Forget About the West-Side Head Over to The Royce

An evening at The Royce in the Langham was in my future. I had heard wonderful things about its new décor and new chef, David Féau. I ate very little that day in anticipation of gastronomical delights and I wasn’t disappointed.

The entrance to The Royce is elegant simplicity: glass etched with the hotel’s distinctive leaf design and the name with blue light behind it. Open the doors and comfy banquettes with pillows and leather furniture dot the cozy restaurant. Touches of deep blue and tan accent the cream-colored interior. It is reminiscent in feel to the Whist in the Viceroy Hotel Santa Monica and since that is one of my favorite restaurants my excitement quota went up a few notches.

 

The two large wine areas: one for white and one for red serve a function as well as a focal point. There is also a chef’s table that is apart yet part of the main dining room which is partitioned off by that same etched glass. And looking forward to the warmer months is a glass-enclosed veranda with its wonderful views of the grounds and the lights of the city.

We were welcomed with a glass of sparkling Moscato d’Asti and Chef Féau’s amuse-bouche of a warm soup, puff pastry and a touch of foie gras that was glazed with apple cider that simply melted on  the tongue. An array of freshly-baked bread was also on offer. I always tell myself not to fill up on the bread but how can you turn down fresh olive bread and a mouth-watering bacon bread? I managed to have just a taste of each but it was a fight.

 

General Manager and Wine Director Eric Espuny made all the right choices when it came to wine to go with the tasting menu we decided to have. It was five course with choices for the meat eater or vegetarian.

To begin with I had the Blue Fin Tuna Belly with Huckleberries and my companion ordered the Artichoke Beet salad. The Blue Fin Tuna Belly was charred on the outside and served with fresh huckleberries which lent a sweet/tart aspect to the tuna. A celery-coconut gelee, shitake mushroom and salad croquante rounded off the dish with earthy-nutty notes. The Artichoke Beet salad was declared a winner with my companion who enjoyed the sweet beets with the musky black truffle vinaigrette.

 

Tender poached lobster accompanied by pomegranate hot and snow and sweet onion was my next course. There was plenty of buttery lobster for me to enjoy. The pomegranate added a bit of acidity and the onions a touch of sweetness to this rich salad. My companion choose the Salsifi prepared four ways. For those of you not familiar with Salsifi it is a root vegetable with a taste similar to oysters. Chef  Féau prepared it as a puree with goat cheese, braised, rolled in leek ash and fried with Cajun spices. The juxtaposition of textures and flavors made this dish an eye-popper.

Mild-flaky fresh cod was doused with a fragrant citrus dashi broth in my next course. Squares of inky-black pasta mingled with the romano squash and autumn greens. The assertive citrus broth was a great foil for the cod and a light-refreshing soup. My companion was blow away by the Parsnip and Smoked Tomato soup. The smoked brandy wine tomato broth was a taste sensation accompanied with fresh root vegetables and parnips agnolotti (filled pasta).

 

It was my turn to be blown away with sheer foody bliss. Creamy green lentils and fresh peas were topped with peppery roquette and then scattered with freshly shaved black truffle. The combination of rich, creamy, earthy and pepper were outstanding. I seriously ate every lentil. This has become one of my top favorite things to eat. While I was ohhing and ahhing over the lentils my companion had some smiles of his own. His plate of veal was topped with a light sauce and accompanied by Romanesco broccoli and black truffles.

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate what bliss! Three different plates of delectable, delightful chocolate-based desserts ended our meal. A few of the stand-outs where a bit of cheesecake, a touch of macaroon, a tulle of crunch, a cake of molten chocolate and creamy white, milk and dark chocolate with touches of coffee, fleur de sel and espelette pepper. Every bite an adventure in the taste and texture of cocoa.

 

The duo of Chef Féau and GM and Wine Director Eric Espuny is a match made in heaven. They are like a symphony with Chef Féau supplying the melody and Eric Espuny adding the harmony. The Royce is a very special restaurant that is in our own backyard!

The Royce is located in the Langham Huntington Hotel, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Avenue, Pasadena. They are open for dinner Tuesday – Saturday, 6:00 – 9:30 p.m. For reservations and more information call (626) 585-6218 or log onto www.roycela.com.