Came here the other day for a business lunch with me, myself and I. Spago has three main draws; celebrities want to see and be seen here, Wolfgang is as famous as any of his clientele, and the food here is considered world class. Both Mr Puck and executive chef Lee Hefter have won the James Beard award for Best Chef, Puck twice, and Spago Beverly Hills itself has won the Outstanding Restaurant award as well. And two stars in the Michelin Guide USA to boot.

Designed by Barbara Lazaroff, ex-wife and still business partner to the Puck empire, one enters the restaurant through a 10 foot doorway that leads through the well appointed bar into the dining room. On the right of the bar is the coveted patio, the outside dining area that occupies the center of the restaurant. This is the preferred spot for the power dining crowd; being the center of the floor, one can see all and be seen by all. Which is not to say that anywhere in the restaurant is undesirable, as the banquettes, tables and booths are so designed as to create a flow that creates space and intimacy simultaneously. Perched over the main dining room is a stained glass motif skylight of Murano hand blown glass, which adds a beautiful luster to the warm tones of beige and brown that comprise the dcor. Lining the walls are Murano sconces, and Botaro inspired pastoral paintings. One notices that each chair has a flame motif on the back, a pattern echoed throughout the restaurant. It represents the flame of life, the passion that inspires Wolgang’s cooking and ‘raison d’etre.’ And said flame can be seen through the glass windows of the open kitchen at the far end of the dining room. One remembers again, this concept another first at Spago.

Mr Puck is known as the inventor of designer pizza and California cuisine, the fusion of Asian and other elements with classical cuisine. While there are certain core dishes one can count on that made Spago famous, the menu is constantly evolving, thanks to the endless creativity of the two master chefs. One particular note: Puck has raised the bar on humane animal treatment and organic products, developing a nine point program with the HSUS and insisting his purveyors follow the strictest standards in the business in animal husbandry and sustainable earth practices.

Famous for creating the California pizza by adding exotic items like caviar, smoked salmon and creme fraiche, this may no longer seem unusual but it is a standard here. I had a variation, the Oregon Chanterelle Pizza with cipollini onions and confit cherry tomatoes. Both ingredients are unusually sweet, and combined with the rich mozzarella and mushrooms, make for an uncommon taste. I was not quite convinced, and the dough lacked tanginess. I wanted to taste salt. Next time I will try the Shrimp and Uni risotto, which looked and sounds marvelous. But the next dish was great. Marinated Hamachi and Tuna Sashimi plate seems to be a more standard Asian dish, but it has a twist, served with a soy-yuzu sauce, (yuzu like a hint of marmalade), drizzled over it and enhanced with pumpkin oil, rich and deep, pulling out the flavor of the wonderful fish. Absolutely fresh, the sashimi melts in your mouth, and it is layered around a bed of, surprise, sweet sticky rice, that absorbs and enhances the delicious sauce, another decided step away from a standard Japanese dish. Sublime. For dessert, a classic Apple Streudel, hand pulled so that the crust flakes in the thinnest layers, slow baked with butter so that the apples and raisins melt in the mouth, served with a side of “50 bean” vanilla ice cream. This was like eating a tarte tatin but with a lighter and crunchier crust. A more delicious end to a meal would be hard to find.

The service here is excellent, many waiters and managers working the floor, a choreographed dance. I was warmly engaged with several times by managers and waiter. My table was crumbed twice, by the busboy and by my waiter, a custom I find lacking in the better restaurants in LA. The silverware is heavy and substantial, the plates of classic white china, contrasting with the very new world dcor of the room. Coffee is also served with silver sugar and cream containers; one has a vague memory of old Vienna and the Austrian culture of refined elegance. During my meal, I had a fine view of the room. A table of Beverly Hills wives filled up for a birthday lunch, each coiffed arrival in yet another shade of very expensive beige. Guess I did not get the memo from Vogue; it’s beige, this year!

Surprise, I saw Mr Puck himself when I arrived, sitting off the main room, conferencing with his chefs. Always nice to see the creative force at the flagship, in spite of such a busy schedule. He is so ubiquitous, it seems hard to take him seriously sometimes. But I find the food indeed to be serious, and though quite pricey, certainly worth exploring some more. I hear the tasting menu changes daily, eight items for $125. I think so!

4.5 stars