Quite frankly, we're a little surprised S. Irene Virbila had her sights on Beso for a full review. After the Critic's Notebook, which never has much criticism, we thought her interest would wane. She had to write something: This kind of splashy, trendy restaurant isn't really her style, nor her readers, but it's a Hollywood hot spot that made headlines as Eva Longoria Parker's with chef Todd English. Through all the hype and glamour, Miss Irene takes a full spin of the Med-Mex resto and finds herself not hating it...much:
I can say that Todd English really knows how to write a menu: Dishes sound intricate and interesting, but don't always live up to the description...Parker bills her restaurant as a supper club. It does have that look of New York's finest glimpsed in vintage photos: everyone dressed up, seated at little tables, sipping cocktails. Too bad the kitchen isn't performing up to the concept. But then the food at those supper clubs of yore probably wasn't so excellent either.
You can tell she went in the beginning and waited a bit more: dishes changed, some transformed to be actually edible (paella), others not so much (tortilla soup). In some ways, Miss Irene buys into the hype by putting so much emphasis on Beso being Parker's idea, that she "was smart enough" to bring in English who, the critic notes, isn't always in-house. Is that how it went down?Beso gets one star for effort (that's a half star more than Paperfish). Today the "S." stands for "starstruck." [LAT]
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S. Irene Virbila braved the trendy Hollywood scene to check out the Eva Longoria/Todd English experiment, and while her first look is almost entirely devoid of any real criticism, there are a few discrepancies: "The entrance is so discreet, you may not have noticed the new restaurant at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Ivar Street..." (the giant Beso scripted on both sides of the door might be a giveaway). "The open kitchen is carved out of the space -- deeper than it is wide -- with whole fish, lobsters and other seafood displayed on ice..." (that's the ceviche bar; the real kitchen is in the back). "You can taste her recipe for tortilla soup, which is comforting and a little wimpy on the firepower..." (definitely not the same soup we tasted last weekend). Place your bets on whether we'll see a full starred review in the future. [LAT]
Eva Longoria-Parker was on Jimmy Kimmel last week talking about her husband, the new Desperate Housewives season, and of course, her new Hollywood restaurant Beso. Coincidentally, it was the same day we had dinner at Beso. Let's compare notes, shall we?
Kimmel says the chef of her restaurant was just on his show and made something "delicious."
That would be Todd English, pimping the restaurant weeks before it ever opened to the public. He made artichoke guacamole (actually quite tasty), "drunken shrimp" (Get it off the menu. Now.) and fresh-fruit cocktails (very sweet).
Longoria-Parker invited the whole audience to go to Beso.
On Friday it was equal parts typical weekend Hollywood crowd (dude next to us wore a fedora and an ascot, his table barely touched their food, then they all went to Villa) and Midwestern tourists.
Eva: The restaurant is "an extension of my kitchen."
When we asked our server which of the two gaucamoles on the menu were Eva's, he got very serious and said, "It's all Eva's. It's a collaborative effort." Hmmm...yes. Sidenote: There's no way that "famous tortilla soup" won her that hunky husband.
Behold, sanctioned images of Beso, the Hollywood restaurant cheffed by Todd English and his people, and flacked by Eva Longoria and hers. You'd think such a pairing wouldn't find much common ground, but apparently there's enough to open this splashy, sparkly, semi-Mediterranean with a touch of Latin flair restaurant and lounge. The space is massive, crystal chandeliers (picked out by Eva!) hanging from exposed beams, caramel-colored faux crocodile booths, tufted leather chairs, VIP tables and a private lounge upstairs, a huge square bar for fresh-fruit cocktails down, and a ceviche station. The sample menu shows promise on paper; execution is yet to be seen. Exec chef Robert Gonsalves worked for English and Olives for years, and he has Cooking Under Fire winner, Katie Hagan-Whelchel, by his side; after a few good meals at Olives in Vegas, we should deduce that will could work. Right? English has to come out like gangbusters for his LA debut. Hopes are high. Full-on Beso coverage for further reading.
The long obession wait is over: Word is the Todd English/Eva Longoria vehicle, Beso, will finally open to the public Wednesday night. We called to verify and the reservationist once again said they've actually "been open for weeks," but we've heard that one before. The restaurant was open but booked, friends and family only and/or closed for a private party. So is this offically official? Apparently so, and getting a reservation at Beso days before it "officially" opens is harder than both Mozzas, Comme Ca and Bastide put together. Or so they'd like you to believe. Here, the Beso ressie line, in three parts:
Caller #1: Hi, I'd like to make a reservation for this week. Beso: Oh, we're completely booked. Caller #1: You mean you're closed for private events again? Beso: We're just completely booked. Would you like to be on the waiting list? Caller #1: No. Last week I had a reservation for March 25 but the hostess called back saying the restaurant was closed for a private party. So which is it? Beso: We're just completely booked. Beso: Our advice is to call about 30 days in advance to make a reservation. Caller #1: N-OK, thanks.
Some restaurants, pets, we need to peel like an onion. We had a sneak peek at the English/Longoria Beso, we heard about the "amazing" tortilla soup. It's not open and now it's open. It's one person's "Olives meets Spain meets Mexican steakhouse," it's another's best Mexican restaurant our fair city has every seen. But friends, friends, we finally have a peek at the menu. On paper, there are some potentially interesting things happening here. Several ceviches, flat breads, steaks; Mediterranean, Latin, Asian, LA farmer's market. A lot of choices, sure, but if it works, it could work. If not, it will be a big hot mess. The intrigue mounts. [~ELA~]
If you call the new Todd English/Eva Longoria (top billing depends on who you talk to) restaurant Beso, you'll find out that the restauant is indeed open for business, which completely defies what English told us directly, in person: "We won't open until I think we're ready." The grand opening party last Thursday, we were told, was not the official opening, but that the restaurant would be in preview mode for at least a week to 10 days, maybe even two weeks. Chef didn't sound confident at that moment, but sincere. Who knows, maybe he finally turned all that screen time into a solid acting career. Wait, it gets better: Ask for a reservation, and you're told the restaurant is booked solid until April 3. Ask if you can come in for a drink or app at the bar, and you'll hear that, no, you need a dinner reservation. To walk into the bar. For a cocktail. Even if you don't want to eat. "But that may change after April 3."
We missed the high-profile Beso opening party last Thursday, but one reader had the pleasure:
We all wanted to leave almost before entering. Overly crowded. Pushy young people who don't know how to behave. One guy stood in front of the plateux station eating shrimp from the ice display and double dipping in the cocktail sauce like he was at a craft service table. So rude... and I told him so. All the Desperate housewives were there and we got a good look at Michael Bolton. The menu was all over the place. Tuna tartare with wasabi cream, feta risotto with lamb, dates wrapped in bacon (how original), spongy chorizo corn dog. It was all about the red carpet and press not the food. We left and all went to Mozza to have some chianti and pizza.
When we walked through a day before the party, there was still much work to be done: the FOH staff was learning about wine and BOH was crazy busy (met the affable Olives' alum, exec chef Robert Gonsalves, and Cooking Under Fire winner, Katie Hagan-Whelchel). English assured us he "won't open until its ready," that they'll be doing private tastings and previews "for a couple weeks." It doesn't sound ready, and yet we heard it might open to the public Wednesday, March 12; at least that's what one antsy investor was hoping for. Eva Longoria's birthday is Saturday, so we'd put money that it will open by then.
· Beso: Thank God For Eva's Tortilla Soup and Guac [~ELA~]
· Eater Sneak Peek: Beso Revealed [~ELA~]
We caught a lot of flack from the Beso PR machine for our reveal of the Todd English-Eva Longoria Parker restaurant earlier this week. See, when Hollywood's involved in a restaurant, it's all about the muy importante exclusives on Extra or in People and little else. In the clip above, Mario Lopez gets the "first private tour of her new baby" (oops!), and he explains to Longoria that the menu is "international cuisine with some Latin influences." Thanks, she says, "I'll have to use that." She then raves about her "famous" tortilla soup and guacamole, her contributions to the menu. In People:
English says the actress has been very involved in the restaurant's creation – from the etched Spanish poetry at the restaurant's entrance (including one poem from Eva's sister Emily), to picking out the three chandeliers which decorate the ceilings, to adding two specialties of the house – the guacamole and the tortilla soup. "I make the best guacamole in the world," says Parker. "And my tortilla soup for which I am renowned for."
Viva Eva Longoria! Without her, Hollywood would be devoid of tortilla soup, guacamole and fancy chandeliers. Makes you wonder what else is on the menu, right? We're still hearing Mediterranean influences, ceviche bar, fresh-fruit cocktails, but still no final details. Bonus thinkage: With all of this focus on Longoria's "influence," can Beso be a serious vehicle for the Todd English franchise? He's not one to just put his name on something and call it a day, but there are a lot of other people involved. Scene might trump substance in the end.
· Eater Sneak Peek: Beso REVEALED [~ELA~]
· Longoria's Restaurant [YouTube]
· Eva's New 'Baby': Beso, the Restaurant [People]
· Breaking: Beso details finally unfurl [~ELA~]
Last week we were told that Beso would open this week. Thursday, March 6 to be exact. But we've come to learn that Thursday is just an opening party for all the major players (Todd English, Eva Longoria Parker, Jonas Lowrance, JT Torregiani) and their friends. A call to the restaurant confirmed that it will not be open to the public...until the end of the month. "Check back about the third week of March," we're told. PR won't confirm anything. There's a lot still happening---dishes and equipment just now coming in, the big signage on top of the building still had scaffolding this past weekend, staff is training---and getting a hard date from anyone involved is about as much fun as pulling teeth from a baby. But tomorrow...oh, tomorrow...we'll have some serious scoopage. Stay tuned.
· Late-Breaking Beso News [~ELA~]
· Winter Tracking: Beso Delayed Again [~ELA~]
We were just alerted that the long-awaited, highly anticipated Beso is just around the corner. The Todd English and Eva Longoria-Parker Latin-flavored restaurant and lounge will open on March 6. Confirmed: English will be in town for the grand hoorah. More details to come. [EaterWire Inbox]
See, just like that, a Fall Tracking Report becomes a Winter Tracking Report. There were some random gossip blog rumors swirling that Todd English and Eva Longoria's Beso would open today, January 4, but we just confirmed that the restaurant debut has been pushed to February/March. More details to come, but until then, let's trace the long, long Beso lifeline.
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