Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air: Escapist Afternoon Tea

I love ads.  Creative ones that also manage to serve their purpose. I have always been in awe of copywriters as commercial artists: how they are able to so concisely convey and burn into your memory, what they want you to know of the essence of a brand/product in 30 seconds or less, and often with one deceptively simple but oh so skillfully crafted tagline.  And one of my favorites is from Southwest Airlines: "Wanna get away?"

Often, the reaction is immediate, visceral and resounding: "YES!!!!"

But, as any functioning adult - who has not inherited or earned an amount of money large enough to enable them to do whatever the heck they want, whenever they want - knows all too well, getting away is not always possible at the moment that you most want to do it.

Which is why I love and appreciate places like the former Gonpachi, and Hotel Bel-Air - that let you feel like you've escaped to another time and place, a therapeutic safe haven, without any more planning or investment than a few hours and a fraction of the cost and 'production' level logistics of actual travel.

Even getting to the property feels like a treat: you know that gated street off Sunset Boulevard in Bel-Air that gives off the impression that you have to have a special pass or blood that runs blue to be allowed in? Well apparently, while very effective with its silent 'keep out' - there isn't any actual (at least not very visible) measure preventing entry during the day...

Ms Sassy and I drove up easily on a Saturday afternoon, up lush, windy roads that opened up to a reclusive retreat that for some reason made me think of that movie from the 80s: Secret Garden.

We had read about swans at the hotel, but on that slightly overcast/chilly January afternoon we didn't manage to catch sight of them.

The elegant, white-themed tea room has an outdoor seating area - we settled into a semi-circular booth under a heat lamp and immediately vowed to return when during warmer weather.

Afternoon tea here involves a prix fixe set of sandwiches, scones, dessert bites and all you can drink teas for $60 per person.

While that price may initially feel high, after experiencing and tasting the gorgeous and delicious spread, we felt it was well worth it:

 
 

 

The set starts with Savory Bites:

 

*Maryland Blue Crab "Roll", Herb Remoulade

 

*Japanese Cucumber, Herb Cream Cheese, Pan de Mie

 

*House Cured Smoked Salmon, Dill Cream, Brioche, Micro Arugula

 

 

 

 

 

*Organic Jidori Chicken Salad, Golden Raisins, Walnut Bread

 

*Sourdough "Grilled Cheese" Sandwich, Gruyere

 

*Wild Mushroom Duxelle & Laura Chenel Goat Cheese En Croute

Fresh From the Oven:

Then came some of the best scones and spreads we have ever tasted:

*Sour Cherry, Blueberry & Buttermilk Almond Scones

*Housemade Raspberry Jam, Apricot Marmalade & Echire Butter

The scones were impossibly flaky, soft yet pleasantly weighty, and packed with flavor - though not so much that they overwhelmed the jam, marmalade & butter that came with them. I wanted 20 more of these and was only able to maintain some decorum so as not to embarrass Ms Sassy too badly.

With your afternoon tea set, you also get your choice of all you can drink Loose Leaf Teas: and you can switch flavors as much as you want with each new pot! If memory serves correctly there were about 18 different teas on offer including original blends like Hotel Bel Air Swan Song blend of Guayusa, White Tip Jasmine, Hibiscus, Green Rooibos or Sacred Orchid with lilac and gardenia scent or you can choose from classics like Royal Chrysanthemum Blossom, Earl Grey with Bergamot, Assam, or Silver Needle. All were light, clean and refreshing.

As you can tell by the change in lighting in this pic, we were having such a fantastic time catching up and enjoying the food and tea that we didn't even notice several hours had passed. Last up was the Assiette of Sweets:
*Sicilian Orange Cream Puff
French Macaroon

*Raspberry Hazelnut Financier
Apricot Vanilla Tart

*Chocolate Dipped Wafer Cone

Unfortunately the dessert plate was not as impressive as the others earlier in the set - there wasn't any single item that was particularly memorable. But the exquisiteness (yes, you have to use that word at least once when talking about the civilized activity of afternoon tea, with pinkies out and all) of the plates preceding more than made up for this last one.

All in all, a great place to escape for an afternoon - a beautiful, quiet reflective place where you can hold actual conversation without stressful battles with traffic, parking, nor distractions of the usual hustle & bustle of most restaurants 'in the city'. It comes at a price, but we thought it was well worth it, and plan to be back again soon.

(Note: 20% gratuity is automatically added to the bill - it's up to you if you'd like to leave more, but just something to be aware of)


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites  
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5 bites
Ambience -  6.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$$ (4 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

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Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air
701 Stone Canyon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90077
Ph: 310.909.1644

Parking: Valet $8 with validation from restaurant. Free street parking on Saturdays just past hotel entrance (double check street signs)
Website: hotelbelair.com/Afternoontea

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The Hart and the Hunter: Bountiful Brunch at the Palihotel

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing was the name of the pop-up in Venice, now closed (not to be confused with the recently opened permanent restaurant of the same name), whose chefs birthed The Hart and the Hunter.

Both restaurants' names seem to have their origin in Aesop's fables. I have not had the opportunity to get the scoop from chefs Kris Tominaga and Brian Dunsmoor on how these intriguing fables apply to the culinary realm  - so I may be completely over-reaching here.  But the fable of The Hart and the Hunter is about a deer who was admiring his own reflection: in particular, his 'noble' antlers, and despising his unsightly legs, when a Hunter approached and shot an arrow his way. While the Hart's legs nimbly carried him nearly out of line of fire, his antlers got caught in some low hanging branches, which allowed the Hunter to catch up with him. The moral of the story? We often despise that which is most useful to us.

My guess as it applies to food: in an uber-image-conscious town, where often (for non-foodies anyway) it's more about what NOT to eat, could the guys mean that we often despise ingredients (like animals with fat, butter, etc.) that make food not just something you consume to be alive, but a reason to stay alive, and to enjoy it?  And that basically, we should be celebrating, not despising because it is what fuels our lives (and souls)?

On a sunlit Sunday before the holidays, dorkyfoodie and I decided to go check out The Hart and the Hunter for brunch, which they had just started serving that weekend.

Nestled inside the chic-lodge-style Palihotel on Melrose, The H&H is a tiny nook of a space whose layout is more laid back cafe than buzzing hotspot of a restaurant that it is. There is the counter in the very back where you place your order, then go to seat yourself in the front dining room,

whose walls are covered in pale blue tiles, in a yet airy space awash in sunlight, with a few carefully decorative items to evoke the hunting theme - like the bronze deer centerpiece at the communal table, and the 'gold' rabbit statues at each of the 'booth' tables.  

I rarely drink coffee (love the smell and taste, but unfortunately prone to caffeine headaches) but couldn't resist when I saw Handsome Coffee Roasters beverages being served...by the barista from Handsome Coffee Roasters.  Dorkyfoodie got a mocha, and I got the Eggnog Latte - both delicious, and served in massive bowl-like mugs. 

The food here has been described as Californian meets modern Southern fare.  At brunch you can order from either the Breakfast or Brunch menus: both feature a few fan favorites from dinner, so if you're not one for crowds or long waits, brunch may be the way to get your fix of select signature items.

We started with the Smoked Trout ($5) a perfect example of how the dish titles here may be deceptively simple - while the food is anything but. Incredibly fresh, tender smoked fish is layered with fresh avocado, capers, herbs and pops of pink pickled onion for a complex yet unfussy interplay of smokey, salty, sweet, sour, juicy, crunchy deliciousness - on hefty pieces of bread.
This dish is held up as a crowd favorite, and justifiably so - it's also a great portion size for $5.

Next up was something from a category I normally despise: salads, but ended up like The Hart, learning otherwise. Thankful dorkyfoodie was there to school me. Roasted Cauliflower & Brussel Sprouts, Arugula, Golden Raisins, Turmeric Vin ($8) - which was supposed to be served with almonds, but the chef wasn't happy with the almonds they had that day, so they asked if they could substitute hazelnuts instead, which worked perfectly. There was slices of radish in there too for a different type of crunch.  I was so in love with this dish I couldn't believe there was no seafood or meat in there. It really just tasted like The Best of Mother Nature - every element tasted like it was just plucked from the ground moments before it ended up on your plate - elevated with skillful hands, playing with textures and flavors until the perfect balance was achieved.

Then another crowd favorite and The Dish that You Cannot Leave H&H Without Trying: the again simply named: Biscuits and Condiments ($6).  These might be the best (buttery-est, golden-brownest, flakiest, lightest yet most substantial, most flavorful) biscuits I've ever had.  And the accoutrements that come on the plank with them are also fantastic - pimento cheese, persimmon preserves and honey/maple butter.  Of the three, my favorites were the honey/maple butter and persimmon preserves. Everything though again tasted farm fresh.

With the score at 3 for 3 'on target' thus far, we couldn't wait to try the Grilled Steak Bowl, Roasted Vegetables, Arugula, Salsa Verde ($12) - which closed out the meal in top form.  It was a celebration of nature's bounty, in a beautiful real china bowl (have I mentioned how much I loved the very southern formal diningware?).  The steak was perfectly cooked (medium/medium rare), super flavorful, and in perfect proportion to the amount of roasted veggies. Underneath them was a bed of farro and super juicy mushrooms : grains to catch the rich juices from the steak and veggies, and mushrooms to add element of earthiness and sweetness. We almost wanted to lick the bowl clean.

Unfortunately we loved the main meal so much we didn't leave enough room for dessert, but H&H does have a nice selection of pastries which I would love to try when I go back - from apple dumplings (with option to go East Coast style with cheddar!), lemon bars and more.

We walked off our meal - no, not in the nearest forest, but the jungles of Melrose vintage boutiques and wildly festive Christmas sweaters -then swung back to hang out and chat on the narrow but relaxing open patio outside H&H for a while, glutted and self-satisfied that we (at least for the time being) can keep ourselves from bemoaning what's perceived as lacking, but revel in all that we have, and are.  Awesome time and I hope to be back again very soon!!!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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The Hart and The Hunter
Palihotel 7950 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles,CA 90046
Ph: 323.424.3055

Parking: Street meters

Website: thehartandthehunter.com
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