At the crossroads of elegance

Meet me at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, I told my friend the writer. And bring somebody. Extravagantly well-connected, Bill is capable of producing an endless supply of fascinating people on demand, or in this case, gentle nudge. I wanted to go back to the new restaurant at the fabled hotel -- you know, the one where Julia Roberts shacked up with Richard Gere in the 1990 film “Pretty Woman” and learned her manners from the hotel manager played, unforgettably, by Hector Elizondo.

They’ve done away with the old fine dining restaurant in the back, waiting for Richard Meier to finish the design for a Wolfgang Puck steakhouse that’s slated to open by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the hotel, which is now owned by the Four Seasons, has completely revamped its more casual restaurant at the front, and given it the moniker The Blvd, the boulevard in question being Wilshire Boulevard at the foot of Rodeo Drive. Smashing address, eh?

For once, I’m early, arriving in time to ogle the flowers on the table in the middle of the hotel foyer, masses of butter yellow tulips slipped into vases of different heights, the whole surrounded like an altar with small candles bobbing in water. A bowl of apples sits at the end of the registration desk, and beyond that is The Blvd. My escort and I check in with the maitre d’, and I look around for the writer.

At the bar, an 18-foot illuminated onyx extravaganza, guests of the hotel mingle with locals. A dapper fellow wearing a Liberace-style pompadour that swoops alarmingly low on his forehead chats up a practical-looking woman 30 years his junior. Fashionistas and fashion victims dripping in labels sip Chardonnay or martinis.

Nobody, though, seemed to be drinking the bar’s signature Baccaratini, served in a Baccarat martini glass for $185 (you get to keep the glass). Either they’re outraged at the chutzpah of this gimmick or they’re saving up for something at Bulgari across the street.

“It’s the Peninsula bar crowd,” my escort whispers, “but better lit.” I’m not so sure. I’ve never seen anybody at the rival Beverly Hills hotel bar scarfing down a plate of pasta with such enthusiasm, or two women giggling over a pizza. I’m just admiring the muted oranges and blues of the slender art glass vases, or bottles, displayed on the backlighted wall behind the bar, when my escort taps me on the shoulder.

The writer strides toward us, and beside him, a radiant woman in a smart black cocktail dress and heels, who looks completely at home in the sophisticated room with its tall wood-clad pillars, Lalique sconces and cozy sofas. A contemporary Nick and Nora without Asta trotting behind. The writer’s Asta is a duck -- yes, really -- but that’s another story.

One of the hostesses sidles up, a stack of menus in her arms, to tell us it would just be a few minutes before our table was ready. Two minutes stretch to 10, as someone laid the leather placemats, someone else the silverware. It was taking so long the manager finally stepped in and finished the table himself.

OK. We have the menus. We have something called the water menu titled “H20,” which is divided into flat and sparkling with half a dozen choices from around the world in each category. We’ve got water from Wales, from Ceredigion, United Kingdom (wherever that is), from Fiji and the Haute-Savoie. Is this absurd or what? Each has a few descriptors to help you choose and all are $6.

We know they have wine. We can see people drinking, and a prominent feature of the dining room’s design is a backlighted wall of wine bottles. But the wine list is missing in action on a first visit, and once you do order something from the fairly extensive list, it may take a while for your server to find the right bottle.

The list, organized by such flavor profiles as “light, dry and crisp” and “full-bodied, opulent and dense,” is quite international in scope, weighing in with Gruner Veltliner from Austria, Shiraz from Australia, Verdicchio from Italy in addition to heavy hitters from California. The number of wines in the $30 range is limited, though, and if you want to drink really well, deep pockets are in order.

We decide to order a pizza right away. It’s thin-crusted, smeared with fromage blanc, a mild fresh white cheese, and topped with ribbons of roasted peppers, a spicy tomato sauce and slivers of Basque sausage. It’s a delightful surprise for such a tony hotel’s restaurant. I could see myself dropping in for a glass of wine and a pizza at the bar. Another pizza features prosciutto with fontina cheese, caramelized onions and, oddly, whole grain mustard. If you can get past the idea of mustard on pizza, the flavors work nicely.

In the meantime, we’ve put in the rest of our order, and the appetizers begin to arrive. There’s an oval platter with big chunks of heirloom tomatoes and grilled portabello mushroom in a vinegary dressing. The tomatoes really taste like something, and they’re laid on with a generous hand. Every menu in L.A. has got to have ahi tuna, but the kitchen has a clever take on it as a “minute steak,” seared rare, in a piquant, smoked, tomato vinaigrette that gives the bland fish some flavor. Instead of pairing seared foie gras with something achingly sweet, the chef has the novel idea of pairing it with grilled summer peaches. It’s a terrific combination -- sweet, but also tart and juicy. With thick slices of toasted brioche, this is one sumptuous first course.

On another night, I order the French onion soup. I always do whenever I see it, despite the fact that I’m usually disappointed. It’s an odd thing to have on a summer menu, but this is a beautiful rendition. The oxtail broth gives the soup definition and sidesteps any sweetness from the caramelized onions. The result is a soup with a finish that lingers. I’m impressed with the kitchen’s risotto too. Right now it’s a summer truffle risotto, which is beautifully cooked -- each grain of rice distinct and bathed in broth and butter. If only the broth had more flavor. The summer truffles, though, are the real thing, a lovely tan color, marbled like travertine, and lightly perfumed.

The kitchen doesn’t stint on the quality ingredients. Order an endive and watercress salad and each leaf is perfect. In The Blvd’s rendition, the greens come with some sweet-tart baked Lady apples, candied pecans and shaved manchego cheese. The Caesar, though, seems half-hearted. The romaine is limp, as if it had been dressed long before, and the dressing lacks punch. With that Parmesan tuile topped with a silvery anchovy, the salad chef appears to have spent more time fiddling with the visuals than tweaking the flavors.

The menu from chef Scott Thomas Dolbee, who has cooked at French 75 and Pinot Provence in Orange County before this gig, fits the bill for a casual hotel restaurant beautifully. He’s developed his own riffs on popular California classics, but also has slipped some more personal dishes into the mix. His style is earthy, yet polished, like a banker in a country gentleman’s Barbour jacket.

I very much enjoyed his grilled lamb rib-eye presented with a harissa-fired lamb jus and a white bean cassoulet laced with the same Basque sausage that made its entrance on the pizza. It’s sophisticated comfort food. On that note, there’s also a veal Milanese topped with fresh mozzarella and baby spinach and a fine rotisserie chicken lavished with lemon and herbs and served with a warm potato salad. At the Regent Beverly Wilshire, this is a novelty.

It’s a new kitchen and sometimes the execution suffers. A lobster special one night sounds wonderful, butter-poached and served on braised celery root, but the lobster seems tired and overcooked and the slivers of celery root are too oily. One night, a dish of roasted black cod with a bouquet of scallops, prawns, mussels and clams cooked with chorizo sausage is as good a fish dish as you’ll find anywhere in town. On another night, John Dory with sweet corn, chanterelles and soft potato gnocchi is sadly overcooked. At these prices, that shouldn’t happen.

Part of what you’re paying for, though, is the high-rent setting. The lighting is beautiful, low enough that it’s not glaring, but bright enough to see what you’re eating. Everyone looks better than life in its soft glow. A lavish floral patterned carpet swirls underfoot. The chairs are extremely comfortable and for those who want to get cozy, there are a few tables in front paired with soft sofas. And those lucky enough to be sitting outside in front have a view of Bulgari, Tiffany and Gucci across the street, something sure to set Paris Hilton wannabes’ hearts aflutter. Bring your camera. But then, everybody does. Our meal is punctuated with the occasional flash or two heads leaning close to stare at tiny photos on dim screens.

For dessert, this is one place to order the tarte Tatin, half an apple, deeply caramelized, set on a swatch of puff pastry and served with a ball of vanilla ice cream. There’s also a respectable cheesecake with berries and a dainty lemon meringue pie.

Beverly Hills is not exactly known for its nightlife. Yet I’m amazed, on a weeknight, the restaurant is filled, and even more unusual, people are coming in for dinner as late as 10 p.m. And they don’t seem to be Spanish tourists either. Must be rush hour at The Blvd.

*

The Blvd

Location: Regent Beverly Wilshire, 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 275-5200.

Ambience: Classy but casual hotel dining room and bar with a glitzy crowd of guests and locals stopping in for a drink, a quick bite or a leisurely meal. The view is rich: Rodeo Drive and its boutiques.

Service: Amiable, but disorganized.

Price: Dinner appetizers, $13 to $21; pastas, $19 to $28; main courses, $26 to $39; desserts, $11.

Best dishes: Pizzas, ahi tuna “minute steak,” French onion and oxtail soup, summer truffle risotto, endive and watercress salad with baked Lady apple, lamb rib-eye with white bean cassoulet, herb-marinated rotisserie chicken, veal Milanese, black cod with steamed shellfish, tarte Tatin.

Wine list: The usual suspects, plus a handful of eclectic interlopers. Corkage, $25.

Best table: One of the sidewalk tables in front.

Special feature: Water menu with more than a dozen choices.

Details: Full bar. Valet parking, $5 (with validation).

Rating is based on food, service and ambience, with price taken into account in relation to quality. ****: Outstanding on every level. ***: Excellent. **: Very good. *: Good. No star: Poor to satisfactory.