The Wilshire has white truffles.
photo: courtesy of Wilshire
It's back! The elusive white Alba truffle, generally available only between the end of October and early December (if we're lucky enough to have the season last that long), has returned to restaurant kitchens near you. Current economic woes notwithstanding, toques and gourmands the world over love this astronomically expensive fungus, and if you're looking to indulge, these restaurants are happy to oblige; N.B. prices may vary as the truffle market fluctuates.
Walt Disney Concert Hall, 141 S. Grand Ave.; 213-972-3331
From November 11th–13th, Joachim Splichal’s Downtown outpost will be hosting its annual White Truffle Dinner with dishes like sea scallop carpaccio with white truffles, risotto with white truffles,
black cod with white truffles, gnocchi with white truffles and a frisee
salad with, you guessed it, white truffles (five courses for $175 per person; an optional sixth cheese cart course costs an additional $10).
3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; 310-829-4313
From now until Thanksgiving (or later, availability permitting), Piero Selvaggio's iconic Italian is offering its annual "Festa dei Tartufi" in which the white gold is available in a number of three-course prix fixe meals ranging in price from $175–$400 per person. And if you happen to be in Las Vegas, the branch of Valentino at The Venetian is doing a six-course white truffle dinner for $350 per person.
2454 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; 310-586-1707
Beginning Tuesday, October 28th, and lasting until the truffle season ends, chef Andrew Kirschner will be offering a Truffle Tuesday four-course prix fixe. The menu varies each week, but often features a white truffle pizza and truffled chicken with porcini risotto (6–10 PM; $95 per person; $125 includes wine pairings).