Royale treatment

2619 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles (213) 388-8488

The old is new again and nowhere is this proven so fantastically than at Royale, artfully nestled in Howard Hughes' former Wilshire Royale Hotel in the legendary Wilshire corridor from where the downtown skyline winks its renaissance.

Walk in and the swank room in earth and dark chocolate tones with a black slate bar, enormous circular booth seating 35 under a light installation like stars dripping from the sky, and photographic murals is just a prelude.  The front bar, which we are told is normally packed with hipsters including a famous Entourage lead, leads to a romantic outdoor patio with a small pool and the entrance to the luxurious lobby to the apartments upstairs.  Here friends sip wine, smoke, and let the day melt away.  Upstairs is another dimly-lit, safari-themed lounge replete with plasma TVs, billiard table, shag carpeting and a view of the front bar and lower patio.  Designer John Sofio of L.A.'s BUILT pays respect to the city's history by culling from the property's inherent beauty to reintroduce us to the glamour of a bygone era without compromising the hip factor.   

The sprawling dinning room, a former ballroom, is immediately arresting in its sophistication and glamour.  Soaring columns of glistening white ceramic tile open up like palms at the high merlot-colored arched ceiling. Candlelit tables are spaced generously to afford privacy and a wine bar from the original architecture under a different installation of lights in interwoven branches beckons with mojitos, wines and martinis.

Chef Eric Ernest (BOA) has worked with masters like Lee Heftner, Wolfgang Puck and Yoshi Kojima and believes that great food doesn't have to be pretentious.  "I wanted a menu that had both foie gras and pork ribs on it."  The menu reflects a pleasing variety starting with the Crudo or "raw" section with the delightful Bigeye Tuna where meaty cubes and avocado are kissed with a rogan josh oil infused with curry, garlic and hot peppers and served with strands of watermelon radish.  Favorite appetizers include the simple yet popular Salt & Pepper shrimp. Tail-on jumbo prawns coated with corn starch are flash fried to just the right crispiness, charred with seasoning and served with pine nuts and the kick of hot peppers.  Hudson Valley sautéed foie gras trembles deliciously with candied blood orange slices and a sauce made with licorice, vinegar and figs.  Flake-to-the-touch sea bass is a tad salty but the bone-in New York Steak with blue cheese butter and fresh garlic fries is heaven with the splendid Peter Lehman Cabernet from Australia.

Did we mention the valet parking is complimentary? 

--Ghalib Dhalla