Chef Scott Conant’s Scarpetta nabbed three stars from New York Times and was named one of 50 “best new restaurants” from Travel & Leisure following its 2008 debut in Manhattan. Tonight, Beverly Hills gets its own branch at The Montage, just across the courtyard from last year’s red-hot import Bouchon. We have Conant’s new menu below and more than a few selections are inspired by the chef’s embrace of our markets and seasonal fare. So what will you be eating here?
Pumpkin finds its way into a soup with farro and almonds, as well as on a plate of cappellacci, while black trumpet mushrooms and charred figs grace two salads, sunchokes partner with roasted sea scallops, and pistachios are a key ingredient in a casonsei pasta with poppy seeds.
But if you think L.A. has no more room for high-priced, refined Italian, it should be Conant’s signatures that will make you think again. Recipes like an ash-spiced vension, ravioli with duck and foie gras, that yellowtail crudo we loved at AWFF, dungeness crab and sea urchin in a scialatielli, polenta with a fricassee of truffled mushrooms, and his famous $24 spaghetti pomodoro stand out among the delicate, personal preparations of seafood, pasta, and game meat, which unfortunately doesn’t appear to include the dish of roast kid we’ve heard so much about. While the menu will experience the occasional tweak as the seasons shift, look below to see what will be served on opening night and beyond. The restaurant opens for dinner at 6:00 P.M. tonight, with lunch service coming in a few weeks.
Scarpetta, 225 North Canon Dr. Beverly Hills. 310-860-7970.
APPETIZERS
RAW YELLOWTAIL
olio de zenzero, pickled red onion
16
TUNA “SUSCI”
marinated vegetables and preserved truffles
16
AUTUMN VEGETABLE SALAD
black trumpet mushrooms, hazelnuts & foie gras emulsion
17
SALAD OF LOCAL GREENS
stracciatella, charred figs, and aged balsalmico
15
PUREE OF PUMPKIN SOUP
farro, almonds, spiced croutons & pumpkin oil
14
POACHED MEDITERRANEAN OCTOPUS
fingerling potatos and capers
14
BRAISED SHORT RIBS OF BEEF
autumn vegetable & farro risotto
15
CREAMY POLENTA
fricassee of truffled mushrooms
15
ROASTED SEA SCALLOPS
caramelized sunchokes & porcini mushrooms
17
PASTA
BEET & SMOKED RICOTTA CASONSEI
pistachio nuts & poppy seeds
23
SPAGHETTI
tomato & basil
24
DUCK & FOIE GRAS RAVIOLI
marsala reduction
26
AGNOLOTTI DAL PLIN
mixed meat and fonduta, mushrooms & parmigiano
25
PUMPKIN CAPPELLACCI
amaretti & parmigiano
23
SCIALATIELLI
sorrento-‐style pasta, dungeness crab & sea urchin
27
TAJARIN
shaved white truffles
MP
MAIN
BLACK COD
caramelized fennel & concentrated tomatoes
27
ORATA ROSA
watercress gremolata
25
GRILLED ESCOLAR
brussels sprouts & preserved tomatoes
24
BRANZINO
leeks, chanterelles & mussels
26
PANCETTA-WRAPPED VEAL TENDERLOIN
sweetbreads & autumn vegetable ragu
28
ASH-SPICED VENISON LOIN
braised radicchio & smoked polenta dumplings
34
GRILLED SIRLOIN OF BEEF
tuscan kale, black trumpet mushrooms & barolo reduction
31
ROASTED DUCK BREAST
heirloom parsnips, raisin mostarda & lentils
27
Earlier: Scarpetta Coming to Montage Beverly Hills [Grub Street]
