From Caviar to Wagyu, These Dishes Will Cost You a Pretty Penny
In the City of Angels, more is more when it comes to menu planning. Restaurants are always looking to add wow-factor items that have the potential to go viral and reel in the social media sleuths. Featuring everything from prime proteins to pyrotechnics, these dishes will blow you away—and so will their price tags. The offerings range from opulent and expensive food that speaks to the high rollers, to intricately prepared expensive restaurant dishes that become the stars of the evening. So, would you shell out for lobster? Wager some funds for Wagyu? Or throw caviar on the credit card? Read on to decide for yourself. Most Expensive Dishes LA
Dish: 45 Day Dry Aged Full Blood Wagyu ($499)
Order at: NIKU X
What can $499 buy you these days? A few pairs of sneakers, a nice spa treatment, a couple of items from your local Erewhon—or, the 45 Day Dry Aged Full Blood Wagyu from NIKU X in Downtown LA. Recently opened at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, this trendy restaurant is making meals into a full production with the addition of tableside searing, because nothing says “snap a photo” like a little fire flare. You also get to choose your own steak knife which is a nice touch. They sear your steak in front of you over a salt pot for optimal flavor and then slice and serve. It’s basically dinner and a show, but is it worth the price? You’ll have to be the judge of that.
Location: Downtown LA
Dish: Caviar ($72-$554, depending on varietal)
Order at: Petrossian Restaurant & Boutique
Caviar is notoriously a food fit for the financially stable. It’s decadent, delicious and downright expensive. At Petrossian in West Hollywood, they are trying to make caviar more approachable by putting it on tarts, toasts and treats. Their 50-gram tins are served with blinis (or mini pancakes) and crème fraîche for the ultimate bite. We recommend asking for the added accoutrements of eggs, chives, onions and capers for the authentic experience. You’ll need to pair your meal with some champagne to offset the panic when the bill arrives.
Location: West Hollywood
Dish: Light ‘Em Up Lobster Mac ($165)
Order at: Barton G. The Restaurant Los Angeles
Barton G. in Beverly Hills is the ultimate theatrical experience if you like your dishes served with a side of drama. The Light ‘Em Up Lobster Mac features a creamy lobster macaroni and cheese served in a giant lobster shell so you won’t miss the fact that this dish is bursting at the seams with 2 ¼ pounds of buttery Maine lobster. Add some Burgundy truffles and chives and you have the equation for some damn good (and damn expensive) mac and cheese. There will not be a boring moment at this Beverly Hills restaurant, where you’ll be surrounded by giant forks, cotton-candy-adorned Marie Antoinette busts, dry ice and huge hundred-dollar bills. Return of the $165 Mac? We shell see.
Location: Beverly Hills
Dish: Golden Baklava ($60)
Order at: Nusr-Et Steakhouse
Live. Laugh. Baklava. At Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Beverly Hills, they are serving up a seriously shiny slice of dessert with their gold-encrusted baklava filled with Maraş, Turkish ice cream. It is decadence at its finest and a definite way to impress your entourage. For those who don’t know, baklava is a dessert made up of layers of thin pastry dough known as phyllo or filo, which are then filled with chopped nuts that are sweetened with honey or syrup. This version is wrapped in a blanket of edible 24K gold to bring the whole experience over the top.
Location: Beverly Hills
Dish: Beef Bowl Double Cut Prime Rib ($85)
Order at: Lawry’s
Got beef? Lawry’s is famous for its prime rib, which is a high-quality cut of beef known for its tenderness and flavor. The Beef Bowl “double cut” is twice the size and double the fun. The beef is seasoned with Lawry’s signature seasoning blend, which includes salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of the meat. It is then slow-roasted to perfection, ensuring that it remains juicy and flavorful. At $85 for an a la carte prime rib, this pricey primo piece of protein will take a toll on both your waistline and your wallet.
Location: Beverly Hills
Dish: Dover Sole ($93)
Order at: Capo
Dining at Capo is a full-on immersive Italian experience. But there’s one dish they really put their heart and sole into—sorry, we had to. The Dover Sole is a cool $93 but the buttery, flaky umami of it all will almost make you forget that this small piece of seafood is robbing your wallet of a Benjamin. This is the ideal Los Angeles date night spot so be sure to enjoy it with one of their 2,500 world-class wines. Hopefully, your date will cover this one!
Location: Santa Monica
Dish: Tinx Hot Girl Sundae ($46)
Order at: Craig’s
Sundaes are for the girls. The Tinx Hot Girl Sundae at Craig’s starts with a scoop of each of the restaurant’s eight ice cream flavors, all of which are vegan. These little balls of bliss are then sprinkled with chunks of cookies and brownies and drizzled with fudge. Add in a healthy helping of rainbow sprinkles, maraschino cherries and whipped cream and you almost might miss the giant sparkler sticking out…almost. This is an Instagram-worthy ice cream treat that’ll have the entire restaurant saying “I’ll have what she’s having!”
Location: West Hollywood
Dish: The Billion Dollar Bowl ($40)
Order at: Sunlife Organics
It wouldn’t be LA if we weren’t pitching you a $33 acai bowl. This signature Sunlife Organics creation starts with an acai blend, protein, tocos, collagen, colostrum, almond butter and gets a little crazy with the addition of MCT, silica and granola, fruit, cashew butter, goji berries, cacao, lotus pollen, sea salt, coconut and honey. The result is a colorful and nutrient-packed masterpiece. It’s incredibly extra but we think it might give you superpowers.
Locations: Manhattan Beach, Malibu, West Hollywood
Dish: Fish Sando with Caviar Tartar Sauce ($80)
Order at: daybird
Some say the fried cod from daybird is the chicken of the sea. It’s crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and when it’s topped with a generous helping of their caviar tartar sauce, it’s basically irresistible. The little pearls of caviar act as tiny flavor bombs exploding with each bite with the flavor of the ocean—a salty, briny and all-too-satisfying pop. This sandwich is salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy and incredibly crave-worthy.
Location: Westlake
Dish: Sauteed Maine Diver Scallops ($70)
Order at: Spago
Spago in Beverly Hills is an iconic culinary destination known for its innovative California cuisine and celebrity sightings. Helmed by renowned chef Wolfgang Puck, this famous Los Angeles restaurant offers a sophisticated dining experience featuring seasonal ingredients, creative dishes and impeccable service. Its elegant ambiance and upscale atmosphere attract diners from around the world and the scallops are one of their more splurge-worthy options coming in at $70. This ocean delicacy features Weiser Farm’s heirloom radishes, lemon caper beurre blanc and crispy leeks. Just beware of the bill at the end of this expensive edible adventure.
Location: Beverly Hills
Dish: Smoked Salmon Pizza ($41) featuring Keluga Caviar ($75 per ounce)
Order at: Ospero
This pricey pizza is a staple at West Hollywood’s Ospero, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant located inside the Pendry West Hollywood. It’s popular, it’s pink and it’ll cost you a pretty penny. Featuring dill creme, red onions and Keluga black caviar, this pizza is mighty tasty with hints of the ocean and an unmistakable umami flavor that might make this slice a core culinary memory. The pizza itself costs $41 but the addition of the caviar comes at a hefty $75 per ounce putting this single dish at over $100 for six slices. That’s one pricey pie.
Location: West Hollywood
