Tara Weingarten
08/02/2004
Seldom do the words “Disney” and “fine dining” appear in the same sentence. (After all, the theme parks’ signature item is Mickey-shaped chicken nuggets.) But since Patina, one of Los Angeles’ most celebrated restaurants, reopened downtown at the new Walt Disney Concert Hall, the two have become synonymous. Superstar chef Joachim Splichal’s reborn Patina is a fresh interpretation of his former restaurant, which thrilled diners for 14 years before closing in 2003.
Inside the architecturally celebrated concert hall is a chef’s table to
rival any of the city’s private dining rooms. Patina’s new contemporary setting
fits seamlessly into the concert hall’s strikingly modern styling. Folding and
undulating stainless steel sheets wrap around the building exterior, exuding the
ethereal, physical construct of a symphony.Just to the right of Patina’s intimate bar is a gossamer, oyster-hued linen curtain. Pull the curtain aside to reveal a minimally set table for up to 12 guests. Twelve bright-orange water glasses add color to the dark wood table, set with crisp, white napkins. Unlike other elegant dining rooms that showcase original artwork, the focus here is on the frenetic drama of the kitchen, as seen through the 7½-foot picture window. The walls are unadorned, save for one hewn from wavy dark walnut, laser cut to appear like a theater curtain.
This wooden curtain conceals a small wine
cabinet, which stores a few spectacular bottles from the restaurant’s ambitious
42-page wine list. The inventory includes a 5-liter 1975 Château Mouton
Rothschild Pauillac, for $2,100, and a jeroboam of 1995 Perrier Jouët Belle
Epoch Gold Millennium 2000 special edition, $3,200.
Though the décor is
stunningly chic, executive chef Theo Schoenegger’s meticulous cooking is the
true eye-opener. Schoenegger serves a six-course chef’s menu ($120 per person)
that changes with the seasons. A diver scallop carpaccio with white asparagus
melds perfectly with a dandelion salad drizzled with a pine nut and fraises des
bois vinaigrette. Another course highlights black cod, glazed with Quebec maple
syrup, with lobster ravioli and a yuzu-ginger emulsion. This creates the perfect
segue to the main course: olive oil-poached squab breast with wild mushroom
risotto and port foam.
The dinner concludes with a phenomenal cheese course,
as guests select from a cart that includes samples from around the world: ami du
chambertin, a Burgundian delicacy that boasts forceful, barnyard flavors, and a
nutty Brie de Meaux that exudes buttery smoothness. Unique cheeses tempt the
palate, notably a Humboldt fog from Northern California and a St. Maure goat
cheese from the Loire Valley. For $60 more, diners receive a wine pairing for
each of the six courses from sommelier Eric Espuny, one of the city’s sharpest
wine stewards.
Phil Rosenthal, executive producer of the television sitcom
Everybody Loves Raymond, recently celebrated his birthday with a few friends at
the chef’s table. “It is as good as food gets in L.A.,” he beams. “The wine
pairing was an art form done to perfection, and the cheese was like fireworks at
the end of the dinner.”
Rosenthal and his guests laud Patina’s service. “It
is not pretentious or stuffy. I don’t recall any other four-star restaurant in
New York or Los Angeles being that friendly and warm without losing an ounce of
professionalism,” Rosenthal recalls. And he appreciates the staff’s sense of
humor. Rosenthal’s wife, Monica, one of the actors on Everybody Loves Raymond,
was also celebrating her birthday that evening. “Prior to our dinner, they asked
for a title for our menu, and I told them it would be a shameless night of
gluttony. So when we sat down and looked at our printed menu, it had our names
and the words: A Shameless Night of Gluttony.”
Of course, gluttony is a sin
best shared with dear friends, tremendous food and sublime wine.
Patina
213.972.3331
www.musiccenter.org/patina.html