Monthly Archives: January 2019

Belvedere at The Peninsula – Simple and Elegant

24 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by in Food, French Food, Lifestyle

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It had been so manys years since I had the good fortune of dining at the Belvedere, before the restaurant was renovated to its current state.

I remembered the food to be superb, service excellent, but most of all, I felt really comfortable and at ease in its elegant surrounding. When DineLA came along, I was very thankful that Belvedere was brought up as one of the option – it was a little answered prayer.

The updated version of the restaurant looked not too different from what we remembered the place to be. Seemed a little bit more airy, perhaps due to the fact that I was seated facing the large windows with a very serene view of the garden-like setting.

This time, however, I did not feel as at ease as the previous. It might had been that the table was a smaller one situated in between two other tables that were placed rather closed to ours. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the people watching part since I could see very much of the whole dining room area from where I was.

The food was as good as I had hoped. We both ordered the French Onioin Soup to start. It was probably the only version that I had tasted that was not too salty – I do not understand why every single one I tried in the past had always been extremely salty. It was rich and flavorful with the largest piece of cheese topping that eventually filled us up so much that I was not even able to finish my entree.

The Duck Confit Orecchiette that I picked, though tasty, had a bit too much pasta in proportion to the duck. I actually found the Pork Belly with the Sweet Breads to be more enjoyable and satisfying, with the pork reminiscent of the Chinese roasted pork that I so adore.

 

Dessert was a perfect looking Chocolate Souffle of which I did not try since I was not having chocolate for that day. I opted for a simple Vanilla Ice Cream which did provide a soothing finish to a most pleasant and gratifying afternoon.

The Belvedere at the Peninsula Hotel: 9882 S Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212  Phone: 310-975-2736

 

 

 

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71 Above

09 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by in American Food, Food, Uncategorized

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Blessings come in many different forms – to have my birthday celebrated in such a georgous setting was certainly one, and to be able to watch the sky changed its colors slowly and leisurely was another.

Having a birthday close to Christmas does have its perks of always being in the midst of festivities and an air of celebration and joyfulness. Even though the days leading up to the dinner had been challenging, soul searching and filled with heart wrenching revelations, life moves ahead and one can only look at the moment and decide how to live that moment, while wondering if ignorance is indeed sometimes better.

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I was told that the food is good here despite the beautiful interior and exquisite view. Skeptical but full of anticipation, I was thankful that the dishes exceeded my expectations. The “Duck”, a roasted breast was done to perfection, with accompaniments and sauce that heightened the dish to the top level. The “Garganelli”, with mascarpone and Pecorino butter was hearty and enjoyable. My grilled Maitake mushroom came out exactly as I asked for, not a least bit charred. The poached “Oyster” with uni and caviar looked incredibly luscious even though I did not try it. The ribeye, though tasty, was the only dish that needed improvement due to a bit of chewiness of the meat.

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Suprisingly, we were somewhat full after the three courses and the amuse-bouche.

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The second blessing took place within two weeks – same location but at different hours of the day. Arrived at around 3pm, the bartender reccommended a riesling from Germany (Weingut Robert Weil), fruity and refreshing, just the way I like my wine. The “Dates” wrapped with bacon, and blue cheese was the star of that afternoon. The photography enthusiasts in us took shots of the still life (the sumptuous bar offerings),  the elegant interior with the best lighting that one could ask for, and the unparalleled view of the sunset that adorned the sky with a multitude of reds, oranges, and yellows. If one can focus only on the simple elements in life – food, beauty, and art…….

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71 Above – 633 W 5th St. 71 Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071  Phone: 213-712-2683