Fig Restaurant
There’s something luxuriously old school about dining at a hotel. You feel taken care of the minute you hit the expansive, flower-bedecked lobby. Smooth, crisp service and ambience might dim my critical view of the food, but my lunch at Fig at the Fairmont Miramar required no blinders. Crab Benedict is a dish that has proven gummy and overwrought at other restaurants, but Fig nailed it.
The crab cake was fully crabby and tasted like it actually once lived in the sea. It served as a hearty foundation for the perfectly poached eggs which were soft and juicy rather than viscous and runny. The hollandaise was delightfully lemony with a subtle snap of spicy heat, and the accompanying greens crunchy and bright. Color me happy…especially sitting poolside in Santa Monica on a 98-degree day in the Valley. Aaaah….GET THE DETAILS.
Logistical note: Allow time to find parking in a nearby public lot or bemoan a $25 valet fee!
Molly Cheek
Molly Cheek is a retired actor and Epicurean School graduate. She is best known for her roles in “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” and the “American Pie” franchise, (she baked the pie!). For her second act, she turned to her real love: Eating!!! Molly created a catering and home-cooked gourmet gift basket business, placing her baked goods in coffee joints and on craft service tables around Los Angeles. And even though she’s moved on from that endeavor, she still loves to eat. She starts dreaming of lunch as soon as breakfast is done. Cooking is fun, but eating out is her happy place. And she loves to talk about what she eats…..and what you eat and what people on TV eat…. So, she hopes her enthusiasm for food will ignite some tastebuds and inspire you Tomatoes to try something new.
