San Laurel: Stunning Dinner, Disappointing Breakfast 🍽️✨

Staying at Conrad Los Angeles, one of my most anticipated experiences was dining at San Laurel. The chef behind it is the world-renowned Hispanic chef José Andrés—a multiple Michelin-starred restaurateur and frequent honoree on Time magazine’s list of the "100 Most Influential People." His cuisine focuses on a creative blend of Mediterranean and Spanish flavors. 🌿🇪🇸 🌆 The restaurant is located on the 10th floor, sharing the space with the hotel lobby, and offers a direct view of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. At sunset, you can enjoy a natural light show as the golden hour washes over the city. The ambiance is elegant and artsy—perfect for celebrations, dates, or treating yourself to a special dinner. 🌇🍷 🍽️ Dinner – Impressive with a Small Letdown Foggy Hill (Cocktail) A molecular mixology cocktail that’s as dramatic as it is delicious! The server first lets you inhale a scented fog of orange and thyme, then pours the “cloud” into your glass. ☁️🍊 The base is mezcal, but with Vermouth, Cynar, and Aperol, it perfectly balances the smokiness with herbal and citrus notes. Well-balanced and poetic—like sipping fog in a forest. As the ice melts, the flavors evolve. ✨ Highly recommend! Vermicelli "Mac N Cheese" Called “vermicelli,” but it’s actually fine pasta. Topped with crispy fried onions that taste like chips, rich but not heavy cheese, and smoky grilled mushrooms—so addictive! The portion is huge, almost a main course. 🧀🍝 Gambas The prawns were super fresh, zero fishy taste. The sauce had a tangy, ceviche-like kick with a hint of dried shrimp flavor. Paired with crispy potato slices—textural heaven! 🍤🥔 Duck Breast Served with sweet carrot purée, tender duck with juicy skin (not crispy but full of flavor, reminiscent of Nanjing roast duck). The crushed pistachios were a genius touch, and the fried carrot strips? Like gourmet sweet potato fries. 🦆🥕 Cheesecake The only letdown. Way too sweet, like Portuguese egg tart filling. I asked if I could switch to something less sweet, but the server said it was the least sweet dessert on the menu… 😅 Overall, one of the most satisfying meals of my California trip—just wish the service had been more flexible. 🍳 Breakfast – A Letdown Breakfast is served in the same restaurant. We tried two egg dishes from the “José’s Way” series, and both missed the mark: HUEVOS “EL CAMINO” An egg white omelet with caviar—bland and underwhelming. 🍳 OPEN-FACED OMELET Overpowered by salty chorizo XO sauce and heavy lard flavor, which drowned out the mushrooms and eggs. 🥓 The side potatoes were soft, not crispy. The only winner? The croissant—flaky, buttery, perfect. 🥐 Maybe skip the heavy egg dishes and try the Greek yogurt or sweet options instead. ✨ Final Take: Dinner at San Laurel is absolutely worth it—creative, flavorful, memorable. But dessert and breakfast? You can skip those. Have you tried a José Andrés restaurant? What’s your hit-or-miss fine dining experience? Share below! 👇🥂 #LosAngeles #DTLADining #MichelinEats #SpanishFood #FoodReview #LAFoodie #FineDining #ConradLA #JoséAndrés #SanLaurel #CaliforniaCuisine #FoodCritic