A Valentine’s Day Love Affair :: West Hollywood’s Murano
So, it’s Valentine’s Day (or any day for that matter), and you are looking for a chic, yet reasonable, dining experience. You thumb through Big Yellow, make calls to friends for recommendations and check-out online reviews. After hours of pouring through your sources for that special place, a name begins to rise to the surface of the oversized pool of dining choices: Murano.
Stylish (interior work provided in part by trendsetting artist Jordan Carlyle, fabulous reviews, reasonable pricing and oh yes, it’s owned by the legendary Sandy Sachs & Robin Gans, the same two gorgeous gals who founded the world-famous Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs, Girl Bar and The Factory, which is home to POPStarZ, one of the most popular weekly gay dance events in LA.
Finally, you’ve found a winner.
For that special day in 2009 we visited Murano and walked through their trademark red door (photo inset), drank and ate superbly while basking in the glow of Murano glass chandeliers. A finely-tailored restaurant backed by bartenders who know how to make a really good drink (a more and more commonly lost art these days) and a chef, Luciano Sautto, who knows how to bring a vibrant, pleasantly surprising taste to some of the more common menu items. Some of our favorite dishes include:
Appetizers
Tartara di Tonno (Tuna Tartar):
Yellow-fin tuna and crushed avocado. While not surprising to see some derivation of this item on a menu these days, we were caught by the taste and exceptional presentation of our lead dish.
Carpaccio di Carne (Beef Carpaccio):
Thinly sliced black-pepper-crusted-cured tenderloin with a tangy lemon sauce and shaved parmesan on a bed of arugula. Absolutely delicious. This tender and superbly sliced beef perfectly held the well-toned flavor of tangy lemon.
Risotto Fries:
Risotto, tomato and parmesan. Ordinary ingredients combined with near-flawless accuracy into this modern, semi-health-conscious, remake of a mozzarella stick.
Dinner
Tonno Speziato (Seared Yellow-fin Tuna):
Seared Yellow Fin tuna steak encrusted with herbs and spices in a white wine, lime sauce with saut�ed spinach. Light, fluffy, delicious. Everything you would expect from Murano and more.
Filetto di Manzo alla Piemontese (Filet Mignon):
Pan seared Filet Mignon, oven roasted herbed baby potatoes, cognac porcini sauce. Another classic turned exceptional by the well-rounded culinary expertise of Chef Luciano Sautto. Flavor perfected not just with the Filet but also the accompaniment. As is standard, potatoes serve to off-set a Filet and balance out the course. Not in this case, where the flavorful potatoes could have easily stood as an appetizer all on their own.
Dessert
Trio of Sorbetto:
This small dish of sorbet packs the punch of a bowl of fruit. Flavor can often be lost in the freezing process or not enough lost and the dish becomes overpowering, but Murano perfects this dish by retaining just the right amount of flavor to ensure a perfect end to a perfect meal.
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Murano Restaurant
9010 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: (310) 246-9118
www.murano9010.com
Hours: Tue-Thu 6pm-10pm, Fr-Sat 6pm-12am, Sun 11:00am-3pm
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Be sure to check out $12 Tuesdays. The special menu will feature the three P’s of Italian dining: pasta, paninis, and pizzas, all $12 apiece. Selections will change week to week, but you can count on a few signature items every Tuesday, including the pizza bianca with Spanish chorizo and shaved red onions; the prosciutto di parma panini with tomato, basil, and fresh mozzarella; and linguine and kobe beef meatballs in melted cherry tomato sauce.
