Viviane
Iced Tea
Ragout of Winter Greens and Shelling Beans, Creamy Grits, Chili Vinegar
Ricotta Ravioli, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Delicata Squash, Brown Butter
Country Fried Half Chicken, Buttermilk Brined, Savoy Cabbage Slaw, Spicy Ranch Dressing
Buttermilk & Scallion Biscuits, White Cheddar Cheese Sauce, California Chili
Slab of Brioche French Toast, Dark Chocolate Ganache, Cranberry Compote
Meyer Lemon Tart, Huckleberry Fennel Compote, Sable Breton
Riesling Poached Pear, Almond Frangipane, Brown Butter Anglaise
Sweet Potato Toffee Pudding, Compressed Asian Pear, Ice Milk, Warm Spices
Located in a narrow space at The Avalon in Beverley Hills, a hotel whose best days are at least a decade in the past, Viviane Restaurant popped up on the radar largely as a result of Stephane Bombet’s involvement, a four-person brunch failing to achieve at the high level of Terrine but nonetheless offering quality food in a very pleasant environment.
Cal-American in concept with cuisine from Michael Hung, Viviane occupies the space adjacent the Lobby at the iconic boutique space and stretching onto a patio where celebrities including a famous Foo Fighter are prone to be seen lounging the service is professional with a side of aloofness, the sort of place where empty glasses may go unnoticed…unless refills can increase the tab.
Having admittedly reached out to M. Bombet prior to making reservations, the dinner-only dessert menu coveted in addition to the brunch bill of fare, it was in two-rounds consisting of eight plates that the afternoon unfolded, a carved out enclave overlooking the hourglass-shaped pool our home for the duration with chairs and temperatures that made any-pace-but-fast perfect with lingering not only appropriate, but pleasant enough that it would have been a nice place to take a nap.
Beginning savory before veering sweet, the biscuits nothing worth writing home about beneath “California Chili” that confusingly refers only to dried flakes in the cheese fondue, Ricotta Ravioli were equally decent though a touch overpriced considering the thickness of the packets and four-piece portion while the aromatic ragout atop creamy grits was the clear winner amongst vegetarian plates.
Thrilled by the fried chicken, a bath in buttermilk and spices giving the flesh plenty of nuance beneath an adherent golden shell that crackled and shattered to the tooth, it was onward to dessert that the meal soon progressed and although the teensy Lemon Tart was not particularly noteworthy both the Almond Butter Cake and Sticky Toffee Pudding were beautiful riffs on tradition, the former eating almost like warm pudding while a “Slab” of Brioche was indeed enormous, so much so that custard barely managed to penetrate thus leaving it to eat more like chocolate honey toast.
http://vivianerestaurant.com/
