By { Beth Weitzman
Interior photography by { Alen Lin
Named as “America’s Most Exciting Food City in America 2017” by Zagat, Los Angeles continues to shine on the culinary scene. The City of Angels is home to a handful of authentic Italian restaurants, but Culina at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills offers a little something special—an inventive menu featuring a fusion of California and Italian cooking. As such, traditional dishes take on a pure and light presentation with an emphasis on provenance, seasonality and fresh ingredients.
Culina, named after the smoky vaults where Romans stored their food, has taken a modern approach to this age-old practice. Instead, the fine-dining restaurant features a stunning bar, intimate dining room and an outdoor patio with a Mediterranean-California garden lit by a floating fire. There are also a number of private dining venues, including the Grappa Room (a semi-private table where guests can order family style meals that aren’t on the regular menu) and the Galleria del Vino (a private dining room for parties up to 20).
Executive Chef Luca Moriconi, who earned the keys to the city in his hometown of Lucca in northern Tuscany, has created a menu derived from his heritage. Be sure to try the Burrata Invernale (burrata cheese with a duo of beets, red frilly mustard greens, red wine vinegar and duck prosciutto), the Tonno e Rapini (tuna tartare with rapini, pickled garlic, red onions, Calabrian chili oil and carasau bread), the Risotto Bianco Rossonero (risotto with mushrooms, Sottocenere cheese, seasonal truffles, truffle caviar and Carabineros crudo) and the L.A. Tagliata (a charred 10-ounce New York strip with grapes, seasonal fruit, parsnip purée and roasted potatoes). The outstanding wine list has a heavy Italian slant, with a bevy of fine Champagnes. 300 Doheny Drive, Los Angeles, 310.860.4000, culinarestaurant.com