CUT on Valentine’s Day
By Tony Valenzuela
My husband, Rob, and I celebrated our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple at Wolfgang Puck’s Cut, the celebrity chef’s signature LA steakhouse, located in the storied Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Already showered with accolades since its opening in June 2006, including “restaurant of the year” in Esquire magazine, I’d made our reservation a month early to secure our table for 2 at 8 pm – or so I thought. When I called the week before to confirm, there was no record of it.
My conversation with Patty, the maitre d’, went something like this: In attempting to explain, I am quickly interrupted by Patty who takes a curt tone. “We didn’t start taking Valentine’s reservations until the 16th. You would not have a reservation unless you returned the pre-pay form.” I reply, calmly, “But I made our reservation with the hostess on the 14th and was never offered a form …” Patty, confrontationally, “I am not getting into a confrontation with you.” I come back with, “But I …” Dismissively, Patty says, “I’m going to get off the phone now. Will have to see what I can do and call you back.”
Astonished, I hung up. I felt like Pretty Woman ignored by the Rodeo Drive shopkeeper (DD's note: good reference Tony, same hotel as in the movie too). Does Cut consider itself recession proof? Was it that I’m not a celebrity that the maitre d’ wouldn’t even entertain the possibility that this may have been their error? Not to be mistaken as conciliatory, Patty called later that evening to give us 9 pm.
Let me jump ahead of this unpleasantness to discuss the food, much of which was excellent, and ultimately a good reason you may choose to pay the steep prices at Cut. The five-course Valentine’s Day menu was priced at $120 per person and started with a nice amuse bouche of mini potato-parmesan knishes. As an appetizer, Rob ordered the maple glazed pork belly that was savory sweet and tender as butter. My Maine diver scallop gratin with black truffles was sublime. I could have eaten two dozen and happily forfeited the rest of the meal. The sides included creamed spinach topped with a fried egg, tempura onion rings, a delicious soft polenta with parmesan and a sauté of vegetables. The courses were spaced appropriately and delivered with attentive and professional skill by our server, Jennifer.
The main event at Cut is the steak, of course. The restaurant chars their meat, which is not my preference, but it does keep the juices inside. Rob’s 20-ounce rib eye and my 10-ounce sirloin were very good, but not great. As we were enjoying our meal which was by most accounts exceptional, I could not shake the feeling that some customers at Cut are not as valued as some others, and here’s why.
When we were finally seated at a quarter past nine, we weren’t placed in the dining room exactly but in a landing leading to it. Four provisional tables had been set up to accommodate the overflow. Our table was the first of these nearest the entrance jutted up against the corner wall. Rob’s view was of the open kitchen and mine was 6 inches behind Rob’s head: a fire extinguisher, an “A” grade, a hazardous materials notice and an unused elevator. The award-winning design of the dining room by the Getty Center’s celebrity architect, Richard Meier, was lost on us completely.
Rob called the manager. To his credit, Andrey Godzhik listened with grace and modesty and in the end comped our $98 bottle of Phelps Cabernet, a considerable gesture of good will. But the insult to injury of our table sadly marred the restaurant’s evident strengths and though Rob’s dark chocolate soufflé and my warm brioche doughnuts were heavenly, our Valentine’s Day dinner at Cut will probably be remembered by an ungracious maitre d’, a lousy table and the rest of the staff that did its best to make up for it.
CUT
The Regent Beverly Wilshire
9500 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills
(310) 276-8500
wolfgangpuck.com
Friday
Tuesday
The Scene: Richard Meier Architectural
Cuisine: Steak House to the next level
Must Try: Kobe Steak
Star Rating: 3.5 of 4
Average Cost: $30-$120 for Entrees
The Regent Beverly Wilshire
9500 Wilshire Blvd. (N. Beverly Dr.)
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
310-276-8500
The pun is so obvious, not even the fabulous Dining Duo would touch it with a ten-inch pole!
This restaurant really makes the cut. At the Regent Beverly Hills Hotel, the once dingy “dining room” steeped in history has been completely transformed by Maestro Wolfgang Puck and architect Richard Meier. Gone are the dark booths, replaced with light ash wood floors, white walls and French windows that beckon in light. The ceiling is equally bright. A few strands of green ivy adorn the corner, and the wait-staff, clad totally in black, contrast the clean palate.
The moment you enter, the myriad staff bustles over you. Tracy, our beautiful, Irish lassie, more than impressed us with her accomplished style and attentive service. When Scott asked the difference between two wine selections, she immediately brought samples of each; nice touch. Our wine was beautifully decanted, and the bottle displayed on a silver tray.
A variety of meat cuts were presented, displaying the nature of Kobe beef prior to its preparation. The servers delivered food with utmost precision, orienting the plates so that the presentation was properly positioned. The busboys poured water, offering a napkin shield in front so that sprinkles would not end on your plate.
The appetizers are lip-smacking. We drooled over the dessert-like Foie Gras Pave, with Tunisian-spiced tuiles, and a lacquering of date chutney ($22). Also not to be missed was the lobster and crab “Louis” cocktail, served with a spicy tomato horseradish for $26. The maple-glazed pork belly coated with a sesame-orange dressing and garnished with watercress ($16) delighted Scott, although Michael thought it paled compared to the other extraordinary appetizers.
Come to Cut for the meats. All of the dishes created by Chef Ari Rosenson, are char-grilled, then placed under a 1200º broiler to seal in the juices and melt the meat so it’s tender and buttery. The Kobe Wagyu beef is said to be corn-fed, sake- and beer-imbibed, and even massaged to make happy cows. The Dining Duo’s question is “Whose job is that?” With no artificial hormones and environmentally friendly, the true Japanese 100% Wagyu beef from Kagoshima, Japan, offers six ounces of New York sirloin for $120; for that price, we’d rather have Kobe Bryant, but it was as tasty as we assume he would be; probably better. The grilled Sonoma lamb chops ($48) rocked the Dining.
The hamburger sliders, a combination of American Wagyu and Angus “Kobe Style” beef from Idaho are best with celestial French fries. Don’t miss the tempura onion rings and the caramelized sweet corn, as well as a variety of other tantalizing side dishes, all for $10 each.
For sweets, the Lady in Red Peach “Melba”, served with pistachio gelato, comes with a fascinating story originating Peach Melba in 1871. While enjoying the environment, placemats, tables, chairs, and cutlery, all created by Richard Meier, try the Inside-Out Profiteroles, served up with coffee-chicory ice cream, a must for dark chocolate lovers. Wolfgang circulates the room, shaking hands with the known and unknown, while the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn enjoy dinner here. Don’t come if you’re on a budget, though.
Posts
