OLIVERIO at the Avalon
The Courier’s Restaurant Review by MERV HECHT

In France many famous restaurants are in hotels while in Los Angeles most are not in commercial buildings. But that seems to be changing, and the Oliverio is a good example of the new type of first-class restaurant located in a small hotel.

It’s quite a find–and that’s a pun. The Avalon Hotel is not easy to find, but once you get to 9400 W. Olympic Blvd. at Cañon, you’ll discover a small, luxury hideaway with surprising facilities, including regular rooms, suites, penthouse studios with L.A. views, and expansive villas appropriate for long-term stays. There’s a fitness center, and an open-air pool surrounded by the hotel lobby. That’s where we had lunch.

Chef Mirko Paderno from Milan was right there grilling meats and vegetables on a barbecue. He is one of the many chefs to pass through Piero Selvaggio’s restaurants (Valentino, Primi, etc.) on the way to a different future, and seems to have found his niche here. We decided to order off the regular menu instead of the grill, though I did taste a bit of the lamb brochette off the grill–very tender and flavorful.

I started with the tonno piccante, which consisted of chopped tuna with a good lemon background, served on a crispy rice cake which I found a bit too thick. From there I tasted the tortino di cavolfiore, a cauliflower soufflé more French in concept than Italian with a strong cheese flavor that I particularly enjoyed. But the best of the first plates was the piselli e aragosta, a beautiful mild pea soup with a lobster claw in the middle. That’s a new combination for me, which I liked, and showed off the creativity of the chef.

Everything was perfect. The pasta with clams was fantastic, but the spaghetti with Italian sausage and black summer truffle was truly wonderful with just the right amount of spicy flavor. As always, there were a number of dishes on the fairly extensive menu I didn’t have time to try, including a branzino fillet plus a pair of other attractive sounding fish plates. I did see some other diners feasting on a very large chicken paillard that looked delicious, and chicken in a spicy “diavola” sauce that also appeared like the kind of thing I would like.

The whole experience was delightful. There is something relaxing about dining around the pool, partly because it’s so quiet and the air is refreshing. There’s a certain informal atmosphere here coupled with a menu of interesting plates prepared in a first-class gourmet manner.

Both the hotel and restaurant are atop of my list to recommend to my friends whether they’re coming to visit Beverly Hills or part of my regular dining group seeking a great meal in an amazing location. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, Oliverio is the best hidden gem in the City.

The Courier’s restaurant critic, Mervyn Hecht, has been a consultant to several national food and wine importing companies for the past 22 years.

OLIVERIO
9400 W. Olympic Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA
310-407-7791
www.avalonbeverlyhills.com
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