Valentine’s Day: a day every year full of tenderness, love, surprises and fine dining. All of these characteristics came true this year at the Fig & Olive. My sweet father made reservations for a lovely dinner for my roommate and me. Little did I know that when we arrived, my family would be seated at the table, waiting for our arrival, making this day so very special.
After walking through the doors of this chic restaurant, the rich interior draws you in. It has an elegant and warm design with limestone stucco walls and fragrant rosemary and olive trees throughout the dimly lighted atmosphere. There is a long, white marble communal table and tasting bar that stretches across the room. It serves as an idyllic gathering place to eat meals with friends during the week. The main dining room is elegant with olive branches crafted in black wrought iron and lit with an abundant amount of candles. Diners can also view an open kitchen, which is illuminated by shelves of glowing olive oil 
bottles.
Executive Chef Pascal Lorange strives to serve the best olive oils, flavors and cuisine from the Mediterranean regions of the South of France, Italy and Spain. His menu is created around carefully selected ingredients with exceptional tastes. Lorange began his career at a young age working alongside three-star Michelin Chef Georges Blanc in Vonnas, France. He continued to hone his craft around the world and is now serving as the mastermind behind Fig & Olive on Melrose.
Fig & Olive offered a wonderful set menu for Valentine’s Day. The items my family, friend and I tasted included the Veal Carpaccio, Butternut Squash Soup, Organic Seared Salmon and a dessert trio of Melting Valrhona Chocolate Heart cake with ice cream and a Honey Lavender Madeleine. The Veal Carpaccio was sliced ever so thin and paired with a spicy mustard sauce. What a fabulous way to eat meat instead of being served as a thick 12-oz cut. The velvety spoonfuls of the butternut squash soup offered rustically pureed vegetables with fresh sage and an olive oil drizzle. However, the stand out dish that will keep me coming back to the Fig & Olive is the Organic Seared Salmon. It is topped with a delicate honey and red bell pepper sauce that you will want to consume by the bowlful. It is served on top of perfectly steamed asparagus, roasted heirloom potatoes and buttery celery root puree. The taste of the puree rivals any 
calorie packed mashed potato I have ever tasted. The evening ended with a fabulous assortment of sweets. The Chocolate Heart Cake is a decadent dessert for chocolate lovers. As soon as you cut into the cake with your fork, the warm moist center opens up and the heavenly aroma awakens your taste buds with each bite. The sweet ice cream pairs nicely with the dark chocolate providing an a la mode experience with complimentary flavors. Lastly, the lavender Madeleine offered a lighter clean flavor that contrasted the richness of the chocolate cake. C’est magnifique!
It is easy to see why Fig & Olive is such a hot spot from the East to West coast. Being in the heart of Beverly Hills, it has a wonderful style and offers a unique tasteful dining experience. Go and make your reservations for Valentine’s Day 2013 at Fig & Olive. Your loved one will be delighted.
