1MB Travels: Sabah, Malaysia: Sutera Harbour Resort Dining

This holiday, my parents decided they wanted to vacation in Sabah, Borneo, and were nice enough to ask me to come with them as a 'stop' on the way to visit in Hong Kong for Christmas!

After a 14 hour flight and layover, we flew out together to Sabah to stay at the Sutera Harbour Resort, conveniently located just 10-15 minutes from the airport and a short ride from Kota Kinabalu's city center.



The giant complex, comprised of two resort hotels, a golf course, marina and country club, still managed to give off the vibe of a remote island retreat with gorgeous views of the South China sea and tropical islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, airy accommodations with architecture inspired by aboriginal culture (e.g. longhouses), a huge boardwalk lined with sunchairs and hammocks sandwiched between the ocean and free form pools with a swim-up bar - all the better to enjoy the beautiful 85-90 degree weather Sabah provided in the depths of December.
 
We had an amazing time and I would have been in heaven just to lay on the hammock, enjoying the sounds of the waves, and sun tempered by cool ocean breezes.  But I of course had to venture out to enjoy the island - and there is lots to report, but I wanted to start with dining at the resort, as it had been my parents' idea to stay in and relax, as Sutera provided all creature comforts in one complex.  (We did manage some island excursions on this trip - see separate posts on tourist activities and off-site dining - but on for now to resort dining!)


TARIK LOBBY LOUNGE (The Magellan Sutera Harbour)

While waiting for check-in, we were offered a 'welcome drink' at Tarik's Lobby Lounge off the far side of the registration area.  I loved this space, which very skillfully mixed Borneo heritage with western sensibilities - with lofty longhouse inspired ceilings with exposed wooden beams, and colonial style ceiling fans - while taking full advantage of the fresh ocean breezes and fresh air with wide open sides (no windows!) not only all around the building, but with the far side of the lounge dropping off into unobstructed views of the pool and ocean below.


The 'welcome drink' was a simple beverage, but a great twist on iced tea - it was basically iced peach tea with a lime wedge and salted plum added. For me, it was love at first sip - a perfect balance of sweet / bitter / tart/ salty - but I was unfortunately too jetlagged to capture any photos that first night. I did shoot the space later on, and of the drink when I was thick-skinned enough to order it at a later meal - see pic under 'Al Fresco'.  One thing I regret not doing was ordering "Teh Tarik" - Malaysia's pulled tea - supposedly a main attraction here - though I never saw anyone else order it during my stay...


AL FRESCO (The Magellan Sutera Harbour)

This casual dining space can be found pool-side on the lower-level of the lodge, to the left of the spa if you're facing the ocean (I love saying the latter half of that sentence!).

Every seat in the house here basically affords amazing ocean views, and you can choose to go 100% al fresco on the patio poolside, or catch some shade under the still wide open space where you can enjoy ocean sounds, smells and breezes.  (Or simply swim up to the bar attached to the pool!)


Al Fresco serves up food and drinks all day, and we were a fan of popping down for quick bites between meals. 

My parents started out with two Power Punch smoothies (which according to the server, consists of strawberry, orange and banana - but as we found throughout our stay, accuracy of information provided to guests is not necessarily a priority - perhaps part of the very laid back culture that allows us to enjoy our vacation in a very slow-paced, stress-free environment,
but with occasional, though not critical, drawbacks).


I asked if I could have the 'welcome drink' (aka crack) - which they readily provided. 

Pictured in the background is the pizza counter, where wood-fired pizzas are made from scratch in the small open kitchen.  Enticing as the smell of fresh pizza dough was, I could not bear to fill up on carbs when I was at one of the top locations for some of the freshest seafood in the world.

My mom agrees (we have pretty much the same taste, which makes eating out together easy and fun!  I think I inherited my love of / sense of adventure when it comes to food from her)  - and ordered the shrimp skewers with Romesco sauce. 
The shrimp was plump, juicy and sweet -and perfectly grilled to a crisp outside, and tender inside.  Also key: it was hot off the grill.  We hadn't tasted shrimp this fresh since...maybe Tsukiji!  Loved this dish.

My dad is usually a steak and eggs / potatoes kind of guy, but can 'tolerate' seafood of particular kinds in small doses (!!!!)  So he ordered the Linguini Aragosta. 

He was happy to report that the lobster was also juicy, sweet and fresh.

I decided on the Seafood Combination - a small sampler platter of the fruits of the sea:  squid, shrimp, mussels, and salmon fillet accompanied by veggies, all lightly grilled.

In one word:  amazing.  Everything tasted so fresh, and like the shrimp, was perfectly grilled. 

The only unfortunate thing is that some small gnats / flies seemed to agree, and flocked to our table en masse as the
seafood arrived (they bizarrely left us alone when we had the sweet fruity drinks on the table). 

So my only complaints about dining at Al Fresco, is the pests you have to compete with and race against to eat your food - which of course is a hazard for any meal done...well...al fresco.  It was just a little less idyllic and became stressful to have to use one hand to swat the gnats away while trying to eat with the other.   But it was starting to rain/drizzle during that meal, so my dad thought that brought the pests towards our table 'indoors'.  Also, service while very friendly is at 'leisure' speed - it took 25 minutes between arrival of our drinks and food.  That said, we were at a resort and knew we were supposed to move at a slower pace - so we tried to keep our three Type A personalities at bay from rearing their unwelcome heads while on holiday.

Otherwise, the setting was beautiful and convenient, the food was great and prices reasonable - so I would recommend this as a dining option within the resort or for guests staying elsewhere in the immediate area...ideally while it's sunny out.

(Note:  We did go back on another - sunny - day for Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake and guava juice, and did not experience any gnats/ flies.  The cheesecake lacked structure and was a bit bland - but I would still recommend dining here and  focusing on seafood options instead.)


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 5.5 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 90%



FIVE SAILS (The Magellan Sutera Harbour)

As part of the package deal my family purchased, breakfast each day was included at the resort - we only needed to show up at Five Sails with our meal vouchers to be admitted to the buffet, which runs  6:30am-11:00am each day.

Five Sails is in the lower level of the main lodge at The Magellan hotel, and offers both indoor and outdoor seating.  Outdoor seats give a great view of the pool, and where blue sky meets blue ocean beyond. Indoor seats are in a glass enclosed area that makes it feel like any other restaurant, and is not recommended for that reason.

The food offerings at the breakfast buffet are extensive, and reflective of the diverse cultures that thrive in Malaysia - Malaysian of course (lots of interesting local dishes from mee hong noodles to curries and meat stews), Chinese (congee, dim sum, bao etc.), Indian (naan, curries), and of course western (scrambled eggs, made to order eggs and omelettes, pastries, cereal).

Pork was notably missing, as Malaysia is a Muslim country - and the resort has come up with creative alternatives for breakfast staples like beef bacon and chicken sausage.  My dad got creative with his breakfast items (pictured at left).










My favorites - that also turned out to be my go-to items every day (and I don't usually like routine when it comes to food) were the soft scrambled eggs, naan with fish/beef curry and vegetable dhal curry, and fresh-baked croissants. 

The fluffy / fresh off the grill naan was made at an outdoor grilling station - with a chef on one side making eggs and omelettes to order, and a second chef on the other making naan to order.  It's not clay-oven made, but hey, it's a 'free' (ok, pre-paid - free for me via the fam) AYCE breakfast with ocean views - everything in context!








There was also a huge spread of fruit, and I helped myself to way too much (if there is such a thing) - usually a 'best of the tropics' selection consisting of papaya (perfecty ripe, just the right firmness and sweetness), pineapple, longan (orbs in middle of plate pictured at left, sort of like lycees - like Asian cherries but semi-transparent and sweet), and lycees (orbs in foreground, right of plate pictured). The lycees unfortunately tasted like they were from a can (my mom thought they needed to them to represent a key local produce, but as it is out of season in December, they must have just decided to serve it out of a can rather than omit it from the buffet).


Another item that became a favorite was something that I tried without having any idea what it was besides being some kind of beef dish (see the enormously informative label pictured at left - I love discovering local dishes, but "Daging Deng Deng" was not exactly helpful for tourists, which formed the majority if not all of the diners at Five Sails)! 

I Googled it and learned that it's a beef sambal, or spicy chili stir-fried beef. Loved this rich, flavorful dish over coconut rice!

Overall, breakfast at Five Sails is not bad as a cheap part of a package deal with the hotel.  However, if you are a morning person, and inclined to venture out from the resort early - I'm sure there are lots of local discoveries to be had at venues in KK city center.  For us, we happened to want to save those for meals later in the day and went to Five Sails as a matter of convenience. 

Apparently Five Sails also serves a dinner buffet - we got to experience this on our last night (one dinner buffet is included free with the package).  Dinner involves - in addition to the spread of fruits we got at breakfast - roast beef (dry), more seafood (shrimp sambal is only thing of note, and not fresh tasting), soups (beef short rib soup - not done the local way, tomato-based more like a minestrone, and winter melon soup) and desserts (mango pudding so hard you almost had to use a knife, chocolate souffle with consistency of a brownie, various bland cakes - the only highlights were pandan coconut creme caramel pudding which was very tasty, and the ice cream bar with local flavors like yam and sweet corn).  There is also live entertainment in the form of a 3-piece band with an island sound, who will come to each table for your song request. 

Our verdict: we would never want to pay for this dinner buffet - the quality and selection was incredibly poor for a 5-star resort;  we speculated that probably everyone else there were also eating for 'free' with their package.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5 bites
Presentation - 5 bites
Originality - 4 bites
Ambience - 5 stars (outdoors)
Service - 4 stars
Overall experience - 4.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 90% (breakfast only if free / cheap part of package)


FERDINAND'S (The Magellan Sutera Harbour)

According to the resort, Ferdinand's is listed as one of Malaysia's best restaurants by a local society magazine.  It is the only fine dining spot in the resort, serving Italian cuisine.
We had a fantastic Christmas dinner at Ferdinand's, which merits its own post - check it out here!

CAFE BOLEH (Pacific Sutera Resort)

After an all day excursion to Kota Kinabalu for spa treatments (I know, life is rough), and boat tour of Garama Wetland to see Proboscis Monkeys and Fireflies - we were exhausted and ended up at Cafe Boleh (open 24 hours) in the Pacific Sutera wing of the resort for a quick dinner.

Earlier in the day at the wetlands, we were served a variety of local dishes in a picnic style area - one of the items was a beef short rib soup that was so aromatic I wanted more of it that same night when I got back.  Luckily, Cafe Boleh had this on the menu.  It was not exactly the same, but still had that great lemongrass flavor that reminds me of pho, but is a little more hearty with big chunks of short rib and vegetables.  The portion size was big enough to serve three people!  It did get a little too oily near the end so I couldn't finish, but it was delicious.

Spotting Nasi Lemak, a Malaysian specialty, on the menu - I had to give that a try, knowing that it probably won't be super authentic and flavorful in a hotel cafe.  It turned out to be fairly decent - and interesting platter of fried fish, hard-boiled egg, shrimp sembal, dried anchovies, cucumber and peanuts.  I think the idea is to mix everything together with the coconut rice - bibimbap-style (again the servers aren't very informative overall, and mixed up my dad's order).  But, I can't quite get used to having big crunchy pieces of peanut and cucumber mixed in with my rice.  And unfortunately the shrimp sambal was single note in taste - salty.  I would give Nasi Lemak another try the next time I go back, definitely at a local joint in town, but did not have a great experience with it at the hotel cafe.

As the Cafe was completely enclosed and did not take advantage of the location and setting like its counterparts at The Magellan, and the decor reminded me of an old school Vegas casino buffet, I would most likely not be returning to this location.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 4 bites
Presentation - 4.5 bites
Originality - 4 bites
Ambience - 4 stars
Service - 4 stars
Overall experience - 4 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 10%

Overall, it was an amazing vacation in an incredible city at a great resort - Ferdinand's was the best of the dining options at the resort, with Al Fresco not far behind on a sunny, pest-free day.  Hope this will be helpful to anyone looking for a place to stay / dine in Sabah!
 ___________________________________________________________________

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia 
The Magellan Sutera Harbour Hotel
1 Sutera Harbour Boulevard, Kota Kinabalu, 88100 Sabah, Malaysia
Ph: (6088) 318 888
Website: suteraharbour.com
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Choco-Sutra at Oliverio – A Chocoholic’s Pilgrimage

After the transcendent Thanksgiving brunch at L’Ermitage this year, when I received the invite to check out an AYCE of another sort at another boutique hotel in the Viceroy family, I was beyond excited. This one is at Oliverio in the Avalon Hotel, and is a decadent experience dedicated to unlimited amounts of one of the most important – as far as I’m concerned - basic food groups…chocolate. Choco-Sutra is a premium chocolate buffet that promised all kinds of confections to tantalize the palate – from classic Chocolate Dipped Fruits, to White Chocolate Panna Cotta, to such original creations as Chocolate Ganache with Mint and Wasabi, and Triple Chocolate Truffle Pizzettas.

As a unapologetic chocoholic, I considered it my duty to pay pilgrimage to Oliverio (and the fact that it would be a free was definitely a bonus!). The feast normally runs $28 per person (reduced to $17 pp with dinner at Oliverio), or $50 per couple. I grabbed ‘Lindyhopper’, my go-to fellow chocolate addict, to check the place out in its second weekend after launch.

Photo courtesy of Oliverio at Avalon Hotel

 The Avalon Hotel is another reclusive boutique hotel in Beverly Hills that most people have probably passed by a million times and never knew was there. Tucked away on Olympic just past Beverly, the hotel sort of gives off the vibe of a 50s/60s vintage apartment complex, converted.

The Oliverio restaurant is just to the side of the lobby – on a regular SoCal day, Choco-Sutra would have been served on tables set up at the chic, modern looking poolside. But as we had nearly record breaking amounts of rain the day of our visit – we were seated inside, and our waiter was to bring the food to us, however much we wanted of whatever we wanted.








White Chocolate Martini

 I knew we were off to a good start when a beautiful White Chocolate Martini swirled with chocolate syrup arrived to kick off the evening.

Then, to give us a sampling of all that’s on offer – we were provided first with a plate that’s a ‘Noah’s Ark’ of sorts, presenting two of every kind of bite-sized confection available. It was a lovely plate, and pastry chef Monica came to our table to introduce each piece.

There were a variety of flavor profiles – from sweet/tart chocolate dipped fruits, to sweet/nutty hazelnut chocolate cream mini-tartlets and chocolate enrobed nuts, to sweet/spicy chocolate dipped Serrano peppers and chocolate ganache with mint and wasabi. There were also bite-sized takes on classics like chocolate brownies, baby chocolate cupcakes (with raspberry frosting), chocolate-banana bread pudding, malted milk chocolate balls, and chocolate dipped marshmallows. My favorites from this plate were the Bailey’s balls, chocolate ganache with mint and wasabi (though I would have liked the mint and wasabi flavors to come through in a bolder way – with such a creative combination of ingredients, I would have liked to see the innovative flavor come through unabashedly. As is, the mint and wasabi were nearly undetectable – but I still say this piece was one of the best-of-plate, because of the more refined consistency and rich flavor of the chocolate ganache itself, and presentation of the piece) and the chocolate dipped Serrano peppers (which took some getting used to, and was too spicy for me at first - but that I came to love because of the cool sweet/hot combo). Though in hindsight, I should have been more strategic in planning the progression of our ‘meal’ – moving from lighter treats to those that are stronger in flavor (especially the spicy pieces) in order not to have the latter overwhelm or reduce my ability to truly taste the former – for example, I might have loved the hazelnut chocolate mini-tartlet (one of Lindyhopper’s favs) if I had tasted it before the chocolate dipped Serrano peppers.  The classic pieces were good, but did not impress with any innovation in design or exceed expectations in execution. 




South-of-the-Border Pot de Creme, White Chocolate
Panna Cotta, White Hot Chocolate

We also received with that first delivery, a White Chocolate Amaretto Panna Cotta with chocolate biscuit sticks in a martini glass, a South-of-the-Border Chocolate Pot de Crème, and a cute little White Hot Chocolate served in a tiny ceramic cup.  All three were amazing – the White Chocolate Amaretto Panna Cotta was smooth, creamy with skillfully controlled flavor, while the Pot de Crème was rich in chocolate taste with red chilis adding a little kick to finish. The White Hot Chocolate was one of Lindyhopper’s favorites – rich, whipped into a foamy consistency, and tasting (to me at least) of almond layered with the white chocolate.




Triple Chocolate Truffle Pizzetta

We were already feeling a little stuffed at that point, when we were presented with the highly anticipated piece de resistance: Triple Chocolate Truffle Pizzetta on a huge oak stand. This turned out to be an individual sized pizza, with real pizza dough topped by Nutella, dark and milk chocolate, then nuggets of white chocolate…what we didn’t expect was that it would also be topped by truffles of the fungal variety. In theory, this was a dream piece offering many of my favorite ingredients in the world, and several of the things I would want in my last bite on earth.  The truffles were gorgeous, shaved beautifully thin, and provided in very, very generous portions on the pizzetta.  And the piece was a clever play in concept with truffle on truffle. However, in practice, the disparate elements in my opinion were missing the thread that would hold it all together: though savory and sweet have been proven in some cases to complement and enhance each other in chocolate confections (e.g. sea salt caramel chocolates), in this case the aromatic mushroom truffles clashed with their chocolate counterparts, and the salty, fluffy pizza dough did not pleasantly cut through the chocolate flavors, but became overwhelming when combined with the gunky chocolate spread.

I wanted desperately to hail this pizzetta as a triumph in culinary innovation – and the piece that would on its own justify the cost of Choco-Sutra, but unfortunately it just did not work for these two diners. This dish might have been better served if it were first deconstructed, then put together with only the basics that define a pizza – toppings on baked dough – I could imagine it possibly working well with a thin, crispy pretzel crust, thinner layer of chocolate spread, and a barely detectable sprinkle of truffle salt (instead of large ‘slices’ of actual truffle mushrooms).

Nutella Filled, Sugar Coated
Donut Holes

 We finished off with a small plate of Nutella filled, sugar coated donut holes, which were fairly delicious, and one more round of White Hot Chocolate for Lindyhopper before we called it a night.


The experience was good, celebrating love for chocolate - but Lindyhopper raised a great point which is that a key item was missing – some sort of mousse creation. It would have also been nice to have another chocolate tart item (besides the mini hazelnut chocolate tartlet) and a token sculptural piece for visual interest. Which led to the minor notes from these two diners – to look at the offerings as a curated collection, each piece as part of a whole chocolate themed experience – to select items that hit key textures and visual presentation points as well as flavors. Also, given that even seasoned chocoholics like us can only eat so much at one sitting, quality of the pieces should be balanced with quantity. I may have been ‘ruined’ by the dessert buffet at the L’Ermitage Thanksgiving buffet ($80 per person inclusive of brunch with caviar and raw seafood bar), and had set my expectations for Oliverio to that high level – but at $17 per person with dinner, Choco-Sutra is a deal for the White Chocolate Martini and White Hot Chocolate alone (knowing that martinis can run $12-$15 at comparable bars).


Another great thing I should mention about the Oliverio is that valet parking is complementary for restaurant diners, practically unheard of for Beverly Hills hotels like the SLS that charge $12 for valet.  Also, reservations made and fulfilled are eligible for OpenTable points.


All in all, Choco-Sutra is a great concept and I hope that as the menu evolves that it will be very successful – and a concept that I hope catches on in LA.

 On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 80%

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Choco-Sutra - Oliverio at the Avalon Hotel
9400 West Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ph: 310.277.5221

Website: avalonbeverlyhills.com/dining
OpenTable:  Look for reservations
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The Restaurant at L'Ermitage Beverly Hills - Best Thanksgiving Brunch Ever!

Fifteen years in L.A., and this is the first time I'd been to Thanksgiving Brunch at The Restaurant at L'Ermitage Beverly Hills - a splurge that occurred only because my brother and his wife were visiting from Canada - and now I can't believe I let all this time pass without discovering the amazing seafood extravanganza that is on offer!

At first glance, the $80 per head price looked like a lot.  However, you will definitely get your money's worth and more in some truly incredible seafood - it's all you can eat, and they really had me at 'Caviar Station'. 

The spread included the freshest west coast oysters I've had in recent years, and some amazing, tender and subtly sweet raw scallops on the half shell (which I haven't even seen served anywhere else) in a beautiful display.

Various sauces were on offer including cocktail, black pepper mignonette, chipotle mayo, and louie - but as a purist, I preferred the taste of deep ocean in the oyster, and to let its natural flavors shine through unobstructed - the oysters at L'Ermitage were simply perfect on their own. 

There was also a giant bowl piled high with jumbo shrimp, platters of smoked fish including salmon and trout, and shellfish including mussels and  crab legs & claws. 

The feast was served in a relaxed, casually chic space off to the side of the lobby of the boutique hotel.  Aside from the incredible raw offerings on the seafood table, there were also some cooked items including Poached Salmon and Salmon En Croute with Saffron Sauce. 

My favorite by far though, and where we truly got our money's worth, was at the Caviar Station - where a trio of caviars were served consisting of Sturgeon, Whitefish and Salmon along with Potato Blinis and traditional garnishes from chopped hard-boiled egg yolk to red onions. As you can get the Salmon Roe easily at any sushi joint ('Ikura'), we focused mainly on the Sturgeon and Whitefish varieties.  We were able to maintain some semblance of decorum by scooping just small spoonfuls onto our plates at a time, but shamelessly went back for seconds and thirds...and easily consumed $80 worth, each, in caviar alone.  So they were Black Pearl brand, not top of the line, but still great and amazing for AYCE service.

I do want to acknowledge the incredibly warm hospitality of the staff at the restaurant - unexpected for any venue in Beverly Hills, at least towards relatively young and obviously not independently wealthy foodies with a propensity to snap hundreds of photos of every dish from every angle.  Though initially weary of how we would be treated amongst tables of 'old money' customers in their forties and fifties, we were happy to find that we were made to feel like VIPs throughout the meal, and instead of frowning upon our excitement about the AYCE caviar etc., several of the waiters and even the manager were very freindly and took the time to let us know when the rapidly depleted jars of caviar had been replenished - and helped us pour and carry our drinks over to the table when our hands were full with plates.  For that I give the team top ratings for service!

Although our focus was clearly on the seafood, there were also highlights on the salad / fruit / cheeses table - my favorite of which was the Artichoke Flower with Goat Cheese & White Truffle Oil, very rich, creamy and infused with the fragrance of white truffle.

The hot foods section was overshadowed by the seafood table, but still offered some highlights including the flavorful Chestnut and Sage stuffing. The Roasted Breast and Leg of Tom Turkey was too dry in my opinion, as was the Cherry Glazed Ham.

In order to save room for the amazing scallops and oysters, we did not get to the Chef's Station, which offered traditional eggs benedict as well as Roasted Herb Lamb Leg with Au Jus.

To balance out the heavy gorging, we hit up the beverage station where there was a great variety of healthy, fresh juices on offer from Grapefruit to Strawberry Banana, to Watermelon.  Those who have the stomach for alcohol this early in the day can also order Mimosas or wine at the table. 

As we reluctantly gave in to our limited, and overextended stomach capacities, we were advised that there was a chocolate dessert and coffee / tea buffet to be had - out in the lounge area.  This is the Thanksgiving meal that keeps on giving!  We sank into the comfortable sofas in the lounge and braced ourselves for one last round. 

The chocolate dessert display was mouth-watering - with tall sticks of chocolate dipped, perfectly ripe strawberries, individual pumpkin tarts, chocolate and cocoa powder enrobed nuts, hazelnut chocolate confections, triple chocolate mini-layer cakes, and walnut-mousse in scalloped chocolate shell.  I loved everything on this table, except the chocolate dipped dried fruits which were a bit too tough - and the chocolate coconut balls (only because I personally do not like coconut flakes). 

The chocolate dipped strawberries and walnut mousse in chocolate shell were particularly amazing - and the pumpkin tart was quite good as well, light and at the perfect portion size. We were also able to choose from a variety of organic teas like Hibiscus Oolong, to help us digest, as well as imbibe as much as we wanted of Mulled Apple Cider, and Coffee. 



All-in-all, The Restaurant at L'Ermitage Beverly Hills definitely made this Thanksgiving a very happy one for me and the visiting fam.  Would definitely return for Thanksgiving Brunch next year - if just for the seafood and caviar alone (and the lovely space / personable service)!  It also doesn't hurt that the restaurant uses OpenTable, so reserving and dining at L'Ermitage counts towards OpenTable reward points redeemable for a gift certificate.   Merci beaucoup for an amazing Thanksgiving, L'Ermitage!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 7 stars
Overall experience - 6.5 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%

___________________________________________________________

The Restaurant at L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
Ph: 310 278 3344
9291 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA

Website: lermitagebh.com
OpenTable: Look for reservations

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Thanksgiving Dilemma - To Serve or Be Served?

As my parents live overseas, in Thanksgivings past I have been graciously hosted by families of some amazing friends, who were kind enough to take in a stray for the day.  This year, my brother and his wife will be visiting from Montreal and staying with me for a month (starting mere days after I move!) so I'll be playing hostess for once during a hectic time. 

And so I have a confession to make: I've never cooked a whole turkey in my life - and have no idea what to do with a bird that size!  Though it could be an exciting culinary adventure, and possibly a fun day-long activity for all of us - whipping up all kinds of sides in the kitchen together while the turkey's in the oven - it could also be a DIY disaster.  The planner in me went immediately to work looking for backup dine-out options that I suspect will quickly turn into our preferred choice.

I was pleasantly surprised by all the restaurants (aka lifesavers / my personal heroes) that will be open Thanksgiving day - and some of the very creative interpretations of the traditional holiday meal, that they will be offering. 

Here are a few highlights of the most exciting menus for those who may also find themselves looking to dine out this holiday:

Molecular Gastronomy Thanksgiving:
The Bazaar by José Andrés is offering a five course prix fixe menu for $65 including their take on Turkey, Brussel Sprouts with 'lemon air', Papas Canarias, a spinach dish, and a sweet potato dessert.  The SLS Hotel is also offering a prix fixe brunch 11am-3pm for $59, a tasting menu for $65 and carving station with traditional turkey and trimmings for $49 November 25-28 starting at 5pm.

Vampires Beware Thanksgiving:
The Stinking Rose's $29.95 prix fixe dinner is not for the faint of heart! The three-course meal starts with a House Salad, then moves onto a 400 Clove Garlic Roasted Turkey With All The Trimmings, and finishes with Pumpkin Pie Ala Mode.  You can get a child's portion of the same menu at $19.95.

Land and Sea:
Trader Vic's Polynesian four-course dinner for $45 - Lobster Stuffed & Shrimp with kaffir lime bearnaise Asian pesto, Mixed Green Salad, Choice Of Stuffed Drunken Turkey Or Trio Of Squash, and choice of Pumpkin Tart or Apple Pecan Bread Pudding.

Patina Chef Tony Esnault's $70 prix fixe four-course Thanksgiving menu features two choices within each course - including Maine Lobster & Chestnut Velouté, Butternut Squash Risotto, Roasted Organic Turkey or Seared Day Boat Scallops, and Piedmont Hazelnut Sponge, Whole Wheat Tuile with Ovaltine Rum Ice Cream!


AYCE - Get Stuffed the Gourmet Way Thanksgiving:
By the Beach:  Whist at the Viceroy in Santa Monica is offering a gourmet Thanksgiving Buffet From 1pm-7pm. Chef Tony Disalvo Is Preparing A Special Feast!

Beverly Hills:  The Restaurant at L'Ermitage will be presenting "Thanksgiving Buffet To Satisfy Even The Most Discriminating Palates" for brunch - cost is $80 per adult, $45 for children 10 and under.  They had me at 'Caviar Station'!!! (Oysters, shrimp, smoked & shell fish are also involved, in addition to the requisite turkey and ham)

Religieuse Experience?:
Pinot Bistro's $45 three course Thanksgiving menu offers choices of first, main and dessert including Roasted Pumpkin Soup with spiced creme fraiche, or Smoked Salmon with buckwheat blini, egg mimosa, chives, and citrus; Roasted Turkey With Sweet Potato Gratin; and the dessert with the most awesome name so far - "Pumpkin and Hazelnut Religieuse".

And if you make your reservations through OpenTable, you can also earn points towards an OpenTable gift certificate when you check in at the restaurant, depending on your selected venue, date and time.  There is truly SO much to be thankful for this season! :)

So after perusing all the incredible menus, I think I've pretty much decided we're eating out.  Especially since my brother and his wife are considering moving to much sunnier SoCal, this might be a great time to add 'good eats' as another 'plus' to their list of reasons why they should.

*For those who feel like having restaurant fare at home - Susan Feniger's STREET is offering Tandoori turkey breast, lobster, lamb roast or jackfruit with an eclectic list of mouth-watering sides like Pandan and Coconut Creamed Corn and Spaghetti Squash with Chipotle Honey Butter.  Tandoori dishes run $15-$25 per person, and side dishes are 3 for $40, 5 for $55, and 7 for $65 (most sides serve up to four people).  Order at least 3 days in advance - last day for pickup is Wednesday, November 24th. See menu via link above for details.

A great take home dessert option is of course Tartist, whose apple tart was so amazing that I still remember the taste from Artisanal LA a couple weeks back.  They have a 'Special Pumpkin' pie on ginger crust that I can't wait to try, and of course, I have already ordered an Apple tart with apple slices, rosewater, persian-honey-vinegar glaze, and crushed pistachios on mascarpone and a french crust!  Even if I'm eating out, I just want to have these tarts around over the holidays for the fam to discover and enjoy :)  Bringing a Tartist creation to Thanksgiving (if you have any foodies in your midst) *will* make you a rock star at dinner.  Orders close November 14th for pick up Wednesday or Thursday 11/24 or 11/25.

Meet for Moules Ten Ways

I'm a sucker for packaging, even of the virtual sort - so after perusing the photos on Meet's website, I was eager to test drive the dishes in person.  I also happened to have $25 worth of Dining Dough for the place, so with gift certificate in hand, my friend and I had our rendez vous at Meet for early dinner on a Sunday night. 

Based on the look and feel of the website, I was expecting a small, intimate yet sophisticated bistro.  What I saw when we arrived was 'cozy', alright - but at first I thought I had mistakenly gone to a pizzeria, or a mom & pop Italian eatery - with the restaurant's red and white checkered tablecloths and wooden chairs, and brick-focused decor.  We decided to sit in the outdoor patio, the better for people watching and less claustrophobic, for a balmy summer night in California (though the tables on the patio are still fairly close to each other - so that you can hear conversations at the tables next to you).  Brushing off first impressions of the decor, we were excited to see what savory treats the night would hold for us.

Having developed an addiction to beet salad after my recent euphoric experience at Magnolia, I decided to give Meet's Beets salad ($11.95) a try to see if it would give Magnolia's version a run for its money.  The description was straightforward, and lead to an expectation of a simple yet elegant and clean dish - "frisée, candied walnuts, warm goat cheese with honey champagne vinaigrette".  When the plate arrived, I must admit the presentation was not of the caliber advertised on the website - a tower of crudely stacked slabs of beets, two different colors, were topped by a pool of goat cheese (which congealed after sitting a few minutes untouched, since I was busy catching up with my friend).

For our entrees, we were both instantly captivated by the description of the Moulieres Meet ($18), mussels served in saffron broth with crab AND bacon.  Sounds like heaven, right?  This dish did not disappoint, arriving in a gigantic white ceramic bowl, with the mussels at just the right texture - soft, smooth and just slightly chewy, without any hard ridges - and a flavorful broth, with generous piles of crab and bacon that made it a very tasty and filling dish.  We were actually too full after this to get dessert (though the trio of profiteroles was tempting!)

My only other complaint about Meet is the service - while the waiters were very nice and friendly, and seemed to mean well - I asked for an Arnold Palmer when we sat down, and had to remind the waiter three times before they brought the drink over, which arrived halfway through my entree.  The place was small and definitely not at capacity, so it was a little disappointing that he simply forgot my drink order many times over.

All-in-all, not quite what I expected from a french bistro in the up and coming neighborhood of downtown Culver City - but not a bad deal for mussel lovers who want to explore variations on the classic Moulieres Marineres, and of course be sure to get your discount certificate from Restaurant.com first for an even better bargain!

Update Aug 2011: All-You-Can-Eat Moules Frites - Wednesdays for $23.95!  All the delectable mussels you can eat in any or all of the different styles - now there are 12 (they added two). My favs are: Bisque (in lobster broth), Thai (curry broth that sounds questionable on the menu but is not spicy at all and incredibly flavorful), and Provencale - all of these are so delicious I could pick up the entire bowl to slurp the broth after the mussels are done.  You wouldn't see my face at all for 10 minutes.  One serving of fries per order. 

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5 bites
Presentation - 4.5 bites
Originality - 4 bites
Ambience - 3 stars
Service - 4 stars
Overall experience - 4.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 70%

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Meet
9727 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Ph: 310.815.8222
Website: meetrestaurantla.com
Twitter: twitter.com/meet_culvercity
OpenTable: Look for reservations
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