Park Avenue
11200 Beach Blvd.
Stanton, CA 90680
(714) 901-4400

Where on earth is Stanton?

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Our desert playground is a wonderful vacation spot in the summer. The mornings are glorious, the nights like a balmy Caribbean island; but the best part is that the hotels are heavily discounted, and most of the fine restaurants offer prix fixe dinners that are worth the 2-hour drive from L.A.

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STK is a hot scene; at least that’s what we’re hearing on the street, and everyone from L.A.’s royalty, the Beckhams to Cindy Crawford to Reese Witherspoon seem to agree. We won’t argue with them but we do take a few exceptions.

We’ll start with the best part and work our way down. The space is magnificent. The main room is composed of white and black booths, flanked by a heavily white painted brick wall which boasts giant “penis like” horns. Okay, so maybe it was the penis-like horns that got us all worked up, but the hanging lights that seemed to float above the tables also set the mood. The room is centered by some burst of branches and flowers that complimented the surroundings. You can’t help but be in awe of the setting.

Next best thing: Andrew, our waiter. He’s only 22, but carries himself like a seasoned professional. He knows what’s good on the menu, and what’s not. He knows about wine. He knows something about everything. He’s cute too. And single, in case there are any like-minded male readers who want to ask for his table.

Going down the priority list, but still on the “pretty darn good” side of the inventory, is the memorable foie gras French toast ($18). Okay, fine, so one half of the Dining Duo gave up foie gras for a nanosecond because of those poor little animals, but let’s face it, it’s back on the menu in Chicago, so it can’t be all that terrible. Just the combination of the names “French Toast” and foie gras” conjures up a taste sensation that truly delivers. It’s their flagship dish, and we understand why. Michael enjoyed his beef Tartar with truffle oil sauce ($16) because of its chunky texture, especially since it was paired with homemade potato chips, proving to be a unique preparation. STK’s tartar is tasty, but hasn’t matured its flavor such as our favorite for this dish, Mistral’s in Sherman Oaks (that review is coming soon).

The side orders were the most eventful part of the dinner. The Mac N’ Cheese with truffles ($8+$20 for the truffles) was amongst the best we have ever tasted; it was creamy and delivered just the right hint of truffle, without overpowering the dish. The Sweet Corn Pudding was exquisite, flavorful and filling but light at the same time; a sensational blend of corn and not overly sweet.

Then we fall to the other side of the equation, which is a cold shower when the costs are so high. The Jumbo Lump Crab ($17) with avocado and greens should be avoided, as it was relatively devoid of flavor and unimaginative. We would suggest that it needs some sort of a sauce to make it edible.

The fish of the day on one occasion was Halibut (very fairly priced at $28) and it was fresh but the chef—or whoever was really cooking it—was so heavy handed with the salt that it burned our tongues for most of the evening. The potato concoction and the asparagus, which accompanied it, were uneventful and uninspired.
We also felt that the meal fell apart at the desert stage. The Peanut Butter Cup was just okay, and the Bread pudding for $10 was unmemorable but tasty.

We’re nearing the bottom of the list now. When are upscale restaurants that charge a fortune going to train their bus-boys not to ask, “are you still WORKING on that”; we are out to dine, not work, so please don’t remind us of what’s waiting for us the next day and teach your staff how to deliver an evening out.

And so what was the worst part of our experiences at STK: their horrific valet parkers. The wait was long, the cost expensive and the reception non-existent (they should take a lesson from the Bastide valet across the street).

While we were waiting for our cars, a couple of people recognized us and asked what we thought of the place. We through the question back at them, and they said, “It was good, but we wouldn’t rush back”. No rushing in for us either.

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Scarboni’s
312 Wilshire Bl
Santa Monica, Ca 90401
310 393 2288

The Scene: New York style steak house
Cuisine: Steak & lobster
Must Try: Lobster Club and Bloody Mary
Star Rating: 2.75
Best Dish: Any steak

Sometimes there are restaurants that you just want to love and Scarboni is one of those places. From the moment co-owner Tommy Saboni (formerly the General Manager of the Palm in West Hollywood) welcomes you, you feel like you have arrived at an Italian friend’s home. Scarboni is new to the game, and not perfect yet, so this warm treatment caused us to be more forgiving of growing pains. That being said, almost everything we tasted was delicious and there was plenty of it.

Scarboni’s is located right off the ho-hum of the Third Street Promenade and is an unexpected treat for the area. If you are desirous of being in New York while at the beach, Scarboni’s is the place and when inside you feel like you’re in Manhattan, but without the foul weather, grey sleet and crowded streets.

Tommy is trying to draw in new business so he’s offering an Executive VIP Lunch Club which gives you a 30 percent discount on all food items. Speaking of, we savored the Lobster Club Sandwich, literally loaded with fresh lobster and served on a flawlessly toasted brioche, a bargain at $16 (less 30%, if you’re in the club). Michael’s dad lives in Maine so he knows about Lobster, and Scarboni’s saves you the 5 hour flight (and security check). We would suggest, however, avoiding the Chicken Marsala at $18 because it did not have enough chicken and was weak on the Marsala preparation. If you want to play it safe, you can’t go wrong with the Scarboni burger, expertly prepared with tasty and quality meat (and the Dining Duo knows about quality meat), and loaded with delicious fries at $12.



We particularly enjoyed dinner, as there was a lively and nice crowd, back dropped by that comfy atmosphere. We tried various Steaks (well, Michael did) and sampled the lobster (well, Scott did) and all proved to be quality. It was like going to the Palm, without the wait, or the attitude. Michael particularly enjoyed the rib eye which arrived exactly as he had ordered it ($40) and we highly recommend the blackened Salmon (even though it was not wild….tsk, tsk) which was scrumptious, a terrific blend of spice and very fresh fish. We advise you accompany any dish with Brussel Sprouts Scarboni, (Scott said “yuck” at the concept, but he took it back when he tasted it), they are a specialty and certainly worth trying. Dipped in batter and smothered in garlic (hey, isn’t that the same as escargot?), it was yum; be brave and get it.

A friend enjoyed the Steak Fromage (that means “cheese” in French, as opposed to “Frottage”, which has an entirely different take) at $46, and said it is smothered with Roquefort, creating a delicious blend of flavors. If you’re hungry, the Veal Parmesan at $26 has always been Michael’s favorite dish at the Palm, Tommy’s old haunt; poor little lamb (or does veal come from a duck? Who knows, but Michael said it’s fabulous).

Be sure and save room for dessert because the classic New York Cheese Cake and the Chocolate Mouse cake are worth each and every calorie. Scarboni’s has just opened for Sunday lunch and we’re looking forward to trying out their fare, which includes the Roast Beef Hash and Eggs and one of the best Bloody Mary’s in LA.

Okay, so it’s a schlep to the beach, but aren’t good food, good service and Italian muscle worth it?

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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.

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