Bestia left me speechless the moment I walked into the door. I was so blown away by the décor I could barely tell the hostess my name. Exposed pipes and unfinished brick walls have been done to death and this former New Yorker would have been happy to never see them again. But I think that’s because no one has done it quite as well as Bestia. Bestia manages to be rustic with all sleek and smooth lines of modern, a tranquil dining area humming with excitement.
When you're out of words like I was, all you have to say is "Bespoke" to get your custom cocktail. I barely whispered "bourbon" and waited with trepidation, afraid I would be stuck with girly, sugary sips. But the bartenders read me right. I found my high in a highball glass with bourbon, honey, and lemon.
My friend and I finally sat down to dinner, but the menu rendered us speechless. Every dish was clearly well-crafted, and it looked like we just couldn’t go wrong. We finally settled on the Grilled Octopus & Calamari, a pan sear with a hint of pomegranate so perfect it sends shivers up your spine.
A whole year of catching up to do and we still couldn’t say a word. The Grilled Santa Barbara Quail, with juicy bits of floppy fungi and soft potatoes on the side, was so soft you'd think it was steamed. But steaming doesn't seal in this much savor. Then again, I didn’t think anything could seal in this much savor until I tried this quail.
We really wanted to start conversing by this point, but the best way to shut someone up is to feed them something that burns. The Stinging Nettle Pappardelle, despite being a plateful of fried nettles, turned out to be seamlessly smooth. Not even the tiniest bit of sting, but a light touch of a dark, almost kale-like bitterness leaves the best kind of burn. The mushrooms are soft and chewy like tempurpedic pillows, and the poached egg adds a rich coating to the pasta.
After one amazing bite of the Cavatelli alla Norcina, I started to think that I could be capable of taking a vow of silence...in Italy. These al dente ricotta dumplings are al dente beyond my wildest dream, and the perfectly-spiced sausage that transcends any craving for comfort food. The black truffles pull it all together with a sauce so good I ate eat piece of cavatelli individually just to make it last.
The end was near, and all we knew is that we were both doing well. But the only real communication we exchanged was a series of grunts and gestures indicating our favorite foods, i.e. everything we ate. We didn’t have room for dessert, but no way that would stop us.
The Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta wasn’t what I expected - it was even better. Instead of the sugary, creamy, dense custard-like mold, this smooth, liquidy yet airy concoction was well-balanced by tangy tangerines and lemon cookies. I have a real sweet tooth when it comes to desserts, but in this case less sugar makes it so much more.
2 apps, 2 pastas, and 1 dessert later, this loquacious, voracious blogger had only one word: wow. I’ve been teased, I’ve been somewhat excited, and I’ve occasionally arched an eyebrow at some of my better bites in LA, but I’d never been legitimately blown away until I binged at Bestia.
Ironically, and as usual, I have a lot of words for a review about being speechless. If you've made it this far, thank you. There are truly no words for how awesome it feels to know that someone is listening when I speak. I can’t thank you enough but because I do care about you, for your own sake, please find a better hobby.
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