Restaurant review: XIV in West Hollywood

Heirloom beets are interspersed with wild arugula and creamy burrata, and dressed with aged balsamic and new olive oil.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

At XIV, the focus is on “social dining,” with an all-small-plates menu in which everyone at the table must order the same thing. The decor itself is decked out in grand country house style courtesy of Starck.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

The hazelnut milk dish features what’s described as frosted flakes served with a sugar “barrel” with whiskey at the bottom.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

A white chocolate cube dessert hides layers of fruit, cream and beets.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

April Helton shows off a tray of Nantucket bay scallops. Apart from ordering individual small plates, the high-concept restaurant also features chef selections in three prices: an eight-course “light meal,” $55; 11-course “something more,” $75; 14-course “fourteen from XIV,” $95; and 35-course “the gamut,” $250 per person.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)