Tasting Menus

* Here’s a quick way to sample a chef’s range.

Saddle Peak Lodge: Chef Warren Schwartz’s menu is grilled white asparagus with St.-Agur blue cheese and candied walnuts, foie gras “pastrami” on toasted rye, seared “Himalayan beef” (yak) loin and frozen mascarpone souffle with wild strawberries and toasted hazelnuts, garnished with basil. (Tasting menu, $65.) Saddle Peak Lodge, 419 Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas, (818) 222-3888.

Mako: Chef-owner “Mako” Tanaka might make fried oysters with basil, tomato and tapenade, sauteed baby abalone with basil garlic sauce, baked diver scallops with sea urchin (uni) sauce, snapper in sake paste, Wagyu beef short ribs and five-spice lamb osso buco. If you’re up to it, he has seasonal desserts too. (Omakase menu, $70.) Mako, 225 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 288-8338.

Golden Truffle: Chef Alan Greeley can deliver three or four courses in an hour and 15 minutes. He asks your likes and dislikes, then creates dishes such as crawfish with green tomatoes in a bloody mary vinaigrette, or Sicilian swordfish with dried figs and preserved lemons. Dessert might be a tropical fruit sorbet with spicy lace cookies. (Four courses, $45; three courses, $25.) Golden Truffle, 1767 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, (949) 645-9858.

Water Grill: Every day, chef Michael Cimarusti puts together a menu of seven courses, including a cheese course and two desserts. Some recent dishes have been white asparagus with American caviar; Copper River salmon with salsify puree, porcini mushrooms and summer truffles; and pineapple-lemongrass granita. (Tasting menu, $85.) Water Grill, 544 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A., (213) 891-0900.

Joe’s: If you call two days ahead, Joe Miller will tailor a menu for you; if you don’t, he’ll put together a six- to eight-course menu from what’s available in the kitchen. Dishes include polenta with sofrito sauce, or roasted rack of wild boar with white beans, globe carrots, pickled fennel and green garlic sauce. Dessert might be garnet cherry soup topped with cherry sorbet and lemon creme fraiche. (Tasting menu, $65-$85.) Joe’s, 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, (310) 399-5811.