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Twelve Great Tableside Preparations in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is booming with tableside dinner preparations, where chefs and their carts roam the dining room to finish dishes right in front of you. Here are twelve of the city's best.

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Between chefs carving steaks right at the table and roving carts that pour whiskey on command, Los Angeles is becoming enamored with tableside preparations once again. There's something fun and showy about making everyone in the dining room turn to watch while waiters stir aged risotto into a 250 pound wheel of Parmesan cheese.

Still, all the splendor in the world won't save a bad meal, which means eye-catching as tableside dishes can be, they've also go to be delicious. That's why Eater has compiled a list of not just a dozen tableside options, but twelve specific dishes that are damn good on their own -- regarless of where they were prepared.

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Cecconi's

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Bloody Mary Cart — During Sunday Brunch, made-to-order bloody marys make the rounds at this West Hollywood hotspot.

Tuna Tartare — This dinner-only presentation features servers whipping together all of the ingredients while guests look on.

Oliviero at Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills

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Housemade Cavatelli — Chef Mirko Paderno has been known to toss around the truffles, including in this cavatelli dish that’s finished inside a wheel of aged Parmesan.

Bourbon Steak

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Japanese Whiskey Cart — Aromatics like vanilla are burned table side and their smoke captured in the glass, to help finish off an array of rare Japanese whiskies.

The Church Key

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Otter Pops — Here, cart attendants wearing Pan Am gear serve boozy otter pops with a liquid nitrogen finish.

RivaBella

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Liquid Nitrogen Vanilla Ice Cream — Dessert is the show at RivaBella, where liquid nitrogen is used to finish off the necessary ingredients for their house vanilla ice cream.

Faith & Flower

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The Leap of Faith — Absinthe service is rare enough — at Faith & Flower, the Russian-style ceremony surrounding the drink is a work of art.

Dal Rae Restaurant

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The Classic Caesar Salad — Still spun tableside after all these years, Dal Rae’s Caesar salads are a steakhouse tradition.

The Bazaar by José Andrés

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Magic Mojito — Individual-sized shakers of mojito are strained over cotton candy for a sugary finish.

Mélisse

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Rotisserie Chicken with Truffles — Carved tableside, Josiah Citrin’s roasted whole chicken has been a hit with diners for fifteen years.

Sol y Luna

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Guacamole — As kitschy as it is classic, Tarzana’s Sol Y Luna still does a tableside guacamole presentation that’s hard to beat.

Brined, roasted Cook Pigs are butchered on-site by chef Kalman, who then presents the section of your choice (including the head) with complete instructions on how to dig in.

Cecconi's

Bloody Mary Cart — During Sunday Brunch, made-to-order bloody marys make the rounds at this West Hollywood hotspot.

Chaya

Tuna Tartare — This dinner-only presentation features servers whipping together all of the ingredients while guests look on.

Oliviero at Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills

Housemade Cavatelli — Chef Mirko Paderno has been known to toss around the truffles, including in this cavatelli dish that’s finished inside a wheel of aged Parmesan.

Bourbon Steak

Japanese Whiskey Cart — Aromatics like vanilla are burned table side and their smoke captured in the glass, to help finish off an array of rare Japanese whiskies.

The Church Key

Otter Pops — Here, cart attendants wearing Pan Am gear serve boozy otter pops with a liquid nitrogen finish.

RivaBella

Liquid Nitrogen Vanilla Ice Cream — Dessert is the show at RivaBella, where liquid nitrogen is used to finish off the necessary ingredients for their house vanilla ice cream.

Faith & Flower

The Leap of Faith — Absinthe service is rare enough — at Faith & Flower, the Russian-style ceremony surrounding the drink is a work of art.

Dal Rae Restaurant

The Classic Caesar Salad — Still spun tableside after all these years, Dal Rae’s Caesar salads are a steakhouse tradition.

The Bazaar by José Andrés

Magic Mojito — Individual-sized shakers of mojito are strained over cotton candy for a sugary finish.

Mélisse

Rotisserie Chicken with Truffles — Carved tableside, Josiah Citrin’s roasted whole chicken has been a hit with diners for fifteen years.

Sol y Luna

Guacamole — As kitschy as it is classic, Tarzana’s Sol Y Luna still does a tableside guacamole presentation that’s hard to beat.

Union

Brined, roasted Cook Pigs are butchered on-site by chef Kalman, who then presents the section of your choice (including the head) with complete instructions on how to dig in.

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