BG BEVERLY HILLS
SECRET WEEKEND RESTAURANT WOWS

Great dining and drinking destinations are often difficult to find but always worth the effort. A new weekend wonder for fine Italian fare is BG Beverly Hills—secretly located above Nerano. To find this heavenly hidden haunt, follow the bright-red neon COCKTAILS sign then slip up the covered staircase overlooking Nerano’s beautiful outdoor dining patio and finally head past the curtains and you’ll discover BG. Prepared to be impressed.

BG’s atmosphere is straight up old-school Italian with a modern flair; think retro chic, yet contemporary; inviting and lively, but still casual, intimate and excitedly bold. Pops of Ferrari-red warm the painted-black brick walls, barstools, chairs, and cozy loveseat adjacent to the BG bar along with a special art piece from L.A. artist, Brian Bress. Vintage silent movies play above the bar and original art delightfully sets the tone, anchored by a three-word sign that serves as a mantra and reminder for all, EMPATHY FOR EVERYONE.

Only open Fridays and Saturdays, the BG setting is simply sensational. It screams cool. During our recent visit we started with cocktails because that’s what you do in such a swank spot. A highly recommended libation is the fantastic Figaro—a lovely mix of Tanqueray Gin, fig, Campari, Punt e Mes, and fennel fronds. It’s a lovely start to any evening.

I wasn’t as big a fan of the In the Garden martini riff. A combination of olive oil washed Ketel One Vodka, Campari tomato infused Carpano Dry, basil, mozzarella, and black salt, it might be a better salad than cocktail. I prefer my martinis classic and stiff and not cutesy.

A sensational starter item is the Arancini al Telefono served with English peas, tomato sauce and parmigiano snow.  Consider this a must-have. These lovely Italian rice balls are stuffed and coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried and it’s plain to see why this is a staple of Sicilian cuisine.

I probably should have gone with the classic Iceberg Wedge for my salad choice but I always order a Caesar when available. And in this setting, I thought it was a no-brainer. The problem is no Caesar ever seems to measure up to the one at Dan Tana’s and I’m always left disappointed. The BG Caesar Salad with baby gem lettuce, croutons, Parmigiano Reggiano, Caesar dressing and anchovies for an addition charge was good but not great.

The pasta choices here are overwhelming and we opted for the fab Pappardelle Al Funghi prepared with pappardelle, wild Oregon mushroom, Rosemary, and parmesan. This is simply rich and wonderful comfort food. Other pasta options include spaghetti and meatballs (with Wagyu meatballs), Fettuccine Alfredo, and Rigatoni Alla Vodka.

For our entree, we opted for the Polla Alla Cacciatora—roasted half Jidori chicken, Cipollotti onions, tomato, olives, and Rosemary. This is a very tasty treat but just not on par with the Dan Tana’s Chicken Cacciatore, which is out-of-this-world great. I know, I shouldn’t compare restaurants but it’s hard not to when your expectations are so high. Other entrée options include Prime filet mignon, ribeye steak, chicken parmigiana, and pan roasted salmon so you really can’t go wrong.

Make sure to save room for dessert as the BG Sundae Fudge with vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate sauce, whipped cream, toasted peanuts, and Fabbri cherry is decadently delicious. This is how you end a meal. Other options include Tiramisù, sorbetto, and gelato. I highly recommend the sundae.

If you like liquid dessert as much as I do, you might also like the Violet Beauregarde to end the night. A mix of Frisco Immature Brandy, Crème de Violette, blueberry green tea syrup, lemon, egg white, and blueberry dust, it’s also a fine way to cap off a night out.

A Burlesque Dinner show occurs at 6pm and 7:30pm with limited seating.

BG Beverly Hills is located at 9960 S. Santa Monica. Open Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm to 10:30pm. Call (424) 332-0439.

Story By: Jose Martinez

Photography Courtesy Of: BG and Nerano