6350 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 467-7991
http://besohollywood.com
It's good to know that Eva Longoria isn't really a desperate housewife. Her passion for cooking led her to chef Todd English and restaurateurs JT Torregiana and Jonas Lowrance. This team has created Beso for all of us to experience the perfect kiss: a Latin infused evening of food, drink and hospitality. Beso means kiss in Spanish and is the perfect description of our experience. I felt like I had been kissed by each morsel of food, each cocktail sip and by the warm and luxurious service.
As we entered this Hollywood epicenter we were formally greeted by the maître d' and an effervescent and luxurious atmosphere. My first glimpse, a large horseshoe shaped bar loaded with elegant cocktails and patrons enjoying the wait for their table, made me wish that our table wasn't ready. As we walked to our table I was almost overstimulated by the perfectly lit space accented with some of the largest chandeliers I have seen. There was a vibrant hum pulsating through Beso, accompanied by the cooking clatter coming from the open kitchen housing a fabulous wood-burning oven. The oversized booth that would be serving us for the evening was slightly elevated for great people watching and perfectly cozy for enjoying a great meal.
There are some great cocktails on their menu that could also be made as non-alcoholic versions which was great for our friend expecting a baby and for my designated driver husband. I, on the other hand, opted for a glass of bubbly champagne, which went perfectly with the chandelier. The menu is full of great snacks, a bounty of different steaks and mouth-watering sides. We decided that sharing a bunch of items was the way to go.
We started with the Avocado Guacamole with Crispy Corn Chips. The guacamole was perfectly seasoned and exuded freshness while the corn chips were still warm and had a delicate crunch. The Chilled Poco Shrimp Ceviche in a Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce was light, crisp and bright with flavor, which reminded me of fabulous New England seafood.
When the Shrimp & Chorizo Flatbread with Manchego, Harissa, Creme Fraiche and Scallions arrived everyone dove in immediately. The flatbread was crisp and the crème fraiche added a smoothing touch to the spicy chorizo. The Queso Fresco Fries reminded me of eating Poutine as a teenager; Poutine is a traditional French Canadian dish that is made by pouring gravy over a huge mass of french fries, topping that with curd cheese (if you don't know what curd cheese is you must get some immediately) and then off to the oven to emerge as a most incredible cauldron of ooo and goo. The Queso Fresco was very similar but added a layer of spectacular flavor with its saltiness. I will eat just about anything if there are mushrooms in it and the Sautéed Exotic Mushrooms were even better as they were solo on the plate and cooked flawlessly so that their woodiness was complimented by the surrounding buttery sauce. These would have been great on the Queso Fresco Fries and I must admit I did do some dipping. I was so full at this point but I just had to taste the craBLTA taco that came with the Taqueria Tasting. The only word that I can think to describe this concoction is yum. The other offerings on the plate consisted of a skirt steak taco, tuna taco and plantain taco, which were all eaten up before I could even blink.
With no room for desert we all agreed that we needed to come back again. I am definitely going to be trying the Sweet Potato Tater Tots and Crispy Lamb Ribs next time. Beso is worth an adventure onto Hollywood Blvd and would be a great place to host a soiree as there is private seating available on the 2nd floor and just about the perfect location to celebrate anything you wish.
by Meg Galli
[Photo: Courtesy of Beso]