02/20/09

A jewel in Beverly Hills

by HarperC

This restaurant is a jewel - a special private place. I almost hate to tell everyone about it. I feel like I am in a private club. It's civilized and restrained. My husband and I go there when we just want to be totally alone and romantic. After dinner we sit by the fireplace in their bar. There's a new menu so I think they got a new chef and all that we had was delicious. Not your usual hotel restaurant.

• Pros: Private, quiet, romantic, no valet charge
• Cons: Pricey but worth it

08/31/07

Romantic restaurant with excellent food and first class service

by eriklarsen

If there is one restaurant in LA I would recommend for sweeping a girl off her feet, or a proposal, or impressing friends, or just about any special event, this would be it. The ratio of servers to guests is probably 4 to 1. The food is incredible. The service is outstanding: special requests are always taken care of. One night Robert Redford was sitting right next to us. Celebs go here when they dont want to deal with the riff raff. You will be the only one of your friends to go here, surprising why not that many people know of this fine restaurant. One of my favorites.

• Pros: location, romantic, food, special service
• Cons: nothing

06/30/07

Great ambience, decent food...

by ocgirl77

We had the opportunity to dine there about 4-5 years ago and had an amazing experience, so decided to go back. Ambience is still great, and service is great. You walk in and your waiter/host is waiting for you (assuming you've made a reservation). Unfortunately, it feels like that special touch with the food is gone. The flavors used to be innovative and fresh, but not so much anymore. My salmon was decent, but very salty. Risotto was not done. Beef tenderloin tasted about average. Wine selection is fairly vast with a large selection by the glass. One of the best things about it is the "amuse"--the chef sends out little samplings of his creations. All in all, a nice place with attentive staff, and romantic ambience.

• Pros: Ambience, service
• Cons: Food

12/15/04

Culinary craftsmanship and inventive French-Asian combinations at the luxurious Raffles L'Ermitage hotel.

by Contributor

The Scene
From chairs and banquettes covered in Cambodian silk (which is rotated quarterly to coordinate with the hotel's fashion-conscious clientele) to sumptuous service, it's clear that this is no ordinary hotel restaurant. The dining room can be eerily empty, but there are usually a few in-the-know diners attended to by knowledgeable waiters ready to cater to any whim.

The Food
Taking inspiration from Raffles' Eurasian roots, the French-based menu toys with vibrant Southeast Asian flavors. While some combinations may seem wacky, nearly every dish is a knockout. Yellowfin tuna tartare, cut into tiny cubes, is set off with hazelnuts and rich goat cheese. Mushroom soup is ethereal, topped off with a bite of tender Dungeness crab. Though the menu changes monthly, Kobe beef is nearly always available. Medium-rare, butter-soft tenderloin has an intense beef flavor. Desserts further the East-meets-West theme; coconut milk panna cotta gives an Asian spin to the traditional Italian dish.

02/02/03

Ahhh...

by xhosa

...how very refreshing. I met freinds here that were staying at the hotel. They had not yet dined "in" so we decided to give it a whirl. We were greeted by a respectful and gracious staff, not so often found in Los Angeles! I had the artichoke flan to start, and a collegue had the foie gras. How divine! I had the veal and it was prepared perfectly. Perhaps the highlight of the evening was the dessert. Since we couldn't decide, we had them bring us an assortment. They have to be the best that I have ever tasted. You must try this restaurant. I will be back again and again. - jb

• Pros: location, service, dessert

05/21/02

Beautiful

by allisonaustin_citysearch

I was lucky enough to dine here in fall of 2001 and I truly enjoyed the ambience and food, though it's a loud room for its size and our server was really overdoing it. But I would love to go back and have cocktails in the bar.