Puck It Up

When the Hotel Bel-Air announced it was closing for a two-year renovation, you could almost hear a collective gasp across town. When you think of the hotel or lunch on the terrace, you think of the swans, the romance, the comfort. Generations have celebrated birthdays, holidays and anniversaries here, not to mention Mother’s Day brunch. Did it really need to be glitzy?

So when the news came that Wolfgang Puck would take over the food and beverage menus throughout the hotel, including the staid dining room offerings, minds were set somewhat at ease. It would be wonderful to go for the food as well as the pageantry. No one ever said change was easy, but it’s also not a bad thing.

A warning to lovers of chintz: The pinks and flowers and fuchsias along the dining terrace have gone missing. They’ve been replaced with earthy and golden hues, dark browns and clean lines throughout the space, courtesy of architect David Rockwell (his designs include Nobu, CityCenter in Vegas and Kodak Theatre). It’s less romantic in that we’re-going-to-see-the-swans way (you still pass them as you arrive), but it’s also less Dynasty. Still, it takes a certain amount of adjustment to get used to the new look.

First, there’s the art. As we dined, my friends all agreed that the spin paintings, especially in the bar, are tragic. That room lost its clubby hideaway vibe to a pseudo-Hollywood Regency aesthetic. Gone are the leather chairs and pastoral paintings. Shiny tabletops and low-slung, brass-accented cocktail chairs now reign. There was a reason to love the old look, the one without all the gloss. But the fireplace still roars, a grand piano still presides over the space and the cocktails are great, especially the Duke of Earl, an Earl Grey-infused gin concoction that tastes as smooth and refreshing as an Arnold Palmer.

The reopening took place last fall as chilly nights set in, and each time I arrived, we were led to one of the large curved booths near the alcoves on the terrace. I wondered why we weren’t going into the enclosed room, which was warmer, and actually feels more like a private dining room with its marble fireplace and wine towers. No need. The space heaters at full blast heat every corner of the expanded terrace, and it’s obviously the place to be. One night, crooner Rod Stewart was to our left and actress Sela Ward to the right; on another evening, embattled Dodgers owner Frank McCourt was holding court next to us.

With Puck and his team in place, the entire dining experience has been heightened exponentially. Now, everything is polished. The service is incredibly professional and the staff is well trained—they know when to back off, when to fill your water glass, how to decipher the sort of night you want to have. The menu, overseen by Puck’s right-hand man, Lee Hefter, and Executive Chef Sonny Sweetman, is as current as the redesign, but better.

One thing hasn’t changed: the price tag. Appetizers, like the wonderful chestnut agnolotti with white truffles, hover around the price for an entrée at any restaurant down the hill. White truffles won’t always be in season, so that dish will change, and it most likely won’t always cost $60 (though it’s worth every penny). This isn’t your average everyday dinner spot, but then again, it never was.

The menu matches the times and the clientele, and dishes aren’t always groundbreaking, but there are some head-turners. I do love the playfulness on the plate, though nothing is so over-the-top that it’s off-putting. The beet salad looks like a pretty little garden with golden and red beets standing at attention, separated by three different goat cheeses and dotted with micro greens. The beautiful, silky, raw bay scallops get a sprinkle of smoked salt, a few swishes of wasabi aioli and yuzu citrus. The edible flowers add color and even a bit of texture.

The menu isn’t large—there are about 20 dishes and they’re all recognizable; it’s still a hotel dining room, after all. Buttery langoustines with seaweed emulsion are wonderfully light. Lamb is much heartier, with three cuts: tenderloin, meaty rack and rich belly, all served with spicy harissa, creamy yogurt and eggplant sauces to match. Even the Jidori chicken isn’t an afterthought. Here it’s separated in two mounds on the plate, perfectly cooked and wonderfully flavorful, with chanterelle mushrooms and chestnut purée. I rarely order chicken when I’m out, and I’d get this again and again.

You can tell that Sherry Yard has influenced the desserts and pastries, even if she’s not there every night. The simplicity of the poached apple with pretzel puff pastry is right up my alley and the chocolate dome with warm pudding cake and spiced ice cream is wow-worthy.

Some people will undoubtedly bemoan all the changes, but the magic isn’t entirely gone. I’m not sure I love the crisscross walls in the alcoves that are tiered with flickering candles, but the view of the swan lake is the same. And the more inspired menu allows diners to more than tolerate hotel food for birthdays, anniversaries and engagement parties. The restaurant hasn’t lost its celebratory edge or its romance. It’s still hidden along the curvy streets of Bel-Air and it’s still a special place to be.

Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air
***
701 Stone Canyon Road, L.A., 310.909.1644, hotelbelair.‌com

Hours
Breakfast daily, 7-11am. Lunch, Mon.-Sat., 11am-2pm. Dinner, Sun.-Thu., 5:30-10pm; Fri.-Sat., 5:30-10:30pm. Brunch, Sun., 11am-3pm

Who’s There
The famous, the fancy, the families

Where to Sit
The terrace, in an alcove, or at tables 57 or 60

The Wines
You’ll find a few glasses under $15 and a few bottles under $50.

The China
Bernardaud made the plates exclusively for Puck.

What It Costs
Dinner: entrées, $38-$135; desserts, $14.
Lunch: entrées, $21-$52; desserts, $14.
Breakfast: $18-$28.
Brunch: $78 per person, three courses with Champagne or mimosa.
Corkage: $45 per bottle.