Quietly Dazzling
Despite its concealed location, Whist is anything but anonymous
By Richard Foss
I'm used to wandering around looking for a restaurant that has no signage, but not when it's located in an eight-story building. The Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica is screened by greenery and has a sign only slightly larger than an average shoebox. I was so certain this anonymous tower couldn't be my destination that, when I pulled into the driveway, it was to ask for directions.
The Viceroy is a high-style playground for the wealthy with dramatic décor to match, and the restaurant Whist is its showplace. It's best known for the outdoor dining cabanas overlooking gardens and pools, but on this cool night we elected to dine indoors. The comfortable booths were softly lit and inviting, and our very professional waiter, Warren, brought menus and knowledgeably answered our questions. Deciding on a meal was difficult, despite the relatively short menu, because everything looked interesting - the main courses were divided into classic and contemporary sections, and all sounded luscious. We selected appetizers of soft shell crab ($17) and a Belgian endive salad ($13), after hesitating over the pea and carrot soup. Instead, we started with cups of potato/blue cheese soup with white truffle oil and chives, a complementary amuse bouche and one of the lightest potato soups I've had. The blue cheese added a delicate muskiness that balanced the light sharpness of the chives.
Our starters arrived after about 10 minutes, during which we made our wine selections, nibbled some very good bread, and generally relaxed. The soft shell crab was served with white corn fritters that resembled hush puppies, crisp sugar snap peas, a small clump of frisée, smoked tomato sauce, and lemon aioli - quite a variety of flavors on one plate. We paired bits of crab with one flavor or another just to see what worked best. My favorite was the lemon aioli and a dab of tomato, but I'd be happy to experiment again. The salad had fewer options but was similarly well-considered - the endive and St. Agur blue cheese were mixed with apples and pecans and lightly dressed with a honey and wine vinaigrette. The slight bitterness of the endive was very well balanced with the rich cheese and fruit; I have enjoyed endive with blue cheese as an appetizer before, but the extra dimension of fruit and nuts with lightly honeyed dressing completed the flavor.
Warren surprised us with a complimentary cup of the pea and carrot soup; we had chosen the salad instead on his recommendation. He was right - the soup was good, with hints of tarragon and ginger that worked nicely, but the salad was more interesting.
For main courses, we selected cornmeal-crusted trout with tiny marble potatoes and pea shoots ($31) and lamb loin with artichokes, eggplant, and a chickpea pancake ($37). Both were from the contemporary side of the menu, though the cornmeal-crusted trout would pass as a classic dish itself. The accompaniments made the difference, the small, crisp-skinned potatoes and pea shoots flanked by tiny spring vegetables, a rich beurre blanc, and a dab of violet mustard. Everything fit together except the mustard; the flavor was intriguing but didn't really mesh with the fish or vegetables. I spread a bit of it on bread and liked it there, however.
While the trout was a stylized version of an American favorite, the Colorado lamb loin had a Mediterranean aspect. The perfectly grilled boneless loin was served with artichoke bottoms, eggplant, and a mild red pepper sauce along with the chickpea pancake. The same flour that goes into falafel and Indian pakora batter was more cosmopolitan here, crisp-crusted and delicately flavored. Though the ingredients are standards in Middle Eastern cooking, the result was not - the subtle spicing focused attention on the flavors of the meat and vegetables. This kitchen uses the best - Colorado lamb and farmers' market greens - and it shows.
The wine list has the same attention to quality from small producers, and we found Warren to be an unerring guide. Our favorite was a Hayman & Hill Pinot Noir that brilliantly complemented the trout. Quality costs; our glasses were $12 to $14 each, but worth it.
We finished with a plate of homemade cookies and pastries ($10), then walked around the Viceroy a while to enjoy the gardens and well-stocked library. I wish I knew and could afford places like this when I travel, but for now I can taste the lifestyle by tasting at Whist.
Published: 06/15/2006
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