I decided to dine at Spago with my sister-in-law and her cousin as a prelude to an evening at the theatre. From the moment we walked through the door, we knew it was going to be a very special evening in Beverly Hills.

We arrived as soon as they opened so we had to wait a bit while the staff made last minute preparations for opening. Fortunately, the bartender quickly asked us if we needed drinks and proceeded to make quite a concoction. Shortly thereafter, our table was ready, and the host actually brought a serving tray to carry our drinks to the table. We walked past the garden area to our table that had a view of the kitchen area. As soon as we sat down, I knew I would have to come back and dine in the garden area. It appeared to have a different feel from the rest of the restaurant, definitely more romantic in my opinion. But since I was with family I wasn’t too concerned about missing out on the experience.

Once at the table, our server was quick to ask if would be attending the theatre. He then explained they needed to know this in order for all of our food to be prepared in time to make curtain call. I was very impressed he asked and told him it would not be a problem to "rush us along" if we didn't pick out our food in time.

This comes to the next part of our adventure. What food to eat and wine to drink! First of all, let me explain something. Spago did not have an impressive wine list. They had an amazing wine book! There were so many wines to choose from that I was overwhelmed. For our first bottle of wine, our server was quick to point out a wonderful red. For the second, I believe the sommelier came over and helped us pick out a fantastic white. If a nice dinner and wine is your thing, then go to Spago. They had a wine for any budget on their list. Some bottles were anywhere from $30-40 a bottle, to some Rothschild’s Bordeaux going into the thousands of dollars per bottle! Overall, I would expect to pay anywhere from $60-80 for a really nice bottle. Okay, lets eat!

The menu was filled with so many foods that sounded good, that this turned out to be the worst part of our dining experience. What to eat? We were still on a time schedule for our show, so after about 15 minutes of trying to decide, our waiter politely reminded us that we should make a decision soon. I had the Maryland crab cake for the first course and the salmon for the main dish. My sister-in-law had the halibut, and her Cousin had the caramelized veal. When out meal was presented, it nothing less than spectacular. The presentation was what I would call simple elegance. I cannot even begin to describe how all of our food tasted so I will make no attempt in this review. All I can say is, we were born with taste buds for a reason, and I don’t think we realize that reason until we eat at Spago. After dinner, we ordered desert to complete the ride on our culinary high. You could almost taste the dedication that went into each dish. As all three of us shared each other’s desert, the smiles and ummm’s were cast from all directions of the table.

Overall the service, atmosphere, and food were one of the best I have ever experienced. The entire staff was attentive and was willing to accommodate any special requests we made. One down side, if you can call it that, is the price. This is not going to be a typical night out at Olive Garden, so be prepared. For our one appetizer, main courses, deserts, and two bottles of wine, plus tip(20%), we spent about $420. But as the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for”. Being in the military I am by no means rich, but I am certainly planning my next trip. It will make any special night well worth the extra expense.

Recommended: Yes

Kid Friendliness: Yes
Best Suited For: Romantic Evening