Elite Tasting: The Whisper Lounge

This review is long overdue. I’m going to talk about my experience for the Elite Tasting event that they had. I mean, everyone has pretty much said everything I was thinking. The food was amazing, drinks overflowing. Meeting new people is always awesome. They managed to spoil us with nonstop food, my favorite being the crab risotto with corn. SO GOOD. I wanted to lick the plate clean. Garlic fries with different aiolis were hot and crisp and oh so delicious. Ribs that weren’t even on the original menu was served, and they MELTED in your mouth. Same goes for the off the menu sliders.
Cocktail and wines were unlimited. The servers were so kind to everyone. The chef came out to greet us and by then he looked like a rock star to us. We even took pictures with him and got his autograph on the menu.
I can’t thank Katie B and the good people of Unilocal and Whisper Lounge enough for my first and probably best tasting experience. THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU

I had the honor of attending an elite event here where the fall menu was revealed. I had the chance to taste a total of 17 items.
1.Mushroom & Truffle Flatbread. The goat cheese won me over on this one.
2. Tuna Tartare. Boy oh boy, I had to go home and brag to my mom about this one. Loved it and couldn’t get enough!
3. Potato «Bomba». This wasn’t my favorite item.
4. Pork Ribs. So tasty and they fall off the bone.
5. Calamari. Could eat this all day. Was the perfect mix of fried goodness and calamari.
6. Kale and Apple Salad. I’ve never known what to do with kale, so this was great to try.
7. Buratta & Heirloom Beets. Probably my least favorite dish, simply beacuse I don’t like beets.
8. Kobe beef sliders. Dang, this was good! I’ve recently discovered the wonder that calls itself «sliders». So juicy that I totally would have ate more, before I realized we were only half way done!
9. Risotto. Wow wow wow. Crab, corn and pancetta? Can you say explosion in yo mouth! Luckily, I was able to help myself to a second serving. Definitely worth trying!
10. Scallops. Scallops, my love, oh how good you are.
11.Short Ribs. Ribs, meat, food, what’s not to love!!!
12. Lamb Sliders. More sliders! I’m not a huge fan of lamb, but I still had to try it, and go home bragging to my boyfriend about all the awesome food I had.
13. Chicken. Tasted really good, but if I come back here, I’d go for something more exciting.
14. Dark Chocolate Brownie. Wow so much chocolate-​y goodness in my mouth.
15. Bread Pudding. It was ok, I’m not a fan of bread pudding, or pudding, so my opinion isn’t the best.
16. Apple Pies. Oh man I don’t even remember how this tasted!
17. Panna Cotta. First time trying it!
And our glasses were always full with either a vodka blueberry drink (my choice!) or a pink martini, that I believe had gin.
The ambiance in the Whisper Lounge is great for dates and birthday celebrations, and it’s not too big inside. Great place!

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! Why have I resisted on going to a Unilocal elite, heck, a Unilocal event for so long?
I’ve been told that this event was a fluke, and now I’ve been ruined for life?
What more can I say about this event that other Eliters (Is that what we are? Eliters? Because Elitist sounds horrible because we are not better that you. We just have an extra part-​time job, known as Unilocalers that have to review everything + post pictures) Anyways, I digress. But seriously, what more can I add about this event.
Food — totally delicious! My favorites were the sneaky «surprise» add-​ons to the 15 (YES, FIFTEEN course tasting), plus two — making it 17 course tastings.
Mushroom & Truffle Flatbread — holy motherload of goodness!!! Goat cheese + the other cheese = heavenly. Plus the add-​on of truffle. I wonder if one can just gorge on that all night?
Tuna Tartare — mmmm. The tuna was fresh + just portioned to be bite sized
Potato «Bomba» — very similar to Porto’s Potato ball, but with Lamb
Surprise one — Pork Ribs. Holy hell. These were fall off the bone tender and seasoned to perfection. I drooled a bit writing about them.
Calamari — mmm. loved the lime + chili/​garlic sauce. It’s one of the better fried calamari I’ve had in a long time.
Kale and Apple Salad — mmm. Did I mention that I haven’t met I food I didn’t like? Yup. The apple suited the kale perfectly. It was light, refreshing, perfect in-​between the beginning appetizers and the upcoming main course.
Buratta & Heirloom Beets — This dish totally confirmed how much I loved beets, especially if its done correctly.
Surprise #2 — Kobe beef sliders. mmm. Done to perfection. Medium Rare… gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah I want another one.
Risotto — If it was alone, I would have said meh. But when paired with Blue Crub, Chilies, Corn and Pancetta… I’ve died and gone to heaven with this dish. I had an extra helping of this — of course with the blessing of my table mates (who btw, I LOVED LOVED LOVED!!! I am so happy to have met all of you guys!!! and can’t wait to see you guys at the next event)
Scallops — they were tasty + scallops one of my favorite foods. Unfortunately, I think mine was a bit under done! (sorry Chef Jacquet). It was flavored and seasoned correctly, but I think it was taken off the heat just a little too early.
Short Ribs — HOLY MOTHER OF GOD (wait, did I mention, How I’ve never met a food I didn’t like???) But yes, this dish was amazing. LIKE Everything else that was on the tasting menu!
Lamb Sliders — a little to game-​y for me. I’m not the biggest lamb fan (SORRY)… feel free to send me hate mail. :(
Chicken — I was waaaaaaaaaaaaay too stuffed for this, but I had a small bite, and it was tender, seasoned well — to perfection. Wished I had room for this. but had to save room for dessert.
and on to dessert —
Dark Chocolate Brownie — ok, I don’t like chocolate desserts too much. This was really, really, really (did I mention, really?) rich. One bite was good enough
Bread Pudding — I’ve had better (Scoma’s in San Fran), but it was pretty nummy!
Apple Hand Pies — why our wait staff said it was peach, was besides me. It was our own little apple pies. mmmm. Delish.
Panna Cotta — just the way I like it, pudding-​y (? is that a word? I really need to stop sprinkling on mandisms along Unilocal) hehe: D
stuffed is besides the point. Did anyone mention a bar was included? A gin — based martini. (YUMSKI). A vodka drink — almost a twist on a screwdriver. I couldn’t help myself, but had more than one drink. teehee. shhhhh!!! :)
Yes, Katie B is the Hostess with the mostest!
Yes, I am a first time Unilocal Elite event attendee — I wrote my first name only, and not my Unilocal name «Mandi T». LOL. Glib. I know better now.
Woohoo, on the Unilocal goodies — mints and playing cards. I know, I’m new! But new no more.
I can’t wait to attend another event. I shall return to the Whisper Lounge — heard their happy hour is awesomeness!

I give 5 stars for Katie B, another great job of representing LA East, always friendly, always finding new and interesting places for events and creating remarkable evenings.
In «The Grove» on the West Side, I attended the Elite Tasting at «The Whisper Lounge» and I was impressed from the start. When I came near the entrance I could not tell if it was a comfy speak easy or a dressy and fancy lounge. The Whisper Lounge is a very cozy, dim lighting, wood décor and in the renowned Grove. This is a great place to relax and find some unique dining, then walk around the shops in the Grove with the scene and night scene lighting.
While I may say skip the French fries and the truffle, I would not skip anything else. With a generous sampling of Mushroom & Truffle Flatbread, Tuta Tartare, Potato Bomba, Calamari, Kale & Apple Salad, Buratta and Heirloom Beets, Risotto, Hand Harvested, Diver Scallops, Braised Boulder Valley Short Ribs, Roasted Jidori Half Chicken, Australian Lamb Sliders, Hot Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding, Buttermilk Panna Cotta, Dark Chocolate Brownie and Cinnamon-​Apple Hand Pies.
The Short ribs could easily slide off your fork and needed no additional seasoning. The Roasted Jidori Chicken was also soft, savory and a flavor that lasted. We had beef and lamb sliders and I believe the lamb sliders left a nice aftertaste reminiscent of the flavor of an Afghanistan lamb dinner. The bread pudding had the taste and texture of a freshly made and high end Blondie right out of the oven. The Apple Pies were warm, crunchy and soft crust, sweet delicious apple flavor (any fellow Mexicans who have had parents make these), yep, they tasted that good.
This American New fare had a diverse blend of flavors which you may experience in a variety of different cultures. The scene was cozy, warm with option for outdoor dining. The Chef was friendly and welcoming of our feedback. To the Unilocaler looking for new places, The Whisper Lounge is quite the angelic find.
Song parody of Monica’s 1998 song «Angel Of Mine»
When I first show up I already knew
Something exquisite inside of you
A cozy place and great Unilocal East Side find
Angel of mine
Truffle flatbread, with solid cheese
Wonderful dining, which all was for free
Potato Bomba, smooth braised lamb so fine
Angel of mine
Tuna Tartare, wonton, vinegrette albacore
Calamari, lime, fried, chili-​garlic flow
Kale & Apple salad with raisin/​walnut love
Buratta and Heriloom, sent from above
Katie B events are always a good time
Angel of mine
Risotto and scallops, Unilocalers gladly share
Soft braised short ribs no other west side place could compare
Chicken and sliders which are still on my mind
Angel of mine
What bread pudding means to me Unilocalers will know
Panna Cotta, I need some more
Dark Chocolate Brownie was sent from above
The warm soft Apple pies, get so much Unilocal luv
I’m even checking for this water and wine
Angel of Mine
A place so cozy so feel each moment
As if it was new
Every bite that we take, the Unilocal luv they bake
I share it with Unilocal universe ooh ooh ooh
When I first saw you I already knew
Classy and elegant inside of you
Thankful to Unilocal for this amazing find
Angel of mine
I’m thankful for this find send from up above
For such unique food you get lot’s of Unilocal luv
A cozy place and great Unilocal East Side find
Angel of mine
How you impressed me you’ll never know
Such different chow, my palette grows
I think of you cooking for me
Now I know why they say RSVP LA East
I’m headed back to Whisper Lounge time after time
Angel of mine

Food? Check!
Drinks? Check!
Unilocal Swag? Check!
Lots of newbies: Check!
Lots of the older Unilocalers: Check!
The great necessities for a great event!
FOOD:
I missed the cocktail reception food:
Mushroom & Truffle flatbread, tuna tartae, potato «bomba»
Calamrai — crispy fried, sweet chili-​garlic sauce. grilled lemon — yummy
Kale and Apple Salad — golden raisins, walnuts, blue cheese and pomegranate vinaigrette — really crisp. I love kale. the pomegranate was good.
Buratta and Heirloom beets — wild arugula, sherry vinegar, toasted brioche — Good stuff.
Surprise Dish: Pork Spareribs & Slaw — OMG. This was SO good. You MUST order this. This is SOO good.
Risotto — blue crab, fresno chilis, roasted corn, pancetta — this was yummy. The crab part was the best of course. I ate so much of it.
Hand Harvested Diver Scallops — butternut squash and banana purée, quinao, bacon-​chive vinaigrette — I wasn’t a huge fan but the bacon was good!
Braised Boulder Valley Short Ribs — whipped potatoes, roasted root vegetables, picked onion, horseradish — I don’t eat beef.
Roasted jidori half chicken — potatowa Anna, swiss chard, sage, sweet garlic-​mushroom jus — Kinda dry… but not bad
Australian lamb sliders — I don’t eat lamb
Beef sliders — I don’t eat beef
«Hot chocolate» croissant bread pudding — toasted marshmallow ice cream, Jameson caramel sauce — This was pretty good. A little too sweet for my liking.
Buttermilk Panna Cotta — strawberry compote, shortbread cookies, pistachio — small but it was good. It’s hard to share.
Dark Chocolate Brownie — malt chocolate Stout mousse, salty pretzel, white chocolate powder — I’m not a chocolate lover but this was really rich and yummy.
Cinnamon Apple hand pies — cheesecake ice cream, butterscotch — this was SO good. My favorite.
DRINKS:
They offered unlimited wine and cocktails — red, white, gin martini and vodka pomegranate/​blueberry drink
The vodka pomegranate/​blueberry drink was SO good. Recommend!!!
SERVICE:
Excellent service! They were attentive and a lot of people!
CHEF:
Executive Chef — Anthony Jacquet
Sous Chef = Shao Tam
We got to meet the chef! He was so humble and gracious with us. Very young too. A young chef! Very nice and I took a photo with him! :D
AMBIANCE:
Very sleek. This place looks high end especially being in The Grove. It has a loungy feeling. Very Bond.
AREA:
This does not have a huge sign. So it’s hard to find. It’s a dark place on the outside.
PARKING:
You can park in their self parking or the valet. Valet is $ 7 and the self parking has validation for the first two hours.
OVERALL: It was a great meal. I was SO full and it felt so good!!! I left smiling!
THANK YOUS:
Thank you Katie B for this experience! I discovered more in The Grove — which I basically always go to the usual places at the Grove. :D
Thank you The Whisper Lounge for having us there and for the opportunity to try the Fall menu! Thank you!
SHOUT OUTS:
Nancy M, Sue B, Amber B, Rachel A, Erika M, Grace C, John A, John H, Lainey C, Andrea V, Erin V, Carly P, Tati R, Yvette T, Janelle B, Schel H, Mandi, Pauline T, Vince V, and many more!
Shoutout to photographer Jane!

I’m so full just thinking about what I ate at last week’s event! I just happened to be in town visiting my family in LA when I saw there was a tasting event at The Grove! My first LA YEE tasting! YAY! Thanks Katie B. for getting me into this lovely event! It was truly an honor to meet all the wonderful LA Unilocalers!
Elites only section in The Whisper Lounge. Printed menus on each plate at our tables. Cocktails and wine, and endless dishes being served. A very intimate Elite tasting with about 35 – 40 Unilocalers. Full tasting of every item on their new Fall menu! This was a totally unexpected and very generous tasting that the restaurant provided! We all definitely agreed that The Whisper Lounge went above and beyond that evening from printed menus to Chef Anthony coming out and talking to us about their new menu (I got him to sign my menu, too!). The tasting was more like a grand feast!
I don’t want to shock your stomach, but this is what we had…
— Tuna Tartare
— Mushroom & Truffle Flatbread
— Truffle Fries
— Potato «Bomba»
— Calamari
— Kale and Apple Salad
— Burrata and Heirloom Beets (two of my favs together!)
— Risotto blue crab, pancetta, and corn
— Hand Harvested Diver Scallops (SO BIG!)
— Braised Boulder Valley Short Ribs
— Roasted Jidori Half Chicken
— Beef Burger Sliders
— Australian Lamb Sliders (award winning burger)
— Babyback ribs (so tender! not listed on our menu)
— ‘Hot Chocolate’ Croissant Bread Pudding
— Buttermilk Panna Cotta
— Dark Chocolate Brownie
— Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies
Thank you to Katie B., Jane S. (photographer), The Whisper Lounge and the amazing staff for an amazing and delicious evening! We really felt like pampered elites at this intimate event!
Hellos to all my new LA Unilocalers! Tony Y. Jr., Bong E., James S., Sharon P., Jenelle B., Boyoung K., and Jen K.
Miss YEE’s nth YEE and counting for 2012! :D

A week later, I’m still STUFFED from the 14 courses (FOURTEEN!) course spectacle that a few lucky Unilocal Elite were lucky enough to experience. That’s right. 14 courses of food plus 4 desserts.
Highlights from the Whisper Lounge’s fall menu:
Potato Bomba: Similar to Porto’s potato balls, but with a lamb filling.
Pork Ribs: With a flick, the meat just fell off the bones. Flavorful and tender. Simply amazing.
Braised Boulder Valley Short Ribs: As juicy as it gets. Melts in your mouth.
The atmosphere is also very cozy and secluded. Cute for date night.
Thanks, Katie B and the rest of my table for squeezing me in!

I literally ate until I went comatose…
The Whisper Lounge must of known it was my cheat day for the week but the amount of food put me back in calories for a whole month!!! But it was well worth it. I left 1000% satisfied. I loved the ambience of the lounge and can see myself coming back!
The fall menu will truly be spectacular as I can honestly say each dish was spectacular. And the wait staff. OMG they were extremely attentive and friendly. I dnt think my wine glass was ever empty.
This has changed my definition of a tasting because this was truly king-​like. Much worth the wait ^_​^
Thanks a billion Katie for putting on a fabulous list of tasting. WORTH EVERY STAR plus a high-​five :D

Psss… shhh…somehow, I need to whisper this review. Recently, I revisited The Whisper Restaurant and Lounge for a Unilocal Elite Tasting and, it was nothing less than fantastic. This small and intimate restaurant invited us Unilocalers with open arms, provided some thrilling culinary creations and, surprisingly, validated our parking! I think I’m getting excited, so I have to remember to «whisper» in this review, but it’s hard to «whisper» about something so good.
Being that this restaurant is small and intimate, we weren’t allowed to bring a guest, but for the first-​timers at this restaurant, I’m sure they’ll be back. The Whisper knows how to allure in its diners and cater to them with their gracious staff, and provide memorable drink and food concoctions, all the while being serenaded with a dimmed, yet soothing ambiance. Not once, not twice, but we were visited several times by the renowned Executive Chef, Anthony Jacquet. Mr. Jacquet was friendly, professional, and obviously has personal interest about the concerns of his diners. That’s a quality you don’t find in most restaurants. As for the food, we were served everything from Tuna Tartare and Risotto, to Short Ribs and Jidori Chicken. Never before have I had a short rib so tender and succulent. Oh, I had to return to the restaurant for their amazing Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding. I’ll just say I’d pay upwards of $ 20 for one serving of this bread pudding.
All in all, we all enjoyed a fantastic occasion at The Whisper Restaurant and Lounge. I have to extend a special thanks to our Unilocal Community Manager, Katie B., for her part in helping to arrange this fine occasion. Without a doubt, I’ll be back to The Whisper for more good food and that amazing bread pudding. If you go, please be on your best behavior and remember to «whisper», during your dining experience. Psss… shhh…

I came here to celebrate my anniversary, and couldn’t have imagined a better way to spend it.
This was my first «tasting» event, so I didn’t really know what to expect, I sure didn’t expect to be spoiled rotten with delicious hand crafted drinks, and tons of food.
We got to taste things we’ve never had before, and items that we can’t wait to try again.
The table we shared was super friendly, outgoing, and made the night a blast.
Thank you Katie B and Whisper Lounge staff for making it a night to remember. We can’t wait to return!

I feel beyond spoiled from this night. The Whisper Lounge served us some of the best mushroom truffle flatbread, tuna tartare, calamari, sliders, ribs, scallops, and apple pies I ever had. Thank you Katie B. and thank you The Whisper Lounge. My first Unilocal elite event was amazing and went way above what I had expected.
The food is sort of a bonus to everything the night has offered. Great service. Great atmosphere. And definitely great company. Surrounded with foodies like myself, it was such a joy to feel and share the excitement around me as each dish was served. Everyone had their fancy cameras and cellphones ready to snap the perfect shot of the beautiful plates as soon as they landed on our table.
I stopped counting how many dishes we were eating after the 10^th or so. It was so much and sooo-​o satisfying. The highlights of the night for me are definitely the surprise babyback ribs, the juicy big diver scallops and the scrumptious apple pies. I will definitely order those when I come back!

Katie B. you did it again! When she told me that the night would be amazing she was not lying. The night was amazing! It was more than I could have wished for on my first Unilocal Elite Event. Granted, I do not frequent much extravagant places, so being able to attend The Whisper Lounge under their great services, I was indeed humble. Thank you so much Katie B., The Whisper Lounge, and all the people I have met to make the night a splendid one.
The night started out with «What would you have to drink? We have…» All of the above please! The first gift of the night: Great drinks. Gin and blackberry: delicious and strong to my liking. Vodka and blueberry: sweet and mellow. White wine: complementary of the foods about to be served.
The next gifts: food! Each of the foods sampled were amazing and out of my ordinary. Tartare, lamb sliders, ribs, risotto, and then some!
The last gifts: taste-​buds blowing dessert! I am usually not much of a fan of dessert, but melt-​in-​your-​mouth down to your stomach chocolate brownie, panna cotta, and apple pie made me a believer that night! Would my sweet buds ever taste the same sweets again?
I was a spoiled foodie for the night and my stomach is beating me up for more!

First off, Thank you Katie and The Whisper Lounge for such an wonderful night! I didn’t think the night was going to be THIS GOOD! I was running late and got there an hour after the event started, but luckily I didn’t miss too much of the food!
I still can’t believe they served us all the menu items AND some extras! I mean, I think everyone was STUFFED and happy. Also, they kept the drinks coming and wasn’t being stingy at all. I REALLY liked the white wine for the night… It was very light and refreshing.
Now for the food. I know that we got to sample their fall menu and I have to say, for a mall place, it’s pretty darn good! Some notables:
The BONUS short ribs… Those were so tender and fully seasoned! The cabbage also accompanied it well by adding the acidity so it wasn’t too heavy. I would def order this dish as a regular customer!
Kale salad… so refreshing and light, but flavorful… a MUST have for veggie lovers!
Crab risotto. I love seafood. There were actual pieces of crab… yes, it smelled very seafood-​y, but hey, I loved it!
The beef sliders. I always love sliders and burgers and these were so juicy! Mmmmm
And although I don’t really like dessert… Their apple pie with ice cream was SOOOOO GOOD. It wasn’t overly sweet and hey, I always love ice cream!
I’m glad they gave us validation for parking and I felt like they really treated us like VIPs. Thank you Whisper Lounge, I will def be back!

I’m actually glad I didn’t RSVP to the earlier events in the Elite Tasting series (though I’m sure they were all great), because this Unilocal event was spectacular! I knew the event was going to be good, but I had no idea I’d be in for such a treat.
We basically sampled 18 different items from this restaurant. I managed to arrive on time, and was immediately served a glass of Sangiovese (which the waiters happily refilled without my asking). As more people started arriving, they began bringing out the food (served family style) for the Cocktail Reception, which included the Tuna Tartare, Potato «Bomba», and Mushroom & Truffle Flatbread. The tuna was fresh and tasty, the potato was crispy, and the flatbread was delicious (I pretty much like everything with truffle oil).
The waiters also brought out some fries with 3 dipping sauces, which wasn’t on the Unilocal dinner menu. Everyone at my table agreed that the garlic sauce was the best.
For the Starters, we were served Calamari, Kale & Apple Salad, and Burrata & Heirloom Beets. The calamari was crispy and had a lot more flavor than the calamari I get at other restaurants. The burrata was creamy and the dish was plated beautifully.
Before the Main courses came out, the chef sent out a surprise dish – ribs! They were so tender and delicious. Another surprise dish we received later on was the Kobe Beef Sliders. I know it wasn’t real Kobe beef, but it was still good.
The Risotto, Braised Boulder Valley Short Ribs, Australian Lamb Sliders, Hand Harvested Diver Scallops, and Roasted Jidori Half Chicken came out one after the other. The blue crab and pancetta added good texture and flavors to the creamy risotto. I’m normally not big on lamb, but the lamb slider was tasty with the brie and cranberry compote – I can see why it won an award. The scallop was huge and tender, and the butternut squash & banana purée complemented it well.
All four desserts (Cinnamon-​Apple Hand Pie, Dark Chocolate Brownie, «Hot Chocolate» Croissant Bread Pudding, and Buttermilk Panna Cotta) were delicious, but I particularly liked the cinnamon-​apple dessert and the bread pudding. The hand pie was buttery and crispy with a delicious cinnamon-​apple filling. The cheesecake ice cream that was served alongside it was just as delicious. The bread pudding was sweet and moist – one of the best bread puddings I’ve had!
This was a really outstanding tasting menu. Thank you Chef Jacquet and The Whisper Lounge for one of the best dinners I’ve had! The food was delectable and the service was superb. On top of that, we got free parking at The Grove.
Many thanks to Katie B. for organizing such an outstanding event!

Thank you Katie B., Unilocal,and the Whisper Lounge for a fab Unilocal elite event! Definitely one of the best. I was ridiculously full for 3 hours after getting home, kinda like after I come back from AYCE korean bbq but without smelling like meat. This shall be the longest review I have ever written.
We were invited to sample the new fall menu and provide feedback. I dont go to the Grove too often but now that I know it is here (and that they validate!) I will try to stop by next time. The happy hour sounds pretty good too!
Also, this was my first no +1 event, and it was great to meet everyone at our table! Ladies plus the Johns haha. The service here was spot on. Everyone was friendly and attentive to make sure everyone had drinks a plenty. The vodka cocktail I had (the fountain?) was good — sweeter than I expected, but with fresh blueberries and surprisingly strong for a cocktail! I also liked the white wine and I sampled the gin cocktail. It was pretty refreshing — tasted of grapefruit. I would have loved to drink more but alas, I was driving.
1. potato «bomba» — nicely fried and filled with mashed potato and lamb picadillo. I’m a huge fan of Porto’s potato balls and this reminded me of that.
2. mushroom and truffle flatbread– this was awesome. a little hard to eat cause it was so loaded with delicious goat cheese and mushrooms. Definitely a table favorite
3. pork ribs –bonus dish (to replace the tartare?) — My first bite was a little dry but the rest of it was super tender. People kept commenting on how it was falling off the bone.
4. fries — another bonus: other than the bbq sauce i wasnt positive what the other sauces were. I was sitting farther so it was hard to reach. One tasted a little like tarter sauce. The fries were nicely fried — perfectly crispy
5. fried calamari– so everyone at the table was raving about this. I dont love fried calamari in general and the sauce made it a little soggy (or maybe we squeezed too much lime?) but clearly everyone else loved it
6. buratta and beet salad — i love brratta and beets so clearly this was great
7. kale and apple salad — simple and tasty, cant go wrong with kale salad
8. risotto with blue crab — nice and creamy, and i liked the fresh corn. Large chunks of crab
9. kobe beef sliders –bonus dish– these were good, although the beef could have been more seasoned
10. lamb sliders — these were great, the lamb, brie, and cranberry went really well together. their signature burger.
11. diver scallops — huge scallops, perfectly cooked. this was one of my faves, but I adore scallops
12. short ribs — i wish i was able to sample more of this as it was really tasty. The short ribs were tender and the whipped potatoes were delicious
13. jidori chicken — ok I almost never order chicken but this was really juicy and the skin was nice and crispy. From what it sounds like, everyone who had the dark meat said it was juicy and those who had white meat found it dry. This is why i always go for dark meat! The potatoes Anna were awesome — crispy on the outside and creamy inside.
Dessert: note im not a huge dessert person and i was completely stuffed at this point!
14. apple pie– this was good but apple pie doesnt really interest me, it had a lot of the «crust». The ice cream was nice and creamy
15. bread pudding –this was delicious. I love bread pudding and this one was really tasty. The toasted marshmallow ice cream went so well with it too
16. buttermilk panna cotta — this was surprisingly tart, which I didnt expect. Kinda like pinkberry flavor. The strawberry compote on top had a jello-​like consistency. I dont usually like tart flavors so I just had a bite.
17. dark chocolate brownie — wow this was intense. it was quite good but i could only have a bite, because I cant eat super chocolatey desserts anymore. the white chocolate powder was interesting.
Overall this was quite a feast! Kudos to Chef Jacquet. I cant believe how much food they prepared. Its so sweet how many bonus dishes they added cause they were worried we wouldnt have enough food. I love how their ingredients are fresh and seasonal. I only nitpicked cause we were told the chef wanted feedback on the new menu, it was an amazing meal. Thanks again for the awesome event!

Katie B, as always, great event. Lovely evening, worth the over 1 hour drive for me to get to the event.
The fall menu… wow.
First off — they gave us a menu of everything we would be tasting that night, but they did a little switch between the tuna tartare and some pork ribs. At first it looked like maybe it was going to be a prix fixe dinner, but no — everything on the list was coming out for us to share. Wow is all i can say.
To start — drinks. There was a gin pomegranate drink in a martini glass, an a vodka drink that was yellow in color. There was also a red and a white wine. And for us non alcohol drinkers, we could get any soda or ice tea, no questions asked. Our server was super nice.
With the «cocktail reception» They gave us Mushroom & Truffle flatbread — not too bad. Our table never saw the tuna tartare, so I don’t know if we didn’t get one or everyone didn’t get one. But fries came out with some dipping sauces. There was also a bonus appetizer of pork ribs that came out. Also there was the potato «bomba» which had lamb and some cheese in it. basically it was like a croquet.
As for our «starters» we sampled fried calamari, a kale and apple salad and buratta and heirloom beets salad.
The «main» courses were fabulous. Risotto with blue crab was awesome. had roasted corn that was just the perfect crunch needed. Diver scallops looks amazing. I don’t eat seafood so i passed, but they looked to be cooked to perfection. everyone raved about it. The braised short ribs were super tender. I have to say though, I don’t feel as for something that was braised, the flavors really penetrated the meat. It was tender, but lacked flavor, especially being that it was braised. The Jidori Chicken was dry. Apparently those that had the dark meat pieces were happy because it was moist, but i had white meat and it was rather dry. The seasoning on the outside was fabulous though. I know it can be hard to cook dark and white meats to perfection at the same time and that seems to be what happened here. We got a surprised add of Kobe beef sliders. I thought they were juicy and tasted good. Then the lamb sliders came out — which was an award winning burger. That was so good, even better than the beef sliders.
OH DESSERT!!! everything that came out was so GOOD.
The hot chocolate croissant bread pudding with a toasted marshmallow ice cream and a Jameson caramel sauce. Seriously — do I even need to go on with that one?
Buttermilk Panna Cotta — sorry folks, I can never do panna cotta, i just see flan or jello and can’t do either of those. But those that did have some went back for a second spoon full.
Dark Chocolate Brownie — OH. So decadent. especially the bottom chocolate brownie part — the top was more of a mousse.
and then finally the cinnamon-​apple hand pies. this name does no justice because you first think of those hostess pies that you buy 2 for a dollar at the grocery store. These were that time 1000. so good. But If i had to go back for a dessert, I’d have to take the bread pudding hands down. I’m sure it’s like 3000 calories a serving but i don’t care.
Overall, great restaurant and I’m happy that they did this for us. Thank you Whisper Lounge, thank you the exec chef Anthony Jacquet and thank you to the GM who’s name I can’t remember. Everyone was so great to us and super nice.
and gave us free parking and/​or valet to boot. Awesome event. One to remember.

You had me at intimate.
However, intimate is definitely not the word I would use to describe this fantastic tasting I was able to attend thanks to Unilocal and The Whisper Lounge.
There’s no single word that I could use to describe the feeling I had when I looked over the menu and thought …
«We really get to try ev-​errr-​ehh-​thang on the menu?!»
Chef Anthony Jacquet and The Whisper Lounge staff took care of us like no other. If they really want to know how they did, they can just continue to read the almost certain 5 star reviews coming your way.
When I told one of my friends that I was coming to The Whisper Lounge for dinner, they responded with «I didn’t even know they served food»
Well to clear things up, they serve up some mighty fine fare. I’d definitely come back on my own and bring friends along to experience the whole ambience and fine dining that’s sure to be standard on any given night.
If you want to know about what we ate, take a look a the pics or read other reviews but for my review I’ll leave you with something you definitely won’t hear at The Whisper Lounge …
Thanks again Katie!

As I was busily picking myself up off of the floor, I couldnt believe how awesome this «intimate» event was. Without a shadow of a doubt this was my most favorite Unilocal event to date. Fabulous!
I arrived a little bit late but ready for a regular intimate tasting opportunity. What we ended up with, was so much more than could ever be imagined ahead of time. WOW.
PRO TIP #1: The Valet for this restaurant is comped and is located in the parking structure adjacent to the restaurant.
When I was seated, there was a menu in front of me and it looked like we would be picking one of each item to try as a meal. Little did we know what was about to happen to our taste buds, stomachs, and how it would affect us. Well we were plied with food and drink in ways we were all ill prepared for and Katie didn’t even know what to expect at first.
For drinks they offered 1 of 4 options: A red wine, A white wine, a Gin martini, and a Vodka pomegranate/​blueberry drink. Well being I don’t drink grape juice and find gin to be appalling, I went for the wodka! Absolutely delicious. I think I had 3 of them, but truth be told, I am not sure if I had a 4^th or not.
PRO TIP #2: This is a classy joint so don’t cruise in here straight from the gym. Put on a shirt with a collar and something other than white sneakers gentlemen. Ladies please put on a dress or skirt and blouse that are not what you would wear to class or on a «frumpy work day».
The grub! Appetizers were kinda typical. I did enjoy the lamb bomba as it was something new to me and somewhat enjoyable. The French fries were decadent beyond belief. I rarely eat them anymore and perhaps that helped to make these super succulent lil bites of fried loving.
SURPRISE DISH!!! OMG THIS WAS THE BEST THING OF THE NIGHT AND ONE OF THE THREE BEST RIBS I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE! I will be going back to get whatever the hell kind of ribs these were. The bark was super succulent flavorful and had a slight bbq sauce coating over it. The meat literally melted on my tongue and made love to my taste buds. No joking, I am serious! I just wish I knew the name of these babyback style ribs.
Starters were what you would expect out of this kind of a restaurant. My favorite was the garlicky hashbrown type thing that was in the beats with the ratatouille look. The flavor was dancing around my mouth and made me happy enough to forget that I had a couple of sucked dry ribs on my plate and that I really wanted more of those.
SURPRISE DISH #2!!! Kobe Sliders!!! Super tasty and while I am doubtful that these were true kobe beef from Japan, the meat was super succulent and extremely tender. I didn’t like the mayo or aioli sauce on the bun though.
The main courses that I had were all pretty good. There was the braised rib meat which was falling off of forks on the way to your plate. The mashed potatoes were whipped to an almost liquid state and were super delicious as well. The rotisserie ½ chicken remember me of most rotisserie chicken that I have eaten. The lamb sliders were prepared very very well. While I am not normally big on lamb these were pretty dayem tasty. I did not eat the scallops or risotto neither of which was as good per my table mates.
The deserts were all tasty that I had but I didn’t eat much of them. I would suggest the brownie for the chocolate lovers.
Overall this event was beyond a 10. It was a bottom of the 9^th homerun in the 7^th game of the World Series. I am wishing it wasn’t over yet as it was beyond tasty. It was also great to make some new friends and see some old friends. That always seems to make these events even better. It was especially true on this night.
I am looking forward to going back here sometime, wanna go with me?

This event really takes the cake! Well, not quite the cake, but the apple pie, brownie, panna cotta, and bread pudding!
The Whisper Lounge really did go beyond all expectations in providing an incredibly generous tasting menu, as well as some bonus dishes in addition to the already long menu list. We were lucky to be among the first to taste from the seasonal menu. Including the drink choices of the evening, there were more than 20 items to be tasted. Incredible!
Everyone else has done a great job of detailing all of the dishes, so there is no need for me to mention them all, especially since I was an observer rather than taster for most of the many, many (non-​vegetarian) items.
Everything I did try was delicious:
The mushroom and truffle flatbread was full of flavors and textures that provided a nice contrast. I can see myself coming back here for this dish.
The beet salad and kale salad both included a great combination of ingredients and flavors. It’s hard to judge a dish after just a bite, but these were both enjoyable and worth trying again while they are on the menu.
The desserts… oh, the desserts! With creative takes on traditional favorites, the desserts were a lovely way to end the evening. The brownie was so rich that I would choose a single bite of it over an entire slice of cake any day!
Thank you to The Whisper Lounge staff and to Katie for a one of a kind night!

Katie B, I am so glad I waited to see what was behind door #4, the final in a series of four Mid-​City restaurant menu tastings for Unilocal Elites. This «tasting» turned out to be an insane family-​style dinner with 18 offerings. Personally, this is what I liked (from most to least) in each of the three categories:
Wish I had that gin with muddled blackberries to sip on right about now…
Appetizers/​Starters:
* POTATO BOMBA — I saw these and wondered if they would come anywhere close to Porto’s legendary potato balls. Yes! Crunchy breading with braised lamb inside.
* TUNA TARTARE — Two of us split a full platter so it’s a little unbelievable we had room for much else. Albacore mixed with sesame and a citrus ginger vinaigrette.
* FRIES (SURPRISE) — Thin-​cut and piping hot. Came with three dipping sauces. Loved the BBQ!
* BURRATA AND HEIRLOOM BEETS — Beautifully presented. Yummy cold beets.
* KALE AND APPLE SALAD — This one was also a beautiful dish. Kale’s good for you. Eat it.
* CALAMARI — Nicely fried, but was saving myself at this point.
* MUSHROOM AND TRUFFLE FLATBREAD — N/​A. The only dish I did not sample.
Mains:
* RIBS (SURPRISE) — A subtly sweet glaze. The meat was super tender. What a fantastic addition.
* BEEF SLIDERS (SURPRISE) — Came medium rare and was the better of the two sliders (I guess I’m in the minority in saying that).
* HAND HARVESTED DIVER SCALLOPS — I. Love. Scallops.
* ROASTED JIDORI HALF CHICKEN — Juicy meat and especially liked the crispy skin.
* RISOTTO — Thought the crab would be overshadowed so I made sure to eat the crab separately.
* BRAISED BOULDER VALLEY SHORT RIBS — On the average side for me as far as short ribs are concerned. I’d go with any of the mains above before choosing this one.
* AUSTRALIAN LAMB SLIDERS — I know. You’re disappointed in me for not liking this one. I know it’s won an award, but maybe that’s for the full-​size version because this slider was super dry. I took a bite and stopped. All of us did on our side of the table.
Desserts:
* CINNAMON APPLE HAND PIES — Amazing crust and perfect amount of cinnamon.
* DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIE — Rich and dense and that malt chocolate stout mousse? Incredible.
* HOT CHOCOLATE CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING — Truthfully almost too close to call. Great bread pudding.
* BUTTERMILK PANNA COTTA — This one was the hardest one to share family-​style and I think that’s what did it in. We all had to dip our spoons into the same cup. No second helpings.
Okay what else? The service was fantastic and gracious. Thank you Chef Jacquet and the rest of the staff for hosting us! Best of luck with the new fall menu.
Fun times with regulars Erin V and Andrea V and newbies Michelle L and Lillian C, plus photographer Jane S (
). And BIG THANKS and BIG HUGS to Katie B!