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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We all know that “T.I.P.S.” means “To Insure Proper Service”. But that’s only half the story, as far as The Dining Duo is concerned. Restaurateurs owe some C.A.R.E. to their patrons: “Customers Always Returning is Essential”.




So how do restaurant owners and managers show a little care? Recently, we had three fabulous experiences that made us consider the “not-so-fabulous” flip side. We visited our favorite, The Polo Lounge, and the Chef immediately sent over some hors d’oeuvres “on the house”; we haven’t been to Ortolan in ages, and yet when we went last week, the Chef/Owner remembered us by sending over some complimentary appetizers; we visited Mistral in Sherman Oaks for the first time and the owner (who did not know we review restaurants, sent over some amazing sautéed shrimp because he wanted to introduce the restaurant to us since we “live in the neighborhood” (by the way, we will be reviewing this wonderful restaurant shortly in the future). All were great experiences, and it made us feel appreciated and welcomed; these restaurateurs gave us the CARE we love to receive.



Yes, but what about the majority of the other restaurants we all frequent that don’t give away ice in the wintertime? It’s not about getting something for “free”; more so, it’s about being acknowledged as a patron and being made to feel special, welcome and appreciated. What is the food cost of an appetizer, or an after dinner drink, or perhaps a dessert? We are most certain that it’s nominal, and especially when compared to losing a customer forever. We have been repeat—and paying (once again, if a restaurant knows that we’re reviewing them, we do not accept free food before a review is written) –customers of many a restaurant and we are frankly getting tired of stupid restaurateurs taking us for granted. After speaking with so many of our friends about this, it appears that you all feel the same way. So, how do we show our silly restaurant owners how we feel? Simple—stop going to them. There are many magnificent food choices, and I think we should reward those that care about us. Don’t you?



(Do send us an email and let us know your thoughts: FabDiningDuo@aol.com)

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The Beverly Hills Hotel Polo Lounge
9641 Sunset Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310-276-2251

The Scene: Beverly Hills chic and more chic
Cuisine: Traditional and Updated Nouvelle
Must-try: Tasting Menu
Star rating: 3.75 out of 4
Average cost: Entrées range from $28 - $45

In a city where restaurants come and go as fast as we change our Calvins, it’s heart warming to come home to the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Built in 1912, this Grande Dame at the pulsing heart of L.A. has never really changed; but thankfully the food creations most definitely have. You don’t need a special occasion to visit the Polo Lounge, but a special occasion like Thanksgiving is a perfect reason to go.

Just beyond a booming bar scene of Hollywood wannabes, producers, and hotel guests, lies the intimate dining room bathed in green and white stripes. Six tablecloth-laden booths affords beautiful views of the tree-studded patio. Sounds of live music waft throughout the room, as the din of laughter creates a festive party scene that immediately put The Dining Duo in a festive mood.

Executive chef Robert Allen (of Four Seasons Chicago & Ritz in Paris fame) came to the Beverly Hills Hotel and knocked its mediocre menu on its butt. The worlds’ great restaurants are run by chefs, primarily the vision of one person. When Mr. Allen started in July of 2005, and later became the Food and Beverage Director as well, he set a precedent at this hotel for having the wherewithal to exercise his greatness and bring devastatingly delightful creations directly to our table; along with the help of our handsome and built (and gay) hockey-playing waiter, Douglas, who hovered with unrelenting attention.

Master Chef Allen has created a tasting menu extraordinaire that changes every Tuesday, displaying the city’s best produce. The menu is changed with seasonality of the ingredients, constantly evolving into a new tasting menu including both classic Beverly Hills Polo Lounge fare, such as the tortilla soup ($12), and the McCarthy salad ($23). Amongst so many highlights is the wild Norwegian “balik” salmon, line-caught, sent to Switzerland to be smoked and cured, then the mouth-watering delicacy is flown to your plate. ($24). Don’t miss the two fall-inspired appetizers: Ox-tail tortelloni; and pumpkin soup and foie gras crème fraiche, a combination of spiced pumpkin soup, cranberries, and a delectable morsel of foie gras ($23).

The cumin-roasted Colorado lamb loin, consisting of stewed, fresh black-eyed peas and heirloom tomatoes, curried cauliflower, and minted lamb jus, was mouth-watering ($39); pair it with a Cabernet Sauvignon Joseph Phelps 2003, ($21.75 a glass). Chef prepares the braised European sea bass ($39) with clam and artichoke barigoule and garnished with a plum tomato confit and a sweet lemon preserve. The tasting menu affords a novel variety of creations for $85 a person, and for $40, all five courses are paired with truly fabulous wines.

The Polo Lounge has an exciting Thanksgiving menu from 11:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night. A fixed $85 lets you start with a choice of the chicken tortilla soup or their traditional lobster bisque, followed by several wonderful choices, including Dungeness crab cake, sliced duck prosciutto, or an organic baby beet salad. Served all day is their McCarthy salad and rack of pork with crackling, roasted Tom turkey, which includes chestnut and brioche stuffing, buttermilk-whipped potatoes, glazed yams, buttered carrots, giblet gravy, and cranberry marmalade. The desserts at the Polo Lounge are all superb, and at Thanksgiving they offer the classic pumpkin pie with ginger-infused crème Chantilly.

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