The BLVD - Gorgeous, Mega-Rich Scene

The BLVD - 9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills 90212

310.275.5200

www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire/dining/the_blvd.html

Yes, this place is in the famous Pretty Woman Beverly Wishire hotel and yes, it is super expensive and super fancy but it's also a lovely treat--especially if you're not paying. I came here for lunch with two of my co-workers while working at an event in the hotel. Our lunch was extravagant, enjoyable and also star studded--we saw MTV's Wild n' Out Nick Cannon.

Atmosphere:

Fancy-shmancy and a bit stuffy are ways to describe the scene here. The dining room is filled with forty or fifty-something year old business people decked in expensive suits--and the women carry their thousand dollar handbags.

Overall, the space is gorgeous and quite grandiose. You'll find fancy chandeliers, tall wooden posts and ornate Persian carpeting. This is definitely NOT your casual place next door so dress appropriately. If dining here, you'll also want to make a reservation. Since we didn't think ahead, we sat at the bar, which was still fun and probably less pretentious.

Food:

There are only good things to say about the food here. It sounds and is indeed absolutely divine! See menu. And aside from taste and flavoring which are close to perfect, the presentation also wins points.

I started with a creamy tomato bisque, which was served with a crispy grilled cheese sandwich. The waiter told me the portion was small but in fact, it was perfect. The soup was tasty and not too acidy, which I appreciated. And the sandwich was crunchy, buttery and had delicious mozzarella cheese--none of that yucky processed American cheese. I also ordered a safe standby, the Chicken Caesar Salad for my main course. Again, kudos to the chef for a beautifully presented and fresh tasting salad with a light vinaigrette. The only thing to watch out for are the anchovies. If you don't like eating these little fishies, you might not want to get this. Like me, my co-workers were also loving their meals. Marcia got a fish entree which she devoured with gusto and Stacey also enjoyed her colorful veggie wrap.

Service and Cost:

The service here is top-notch, as is the entire hotel. Everyone is polite and respectful and ready to satisfy your every wish. Our waiters were really friendly and kept joking around with us. I told them about my blog and actually got to snap some photos of their smiling faces (see?). When dining here, be prepared to part with a lot of dough. Lunch will cost you at least $30-$35 per person and dinner will be in the neighborhood of $50-$75 per person--ouch!