Sure, but not all of them have a view like that to capitalize. The building costs alone were likely immense, and you canât just stick in more seats on the patio to make up for lower check averages. Of course itâs an averages game and theyâre hedging against anyone who comes in and spends $40 pp person just to sit around and enjoy the view for a few hours. Because you know people will do that in LA.
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The Signature Room at the 95th floor of the Hancock building in Chicago has been around for 23 years and does not have a prix fixe menu. That being said, they also have the Lounge on the 96th floor for those that donât want to spend $100pp for dinner and still enjoy the view.
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not sure how it relates, but the food @ signature room is (also?) rather horrendous.
affluenouchery⢠: A group descriptive as it pertains to the class of affluenouche⢠as a whole.
(National Spelling Bee word in 2020)
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Thatâs how it relates.
Iâm still having trouble understanding this argument. There are other restaurants with premium views, and presumably the costs to go with them - WP24, The Lobster, Mastroâs Ocean Club, Nobu Malibu - and none of them have prix fixe only menus. What they do have for the most part are higher than typical prices for food and cocktails, higher wine mark-ups, etc.
Yeah, you can add the Penthouse to this list. No prix fixe menu. Prices are high, but not offensively so. I really enjoyed brunch the one time I went and thought, given the view and the quality of the food, that it was a pretty decent value.
I assume people know that theyâre gonna get charged up the a$$ for the view when they go to a restaurant on a 71st floor⌠And so the restaurant should indeed charge accordingly (and provide food thatâs at least âaverageâ).
Go to another restaurant.
In a somewhat related note, I went to WP 24 for the first time recently (#workbudget). The price point is way too high. But the food was very well executed. Duck was better than most places Iâve had it in SGV. One spring roll with lobster was actually just succulentâstuffed with perfectly cooked lobster. If you want to do food + view, might as well go here.
seems so passive aggressive. better to get your drunk on at THEIR bar and teach
those bastards a lesson.
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haha dam Ips going ham. I donât think I saw anything like this in my years at CH (website whos name cannât be typed/spoken?).
Either way the people working at the restaurant are talented, so if the food is not good I donât think it would be for lack of talent.
For such a big project and huge expectations I would think US Bank or whoever operates the building has influenced the operation of the restaurant. Hopefully the place figures it out and finds its footing it would be nice to be able to enjoy the food and view at the same time in the same place.
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Doesnât $70 before tax and tip kind of sound reasonable in that context?
You said âanticrepuscularâ.
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Yeah, Overseas Union Enterprise (owner of US Bank Tower) has a lot riding on this and the other new consumer concepts, because they are bleeding corporate tenants. This being successful would be a good sign for the recent influx of Asian $ in DTLA real estate. But by all accounts the restaurant has been running smoothly. This pricing and structure is atypical NY hotel restaurant, but nothing wrong with that. Will probably try soon (I work a block away).
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Why are they bleeding Corp tenants? Just out of curiosity.
Theyâve lost a few big law firms to neighboring buildings due to high rent, and outside of those and banks, corporate tenants (tech in particular) are looking at traditional hubs like DTLA less and less for local presence.
Everything was surprisingly tasty. Highlights were the uni, octopus, scallops, and pork.
oyster, uni, caviar, tarragon, champagne #uniintheskywithdiamonds
farm egg, crispy potato, chorizo, finger lime, cilantro
foie gras terrine, beets, pistachio, tonka bean, rustic bread
grilled octopus, peach, lemon, mustard
loin belly croquette
scallops, carrot, vadouvan curry, coconut, barrel-aged fish sauce
caramel custard, truffle praline almonds, coconut sorbet, pork and maple powder
So high it makes snoop dogg look sober #compensating
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I, too, had a tasty meal at 71 Above. Actually, it was more than tasty. It was fantastic. Not too full of itself, not overly fancy. The experience was satisfying, the cuisine beautifully plated, thoughtfully curated, expertly executed. It was delicious. The desserts were as strong as the rest of the meal. Tried 18 dishes in all and not a poorly executed dish in the bunch. Only some dishes more appealing than others. The only thing that could use some work are the cocktails, but I understand they may be pitching a different crowd here for cocktails.
Perhaps it was the low expectations ipse set for me, but Iâd go back in a heart beat.
Along with the highlights mentioned by PorkBelly above we liked:
- The Parsnip (incredible, creative, one of the best dishes of the evening)
- Hamachi Crudo
- Artichoke with ricota gnudi
- Steak Tartare
- Fig with Purslane
- Young Chicken with jus mixed with liquified foie gras
- Lemon Curd with Bay Leaf Ice Cream
- Did our Caramel Custard have leaf lard?
No doubt Vartan cooks like a fiend. Heâs recruited a heck of staff including his chef de cuisine, Jon Butler, from Republique and Greg Baumgartner doing pastry. Service was terrific and 18% gratuity is added.
It was fine dining without too much fussiness. So hard to do. Hope 71Above does not fall in line with the majority of restaurants with great views.
Canât wait to return.
P.S. Thanks chrishei for the OUE explanation. We were all wondering what that was.
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Just had lunch at 71Above yesterday and the views are as impressive as Ipse described. My dining companion and I both had the halibut, which I found tasty but not sublime and which she did not finish. My starter was a total misfire, howeverâbeef tartare with waaay too much Tabasco and Worcestershire, like a noob bartender making his very first Bloody Mary. A pity, because I am sure it wasnât done to cover up poor quality beef.
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