Otium - Los Angeles

The bachelorette afternoon is a disheartening escape room, but lose the battle, win the war. Otium more than makes up for it, a gorgeous wood-front with a sprawling ceiling, simmering in the shadow of The Broad, everything is easy on the eyes, inside and out. There smooth wood-block structure is modern and sleek, the bar with bottles that go all the way up the wall guides a smooth line of sight, and the wind whispers through my hair on an airy patio.

The service is speedy but patient, guiding but accommodating. The Sea Urchin is a definitive decision, as quick as it is easy. The uni is fresh, the yuzu refreshing. The tofu sorbet chills it with a silken texture, illuminating the grains of uni, uplifting the sweet sea flavors like an ocean breeze.

The Hamachi smooths over the ripe avocado, a bright and buttery sashimi in a tomato ring.

The Cauliflower is meant to be a softer side, a vegetable refresher, but it's good enough to stand alone. Soft little trees, sweetened with grapes, nutty with almond. 

The Funnel Cake looks like a waffle, batter fried firmly, foie gras a filling and silky luxury. The strawberries add sharp and sweet, and fennel brings in a fragrance.

The Octopus is gooey and dense. Guanciale adds some savor, pecorino adds a sleek velvet, and tellicherry peppers are roasted rich.

The Whole Fish is the special tonight, crispy skin and soft, buttery, though somewhat bland flesh. The Tom Yum/Tom Ka soup beneath is Thai food lite, the soup has that delightfully sour finish, but it's not as hard-hitting as you get in Bangkok.

I never say no to squid ink, so the Squid Ink Bucatini is a must. The pasta is a not-quite al dente, with a sharp accent of arrabiata and bold with bottarga. The cuttlefish tastes a little too much like fish.

Modeled after Mexican street corn, the Agnolotti comes highly recommended, declared the "best thing this restaurant has ever made". Right on. Rock on. That pasta is soft and filled with sweet summer corn, the chili gives it a curious kick, and lime zest and cottony cotija add their flair.

The dessert menu is irresistible. The sweets stand out seductively, imagination lifting them off the page. They beckon suggestively, daring me to take the plunge. But no one at the table would budge, and not a single person would bite. They have surprise inappropriate cakes waiting for me at the hotel, and both are equally delicious, but I so mourn no dessert as an Otium opportunity missed.

I can't imagine a better group with which to spend my bachelorette, and I can't imagine a better place to have dinner with this group. Otium is breathtaking, it's creative, and it's modern. The food is thoughtful, each dish is thought-through, and the flavors are fervid and fierce. Hopefully this is my only bachelorette, but I will definitely return for a birthday or anniversary or anything I can use as an excuse to come back!