There are a lot of delicious flavors to savor at WEST, the Italian steakhouse that crowns the Hotel Angeleno, but perhaps the tastiest is a morsel of shadenfreude. If you take a certain amount of delight in the misfortune of others, the 200-degree view of L.A.’s Westside will leave you giddy as you jeer at the commuters in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 405 Freeway, far below.
It doesn’t take long, however, before your focus shifts back to the sky-bound lounge, where subtle music permeates the softly-lit dining room. As the sun sets behind the Santa Monica Mountains, you realize that it’s a good time for a glass of wine. You’re in luck. Not only does the restaurant feature a noteworthy wine list, the servers are very knowledgeable about the wines, as is the maitre D’, John Yuhico, who guided my date and I off the beaten path to a tour of Italian vino: from the Greco Di Tufo, Terrerdora Dipaolo vines in the Campania region in the southern part of the country to the Garganega, Suavia of northern Italy’s Soave region. And that was just the whites.
It should be noted that the restaurant also serves a variety of California favorites as well. But “When in Rome,” as they say. And what better to enhance the wine than with the artisan cheese and prosciutto plate. Humboldt Fog, Point Reyes blue and Manchego are teamed with a variety of goodies – quince paste, apricot compote, candied nuts, toasted baguette crostini and, of course, delicate slices of prosciutto. I highly recommend this dish, which warms up the palate the way that musicians tune their instruments before a symphony.
Hard choices follow. Fresh seafood, pasta or all-natural meat? The special of the day was a 28-ounce porterhouse steak. The temptation was great, but I succumbed to an equal delight, albeit of smaller proportions – the chateau filet, weighing in at eight ounces. Chef Manuel Medina brought it out char rare, as per my request, and served it with a selection of tiny, roasted potatoes with sage and a sautéed assortment of wild mushrooms. My date, meanwhile, was in a paradise of her own. She chose the catch of the day: wild sea bass. It flaked on the fork and melted in the mouth.
Rows of red and white lights illuminated the city below. It was time for dessert. We feasted on a pair of Medina’s homemade selections: strawberry cheesecake and tiramisu. Words cannot do justice to either. It was a fitting finish to a four-star meal.
WEST is located at 170 N. Church Lane in Brentwood, atop the iconic cylindrical building that is the Hotel Angeleno. For more information, call (310) 481-7878 or go to www.westatangeleno.com.
