California

Top of 5 (Los Angeles)****/$$$$-$$$$$

Located on the top floor of Los Angeles' Westin Bonaventure Hotel, I took in this restaurant while visiting LA in February of 1998.  It had been a long day of travelling after about six hours of flying from Erie, PA and about two or three hours in an incredibly slow airport hotel shuttle.  So, by the time I arrived at the Westin that evening, I was absolutely tired out and very hungry.  And, lacking the desire to venture aimlessly onto the unfamiliar streets of LA late at night, I looked at the available selections at the hotel and decided on this one.

At first glance, the place looked quite appealing from the brochure that I found on a desk in my room.  I phoned the extension to see how busy they were and whether or not I needed to make a reservation.  The person at the other end told me that there was no wait at all and no need to make reservations; I should come straight up.  However, my first experience of the restaurant wasn't quite so appealing as the yummy-looking food that I saw in the brochure.  I was greeted and told that, despite 75% of the tables being empty at that late time of the evening, there was at least an hour wait.  But, after insisting that I'd phoned just minutes ago and being told to 'come straight up for a table', I was led to a very nice place overlooking the beautiful city night lights of Los Angeles.  Everything was taken care of quickly, and I got to enjoy some of Westin's snack mix at the bar while I waited.  (By the way, if you ever stay in a Westin Hotel, make sure you find the snack mix.  It beats ANY other snack mix around...even mine!)

Aside from the initial seating flaw, the restaurant was truly the "Top of Five".   The service was excellent and quite pleasant, and the food was delicious.  My beverage was a cola with lemon and no ice (my personal favourite), along with cold water served straight from the bottle.  To start, I was presented with a large bread basket with three or four varieties of fresh, warm breads.  It was served with cute butter stacks shaped like the hotel's four main towers.  For an entree, I had the 'Catch of the Day', which was a salmon steak prepared in a special creamy herb sauce and served with rice and snow pea pods.  The presentation was a top notch work of art, and the portions were relatively small, but just enough to satisfy my hunger without making me feel bloated.  The fish was well prepared, and all of the seasonings and textures were the perfect compliments to each other.  The herb sauce was light, and it added an enjoyable flavour to the already flavourful fish.  The snow peas were crisp and sweet, and the rice was good and sticky.  And, everything was served at just the right temperature.  I finished with a splendid and artistically presented Tiramisu and a well brewed cup of coffee for dessert.  It was pure heaven!

The menu overall was well rounded, offering a wide variety of speciality beef, poultry, and seafood dishes.  And, I would think it safe to assume that they are all worth trying based on my own dining experience.  They all carry a pretty hefty price, though.  My entire bill with tip came to an even $50 (US), and it might be difficult to make an entree, desert, and beverage total any less than $30 per person.  But, I can tell you that if you have an appreciation for well prepared, well presented culinary delights, then you probably won't be disappointed should you decide to give this restaurant a try.

CONTACT:
Top of Five
Westin Bonaventure Hotel
404 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Tel: (213) 624-1000 (Hotel Phone...ask for the Top of Five restaurant)
Fax: (213) 612-4800 (ATTN: Top of Five restaurant)
Email: labon@westin.com (ATTN: Top of Five restaurant)