable and artsy environment centered around an elevated stage. Although it’s always about jazz at Vibrato, it’s also about food—great food. Recently imported from Colorado where the men are men and the sheep run scared, the new chef, Eric Ennis also makes beautiful music in the kitchen.

Although we certainly miss their garlic bread, which we thought to be the best on the west coast, their updated classic Creamy Tomato Soup, served on a Humbolt fog crouton and mixed with basil and olive oil, has been there from the onset and remains a staple at a snappy beat of $10. It’s the perfect way to start the meal. And for those that aren’t diet conscious, start with Michael’s favorite Macaroni & Cheese, a superb zesty blend of three different cheeses and is a definite must for people who are not worried about their girlish figures. We will be on the search for the best Mac & Cheese in the future but Vibrato is up there.

The Butter Lettuce salad, at a cool $11, is a combo of hearts of Palm, shaved Ricotta, toasted walnuts and topped with a flawless green goddess vinaigrette dressing, and it tastes as if freshly imported from Provence in France. If political correctness is not your thing, order up the poor-little-cramped veal, which, served with a bone, looks like a giant tennis racket as it spills over your plate. If you’re like Michael who isn’t concerned about his food being political, then you’ll just love this dish; it is HUGE, which we like! The Salmon (wild, thank you very much) is prepared with a sauce of horseradish infused leek and served per the chef’s suggestion at medium rare. Surrounded by a bed of sweet corn fingerling potato hash and wild aruglua, it is clean and delectable at a crescendo of $34. The Crispy Long Island Duck is as tart as Amy Fisher on the hunt for Mary Jo Buttafuco, prepared with red grapefruit, pearl onions, barley risotto and a sherry gastrique for a jazzy $32. Any of the various grilled selections can be accompanied by a Cabernet red wine sauce, single malt scotch peppercorn sauce, classic béarnaise sauce, sun dried tomato chutney sauce or caramelized onion and bleu cheese sauce, all of which just say, “yum”.

Relax over a hot herbal fresh leaf tea and listen to the to real cool cats on stage as you cleanse your palate with a selections of tangy sorbets. By the time it comes to pay the bill, the music and a full stomach will make you not even take notice.

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