Viewing/tasting party at Scarpetta, Montage, Beverly Hills
Posted on May 14, 2011 under Archives | No Comment
Montage Beverly Hills
A few weeks ago, I attended the premier viewing party for the new season of Food Network’s “24 Hour Restaurant Battle.” Hosted by restauranteur and chef Scott Conant, the show teams up and coming restauranteurs against each other in a battle for $10,000. Each team must open their own restaurant from scratch in 24 hours. The winning team is chosen by Conant and a panel of three food industry insiders.
The party was held at Conant’s Scarpetta restaurant in the upscale Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. Scarpetta Beverly Hlls is one of five scattered across the country bringing Southern Italian cuisine to diners.
Writers watching 24 Hour Restaurant Battle
The restaurant has three dining areas, a big main room, a large bar and a courtyard patio across from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon. I joined food writers and bloggers in the open kitchen. I was a bit apprehensive about meeting Chef Conant, as I couldn’t recall him smiling on any of the Food Network shows where he appeared as a judge. I was pleasantly surprised when he approached me and my friend Nicole with a big smile and a plate of appetizers and thanked us for coming.
Chef Scott Conant
Guests gathered around a large flat screen TV in the kitchen to watch the first episode of the new season. We were asked if we wanted to sit in the back at the large chef’s dining room where the big table was set with a variety of appetizers.
Nicole at chefs table
Here is a sampling of what we were served:
We started with some creamy mozzarella on toasted bread.
Mozzarella on toasted bread
We also had parma ham wrapped around breadsticks.
parma ham and breadsticks
Then came fresh baked bread balls.
Bread balls
Next came tuna tartar on potato chips. We loved these.
Tuna tartar on potato chips
Conant’s specialty is his pasta. The spaghetti was delicious. We had two servings.
spaghetti
We left knowing that based on the appetizers, we would be back in the next few weeks to have a full dinner at Scarpetta.
Scarpetta is located in the Montage Beverly Hills, 225 North Canon Drive, 310/860-7970.