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Though Wolfgang Puck's Spago closed just a few days ago, Besha Rodell files today's LAW review on the 30-year-old LA landmark. She sits at the bar and, while overhearing conversations about the restaurants various incarnations and musings on its future plans, she falls in love with the food:
In an age where many chefs aim for cleverness, in scientific methods or cross-cultural acrobatics on the plate, Spago's kitchen seemed steeped in balance and technique. You got the sense when eating the sautéed head cheese, for instance, that every bite was carefully thought out — how a pickled mustard seed would pop on the palate and play against the meat and fat, how the garnishes of tart pickled vegetables would balance the dish, how a sweet, lightly pickled cherry would finish it all off.She agrees with Puck and company that the dining room is in dire need of a refresh, or even a complete overhaul. What was once cutting edge in the 90s (colored glass, tiled floors) is now dated and reminiscent of Olive Gardens and Cheesecake Factories. Overall, this review reminds us that despite the Wolfgang Puck Expresses in the world and all of the other Puck concepts, there is only one Spago, and the quality, consistency and technique behind its food earns it a place of reverence, even after all these years. [LAW]
