Depending on the size of your group, you may not have an option.
I’ve done both, and honestly I prefer the mixed pairing. I think it suits Beran’s philosophy better as some courses do not lend themselves to wine. But if your group is larger than (I believe) 2, it’s only wine.
I liked my Dialogue mixed pairing very much.
Went last night for the first time and would highly recommend it. This is their second menu, which started sometime in November and should run almost through the end of January. I don’t want to comment too much on everything as to not ruin the experience, but here are some high level notes.
Once again, there was a seasonal story being told, progressing from summer to winter. The dishes are both forward and backward looking in that many dishes contained an ingredient from the prior dish, as well as an ingredient that will be in the subsequent dish.
Definitely enough food for me. The meal goes through a few progressions of alternating back between savory and sweet, which breaks up the meal nicely. No misses, with everything mostly delicious, and a few standing out as highly memorable. Based on @PorkyBelly’s report, not too many repeats from the prior menu (french onion soup, and a more progressed version of the carrot dish).
Wine pairings ($175) were quite nice, including one instance where the wine’s character substantially changed with the food. Well worth it for me, but right now I am into wine. Nothing odd or obscure necessarily, they just elevated the meal. My dining companion opted for a non-alcoholic option ($60), which was mostly juices and some tea.
For me, was the perfect vibe for fine dining. Not too serious, but intimate and FUN.
Menu:
Juice of summer strawberry and caviar:
ode on the judiete cabbage:
lobster, cumber, bernaise:
flavors of chamomile:
mushroom essence:
maitake mushroof, rosemary, barrel aged onion:
french onion soup:
fallen leaves:
(shortbreads)
autumn oatmeal:
orelys, corn, maple
(white chocolate bars)
persimmon and maple:
trout:
oil painting for uni
(included short rib)
braised combu, apples:
canard a la press, pineapple, hato mugi:
(dish came in two parts)
merignue of cinnamon with foie gras:
coffee and cigar:
malted carrot:
a breath of winter:
(served on a plate of ice)
candy cane:
Thanks for the report, how was the duck a la presse? Are they actually pressing the duck and making the sauce a la minute?
Is the one that looks like little white flagstones the meringue and the one before that the duck?
Robert, I corrected the order of the images and added captions so it’s easier to follow what was what.
J Gold just ranked it one of the best 10 dishes of 2017!
There goes the neighborhood!
Two in one day
Went to Dialogue last night had the exact same menu as @DTLAeater. Was hoping they would do a new menu as I heard one was coming soon. Also did the wine pairing option nothing obscure or out of the ordinary either but they did do sake, beer, natural wines, along with the usual.
Enjoyed the meal and Anne, Jordan (both FOH) and chef Dave plus everyone else was super friendly and hospitable. Only issue was aside from the strawberry bubbles with caviar, duck ala presse, foie gras merengue nothing blew my mind. Everything was enjoyable but very few dishes moved the needle for me.
I may be in the minority here, but I’m so over the tweezer food craze.
Yep.
(But to be fair we LA FTCers can be a jaded bunch…)
To those who have been, is the restaurant ever full? The national reviews have been absolutely glowing, but it is stunningly easy to snag a table, which worries me. I’m hoping to make it out in the next few weeks…
Is it just me or does it look like protein is a scarcity at Dialogue given the price??
(Movietrailer Guy Voice:) In a world… Full of chains and dives and soba/sushi/boba/AYCE KBBQ/Pho all-in-one joints…
Yeah, yeah. But we LA Board FTCers live in Metro Los Angeles. (well, except @Ns1 I suppose teehee)
Hey man I’m just trying to hang out with my wife on this beautiful Saturday, there’s no need for such savagery.
All in good jest, buddy. You’re more Angeleno OG than most self-labelled “foodies”, in my book. Enjoy the weekend.
MUCH prefer n/naka and Providence. Not even close. Intellectually-interesting food. Not particularly soul-satisfying.
