Spago Beverly Hills

I first went to Spago when they were on Sunset Blvd in the 1980's, and I have been to the Beverly Hills location a few times before they remodeled and took over the corner of Canon and Wilshire. Some people came out from out of state wanting to try the iconic restaurant, so it gave me a chance to revisit this classic Wolfgang Puck flagship.

Food and energy prices have risen since Covid 19, and that has been reflected in the menu, with starters averaging $35, entrées about $65, and cocktails / wines by the glass $25. Spago has always been a high end restaurant with great service and ambiance, but I found the food and drinks were not worth the splurge anymore. The dining room was full of tourists and old regulars who are diehard fans. The service and ambiance were still elegant and smooth, but I found the food to be bland and more exciting in presentation than in flavors.

The beet and burrata starter used quality ingredients and it was beautifully plated, but nothing noteworthy enough to warrant the $30 price tag.

The pear starter was equally beautiful, but the aged balsamic made it a tastier starter for the price point.

I chose the crispy black bass for $59 which included a bit of lobster and perfectly cooked fish, but the entire dish was as bland as the photo looks. My dining companions offered me a taste of the scallops and I found that the scallops were perfectly seared, but also unremarkable in terms of flavor.

The out of town visitors wanted dessert, so we got the chocolate soufflé. This may have been the highlight of the meal. Served with a flourish by our skilled server, this old school dish was executed perfectly.

Would I go back? No. The tourists and die hard regulars probably enjoy their meals here, but I prefer chef owned places where the food is more interesting and flavorful than the reputation and location.