I have been to the divine Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles several times, but found it hard to believe that I had not yet dined at the restaurant, Patina, just next door. It is very much a special occasion restaurant, but one that should be experienced if at all possible. I was lucky to have such an opportunity when my husband received a complimentary gift certificate for his birthday from his family.

It feels elegant and sophisticated as you enter and are graciously seated by their hostess. You actually feel like you are in excellent and pampering hands, as you are seated at your table. There is someone to politely offer you your napkin and shortly after, you are queried for your water preference. The service is attentive but not overbearing. I like that. The staff seems to know just when to appear at your table so as not to annoy you, but to fulfill your expectations.

Chef Joachim Splichal has assembled an amazing menu for his guests. After a few pointed questions about the menu to our headwaiter, we were ready to make our selections. I particularly like trying items that I have not had before and felt a little adventurous with my choices: The Maine Lobster and Melting Pig’s Trotters salad was, (how can I put this?)….TO DIE FOR! I had the Alaskan Halibut for my entrée. It was cooked to perfection, as any good fish should be – not too well done. The same was the case for my husband’s salmon, which was cooked to the perfect "pink" doneness.

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the tempting bread tray that is periodically offered to each table. The friendly server was most accommodating in offering an array of 4 choices of bread, which we availed ourselves of several times. They were fresh and delicious. Our waiter was also quite skilled in guiding us to the perfect choice of wine to accompany our meal. We enjoyed a refreshing, light Austrian white wine.

We also appreciated the beautiful ambience of the restaurant. It has a sleek, chic look in design and we marveled at the favorable acoustics, which afforded us the ability to hear one another – a rare accomplishment which is sadly not achieved by many other noisier restaurants in Los Angeles. Bravo to Patina on that score!

I so hated to see our dining experience come to an end as we had to leave to take our seats in the beautiful Disney Concert Hall. Now that I have succumbed to the allure of Patina, I think I’ve found the appropriate dining venue for our next special occasion…may it not be too long in arriving!