High End Restaurant Reviews
The Grill On the Alley
Westlake Village California
We walked into The Grill around 7pm, feeling a bit under dressed since we were planning on dinning at another restaurant. The host asked us if we had a reservation and when we did not said that he needed a moment. The restaurant was busy but not packed, which made the question feel a little bit like a ploy to create a feeling of prestige. Not even five minutes later we were sat at a table.
Once seated, we were introduced to our waiter who proved to be extremely attentive, delivering impeccable service. We ordered the prime rib-the last one apparently- the scallops, which was on special and a mixed green salad as a starter. The scallops were in a delicious orange bure blanc that gave the scallops a sweet taste as did the balsamic glaze drizzled over the grilled vegetables it came with.
We ordered the mixed green salad on the recommendation of the server. The description on the menu simply said mixed green salad. We ordered it with the balsamic vinaigrette. When it arrived it had mushrooms in it and was over dressed. I am not a fan of mushrooms let alone raw mushrooms. As I sat there picking the mushrooms out of my salad the server came up and told me that he would have the salad remade without mushrooms. I was pleasantly surprised by the server’s attentiveness and his ability to anticipate my needs. This made up for the lack of description on the menu.
The prime rib was wonderfully seasoned and was prepared beautifully at medium rare. It was melt in your mouth tender and was accompanied by a creamy horseradish sauce and au jus. It was a bit fatty, but that is to be expected with prime rib. It came with onion rings and shoestring potatoes. The onion rings were thick and the breading was fried to a crispy golden brown. The shoestring potatoes were nice, crispy and well seasoned. A pate a shoux, buttermilk biscuit that was huge, also accompanied it. I was slightly disappointed when I realized it was hollow, however the flakey texture and rich buttermilk flavor gave the dish a great twist.
The atmosphere was pleasant with an open kitchen enclosed only by glass. There was also a TV in the bar playing the Oscars though it is mainly empty.
The overall experience was very good. The staff was friendly and attentive, though at one point, we were able to hear the severs discuss their lack of tips. The food had great flavor and was beautifully plated. I give this restaurant a 3.5 out of 5 ambiance, a 4 for service and a 3.5 for their food.
For Menu’s and other information visit their Website at www.thegrill.com/westlake.htm
We walked into Bellavino Wine Bar at about 8:00pm on a Tuesday night.. There were about ten guests in the restaurant and the only person working was the owner. This gave the visit a more personal touch. He greeted us in a smile and made small talk while taking us to our table, which was very welcoming. He was friendly and attentive, he even made a wine pairing suggestion, the Pinot Noir, which we both selected and it paired perfectly with our meals.
As you look around the room you see the beautiful decor. There are hand blown glass fixtures that hang from the ceiling, which is very unique. You are also surrounded by beautiful artwork. If you take a liking to any of this artwork it is available for purchase. Our table had a clean white tablecloth with a small candle in the middle. This combined with the jazz music playing in the background made for a romantic setting.
When the owner came over to take our drink order he asked if we were ready to order as well, and we were. We ordered a green salad to start, which we shared. My wife ordered the sea bass. I ordered the rack of lamb. When the owner came back with our drinks, he informed me that they were out of the lamb. I was disappointed, however he suggested the special seared fresh ahi tuna. I took him up on his suggestion and I am glad that I did.
The starter salad came out and it was great. It was well dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and was topped with fresh mango and walnuts. It tasted fresh and was full of flavor. The fact that it was simple was refreshing in itself.
The sea bass arrived in a large asian style square bowl and was well seasoned and had beautiful golden brown sear to it. The fish was perched atop a mound of soba noodles and assorted vegetables. The garlic sauce had a wonderful flavor and was more a broth than a sauce. What a combination this dish was. I tried a bite and was very impressed. After my wife finished I actually drank a bit of the sauce, it was that good.
The seared ahi came to the table and it was a visually stunning plate. The ahi was sliced and shingled in the front of the plate atop roasted vegetables. The tuna had a thai chili garlic sauce on it and was lightly coated with panko breadcrumbs before searing. The fish had a perfect 1/4 inch seared all the way around and was a bright red rare in the middle. The use of panko on the tuna gave it a great crunchy texture and mouth feel. It wasn’t just mushy like you might think. The thai chili garlic sauce was great as well. It had a sweet chili and garlic flavor with a mild kick. The vegetables were well seasoned and not over cooked.
After enjoying the perfectly prepared meal, I understood why there was no salt or pepper on any of the tables; it was not needed. The food was already seasoned to perfection
For dessert we ordered the apple blossom, which I would best describe as granny smith apple pie filling wrapped in puff pastry. It was topped with chantilly cream and a caramel sauce. It is served hot and was the perfect ending to an almost perfect meal.
Bellavino is a great restaurant for anyone who loves great food and wine. It is on the pricier side, but worth every penny. On a side not I do recommend dressing in casual attire. While I was disappointed that they were out of the rack of lamb, the ahi tuna more than made up for it. I give this restaurant the following ratings:
Ambiance 4 out of 5
Food 4.5 out of 5
Service 4 out of 5
Overall experience: 4 out of 5
For more information visit:
http://www.bellavinowinebar.com
Bellavino Wine Bar
Westlake Village, Ca.
