A Glance At Michael Mina's Lower Profile
Here's a little tidbit from LA: Apparently our very own Michael Mina has been hard at work (what else is new?) opening restaurants all over the place. Much has been made of his new steakhouse, Bourbon Steak, in Washington, D.C., but you may or may not have known that he has another, more low-key project, XIV, which opened October in West Hollywood.
Today, the Los Angeles Times gives us a glance of this southern outpost of the Mina empire. It seems rather intriguing, as we know of no other Mina restaurant where you can get out the door for so few dollars (except maybe Clock Bar, but with, what, two menu items, it doesn't really count). We were attracted to the straightforward pricing at XIV. The Times breaks it down:
Most dishes $8 each; chef selections: eight-course "light meal," $55; 11-course "something more," $75; 14-course "fourteen from XIV," $95; 35-course "the gamut," $250 per person.Compare this to the equivalent of $360 we dropped (in the form of a friend's gift certificate) for the three-course prix-fixe dinner for two at Mina's flagship location, including one cocktail and one glass of wine each, and this "social dining" restaurant starts seeming like a downright bargain for Mina grub. Now, is that an ok perspective to have? That's a question for a different blog post.
Michael Mina [Official Site]
Bourbon Steak [MenuPages]
Bourbon Steak [Official Site]
Dining details: XIV restaurant in West Hollywood [LA Times]
XIV [Official Site]
[Photos: Courtesy of XIV]
