Inside Beso: The Party

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~]