Beacon restaurant, Los Angeles
While in Los Angeles I got eat at Beacon, an experience which definitely warrants a post here on the blog. I found Beacon just by chance. It is across the street from the Jazz Bakery where I was to hear Matt Wilson perform later in the evening. The Jazz Bakery folks recommended Beacon and another restaurant nearby. I am glad we chose Beacon.
Beacon serves Asian food with a creative twist. Their two executive chefs have been written up in some publications and I found out that LA Magazine rated Beacon as one of the top 25 restaurants in LA. It certainly deserves it as far as I’m concerned.
First of all, we got to sit outside on their lovely patio in the cool LA evening weather, under space heaters. Just about the perfect environment. Then came the food. I was there with my sister and we decided to split everything so we could make a two course meal into four courses.
We started with the chef’s soup of the day. An amazing combination of carrots and ginger and probably a lot of other stuff all pureed down into an amazing experience. Then there was the sauteed mushroom salad, also fantastic. Then, there was pad thai. I got the pad thai because I pretty much always get it any time I’m anywhere that serves it. It’s one of my favorite dishes and I just have to see what it’s like. It was great. Maybe not the best I’ve ever had, but definitely unique and right up there on my list.
But the first three courses were nothing compared to the grand finale, the hanger steak. This dish was highly recommended by the waiter and he was right on. An amazingly tender steak marinated and served in a sauce that I can’t even begin to describe other than to just say “wow,” and topped off with a lovely tab of wasabi relish. Unbelievable.
As you can tell, I am 100% in favor of Beacon. The service, the food and the environment are all well worth the trip. So, if you’re ever in LA and in the mood for a great dinner and some jazz, it just doesn’t get much better than Beacon and the Jazz Bakery.