Elite Tasting: Mirabelle Restaurant

This review has officially been deemed: fashionably late.
This was my first solo Elite event (second overall event, so still a newbie), but I had a great time. I was a bit hesitant to go since I still didn’t know many people, but hey, if i don’t have a plus one neither do they… I’m so glad I went! Had some amazing food while chatting with other amazing Elites. Everyone was so friggin nice it was almost questionable… Food was delicious. And boy, did they keep the drinks flowing :) If it wasn’t so hard to park at Mirabelle (I feel like I’m going to get rear ended every time I slow down at ALL on Sunset!), I’d have gone back by now. I definitely will revisit Mirabelle eventually; the atmosphere is like no other — quirky yet oddly inviting. I love that they have a private upstairs room and balcony. It seems like a great place for a [small] party or work event. I’m glad Unilocal held an event here; otherwise I don’t think I’d ever even have considered checking it out (fear of braking on Sunset blvd… I should seek counseling, I know).

Late review, but thanks Katie B. and the Unilocal crew for allowing me to partake in this elite tasting event.
Mirabelle has always been talked about as a fancy place to go so I was very happy to have been able to join in on the craze. The only thing I say is a miss is that the food was slow in making its way out. Don’t think Mirabelle is fit for a type of event like this. Free food gets snatched up quick!
I got to try most of the appetizers minus the shrimp and tomato soup, which I was kind of bummed out about. I wouldn’t have passed up on it when I first walked in had I known it would NEVER come out again. God, I should know not to pass up on free food at all, what am I even thinking?
The beet pesto crostini and baked brie was BOMB. The baked brie was absolutely amazing, genius idea. Big fan of that. Tried to sample everything as food stock was low, definitely still had to go grab dinner after this event.
Booze always taste better when it’s free. That was for sure when it came to the Chardonnay (not a big fan of wine). The Bees-​Knees wasn’t my cup of tea although I do like the idea of alcoholic lemonade, it was just way too strong for my liking and not enough lemony citrusy flavor.
Other than that, Elisa C. and I paraded around checking out the restaurant and fell in love with the décor. Dimly-​lit throughout the restaurants and has a very Victorian feel to it. Really small place though! Definitely a place you’d go to for a date or an intimate small gathering, nothing big.
Valet parking, an annoying $ 7.
But good event overall, thanks again Unilocal

This was a fun event. Complementary drinks and food. Compared to the amazing tasting events I have recently attended though, this one fell a bit short. Food selection was limited and I think the kitchen is not used to events like this because the food was replenished slowly. I’d estimate that each time food was brought out, it was only enough for maybe 20% of the group.
Food:
Short rib — a very modestly sized tasting sample. i did have to wait all night for a taste but I DID get one! Tasty. I’d have more.
Cheese set in a pie crust thing — i don’t know what this is called but i liked it.
Setting:
Pretty interesting set up. Dark. Fancy, mixed up seating arrangements. I like the chairs hanging from the ceiling near the stairs.
Service: friendly, attentive
Parking: Valet or in the public lot across the street. (the machine in the public lot is screwed up. after 6pm it’s supposed to be a flat rate of $ 5 but i don’t think they setting change until maybe 7 or 8… so you are stuck with the $ 2 per hour payment option

The night started out the right way with me scoring a metered parking spot a block away from Mirabelle. After $ 2.50 into the meter, I literally ran to the restaurant because I knew I was gonna get my fatty on. Sure enough, my instincts were right. There was a limited number of dishes on the food table, but I actually filled up rather quickly. Maybe it was all the air I swallowed from gabbing the night away with my good Elite friends. :)
I really enjoyed the cup of soup that was being passed around. It was really good. So was the baked brie! I usually don’t enjoy brie, but the way it was prepared made it edible to me haha. It went well with the grapes.
It was really nice taking pictures with my friends. Thank you Albert L. for being our photog for the night. The pictures came out pretty nicely!

Another great event where I met some more Unilocal Elite members! :) Love making new friends over good food and drinks. :)
Ambiance:
–Fun, cute, trendy place to hang out with your friends over drinks and tapas
Service:
–The waiters/​waitresses were really friendly. They were great about bringing more cocktails and refilling our glasses with more wine.
Food:
–Braised short rib, horseradish whipped potato, caramelized onion, whipped herb crème fraiche, potato crisps
–Beet pesto, Humboldt fog goat cheese, crispy baguette, micro beet, balsamic syrup
–Crudités Platter
–Candied pancetta, raisin, Gruyère, and toasted almond flat bread
–Roasted butternut squash arincini’s, pumpkin seed pesto, parmesean
–Panna Cotta tartlet
–Flourless espresso cake, earl grey tea whipped cream
Parking:
–Valet parking for $ 7, or you can park in the public lot across the street $ 5 all night after 6pm? on weeknights
Thanks Katie B. for another fun Unilocal event! :)

(Attended 9÷24÷12 M @ 7pm): Elitists of the county unite and take over!
The latest Unilocal Elite event I was fortunate enough to attend (no plus ones this time) was part of series of tastings in and around the City of Angels — the Elite Tasting at Mirabelle Restaurant.
Located at the start of the Sunset Strip around the Sunset Plaza area, this unassumed restaurant from the outside opened up to an unexpected surprise once inside. I normally stayed away from this part of the Strip because of the congestion and lack of establishments I felt that interested me (mostly fancy clothing stores and frankly overpriced eateries), but events like this were what made me want to give this area and restaurant a try; already a plus in my book! Once I stepped inside, I was greeted by the host of the restaurant as well as a friendly hug from the queen of Unilocal East herself, Katie B (she should be considered for royalty in my opinion). One of these days I will get a picture with her! As I cased the place to get a vibe of how things were, fellow Elites were sat at tables as they ate, drank, and mingled about. I ducked into the bar area, but not much action there (probably «off limits» for the event unless you wanted to order something). Then I made my way to the short food line, where I chatted-​up with people I’ve never met (another perk about these events!), before I started to make my plate of various appetizer morsels. The spread was definitely finger foods as I loaded up on vegetable sticks and fruit, hors d’oeuvres, mini desserts, bread, and my favorite of the evening, some kind of crab soup. Needless to say, I made several trips as the evening wore on since I figured most people already had a couple servings, too. Oh, and I can’t forget the drinks! The wine was flowing (both red and white), and whatever that strong cocktail concoction was, it initially slapped me around after the first couple of sips like I had insulted a woman, but then it started to grow on me. My compliments to the bartender!
The atmosphere and interior definitely got a few double-​takes from me. The downstairs was dimly lit and I think the walls were of a deep velvety-​red. And yes, I did see a menagerie of chairs hung together from the ceiling and a stuffed deer’s head. I was confused to say the least. As I made my way upstairs, I was faced with what possibly was a wall water display and a chill lounge area with a separate intimate bar. However, the outdoor balcony that overlooked their parking lot and a view of the city was the prize winner. I made this my home for the evening.
The service was good as the food was constantly in rotation and being filled. I met one gentleman drink server once I arrived and he became my go-​to person. I wish I was able to remember his name, but he was simply amazing! The libations kept coming from him, and I happily tipped him for every drink ($ 8.00). This guy deserved a raise!
Parking was a bitch, to say the least. You’re on the Sunset Strip, so any street metered parking is nearly impossible to find… although I was lucky enough to find a spot ($ 3.00 for two hours; cash or credit) just a block away after I searched around a bit. Many of the side streets were permit parking during certain times of the day, so don’t even waste your time. The restaurant was gracious enough to offer valet parking for $ 7.00 which appeared most attendees took advantage of. Otherwise, there were many lots with various rates, and I believe you could have parked at the nearby Sunset Plaza parking structure.
Overall, I felt the Elite Tasting at Mirabelle Restaurant was a success! These event were meant to get us out, experience something new, enjoy food and drinks, and meet some great people; mission accomplished. I would like to return at a future time since my interest was piqued just enough. I found great value regardless of whatever prices I quoted above (total payout for the evening was around $ 11.00 including tip). The atmosphere was kitschy and odd as noted earlier, but I’m game for it. I imagined the attire to be dressy, so no t-​shirt, boardshorts, or flip-​flops for me. Sometimes you have to pimp it from time to time, which isn’t such a bad thing (as long as it doesn’t become a habit!). This was a Unilocal Elite event, so there was no need for my credit card of choice… AMEX!

This event was super chill. Super neat venue! Haven’t been to the Mirabelle for ages. They look completely different. The staff were super nice and worked hard to cater to our needs. This was one of those events where you just have a drink or 2 or 4 hahah, and just chill with your fellow elites. Really enjoyed the fact that this event felt Exclusive and not packed. It’s not a frequent feeling these days at the elite events.
Dear Katie B, I know it may seem like were aren’t meeting new people. But I promise we were totally mingling. We are taking baby steps. You know, one at a time. Give us a bit of time and we’ll catch up to your level someday, maybe… hopefully?
Thank you goes out to all the Unilocal and Mirabelle staff for hosting this event. Hope we have more event like this in the near future!

Mirabelle offers a very laid back and romantic atmosphere that is also unique with it’s fusion of South East Asian décor and French inspired menu. The staff was friendly, accommodating, and attentive. They were always available to top off our wine glasses or clean up our plates.
We were treated to a delicious braised short rib, horseradish whipped potato, caramelized onion, whipped herb crème fraiche, and potato crisps. Although it was bite size, I would love to order this off their main menu. They also served this very warm and comforting tomato bisque. The flourless espresso cake, earl grey tea whipped cream was divine mixing soft, sweet, and fluffy textures.
Mirabelle also has a lounge upstairs where you can just hang out and grab a drink from the bar. It’s very chill and I could see hard working business people from Los Angeles hit this place up after work to meet up with some friends and catch up. There is a balcony area too, but the view faces a parking lot, a billboard, and an office complex across the street which leaves a lot to be desired. Mirabelle would also make an excellent date-​night location since the lighting and atmosphere is very intimate.
Definitely check out Mirabelle if you live in the area, need a nice place to meet up with some friends, need a date spot, or would love to try some delectable cuisine.

Likes: Braised short rib with horseradish whipped potato, caramelized onion, whipped herb crème fraiche topped with a potato crisp, delicious cioppino with shrimp, an absolutely delicious tomato bisque that I couldn’t drink enough of, baked brie was warm and good, thin mini crispy soft bread, flourless espresso cake with earl grey tea whipped cream, nice ambience, has an upstairs floor and patio as well with a view of the valet parking, friendly Unilocalers and service, Katie is amazing!
Dislikes: was not a fan of the crostini, crudite was okay, confusing restaurant theme — is it Thai décor mixed with Mediterranean food?, food kept running out by the time I got to the table sigh…

Super fancy venue: intimate, dark, a variety of seating arrangements and furniture
Nice staff: that brought yummy treats to our table
Delicious food: veggies to munch on (yanno I like my veggies!), baked brie in bread with grapes (super Europeanesque), little chocolates to nibble on, shrimp, and beet pâté
And of course the lovely people I got to see:
May W: my PIC, carpool buddy, one of my top friends, I love you
Anthony N: twas nice to see you 2 weeks in a row!
Shanon Y: lovely to see you girl. as always :)
Troy H: nice to meet you! Early happy anniversary to you and your wifey :)
James S: what the heezy?! We barely hung out but always a pleasure.
Matt P: same thing. we barely hung out but nice to see you!
Jenn H: safe travels to Thailand! So jealous!
Jackson Y: met you for the first time!
Katie B: looking wonderful as always! Thanks for throwing this event down for us :)

I was thinking about giving this event 4 stars due to the lack of food but the heck with it. I had a blast. They sure made up for the lack of grubs with some mean cocktails. I had 3 of the bee’s knees and a glass of wine. I was sufficient inebriated especially on a fairly empty stomach.
The venue was beautiful. They have valet parking for $ 7. The place was pretty much opened just for the Unilocal event. I especially enjoyed the upstairs and the balcony. The view was great.
The best part was the people. Got to meet some new people, some help friends I have been talking to forever but never met in person, and Katie was fun to talk to as always.
Can’t wait for the next event!

Another great night to discover a new venue, menu, socialize with fellow elites and meet new ones.
The Mirabelle I have to say is chic and cozy in many aspects, I love the ambiance and the romantic quaint atmosphere of this place both downstairs and up. The drinks were generously served by the very personable servers, thank you for the amazing vodka lemonades. The highlight of the tasting for me are these tiny chocolate cakes provided by our generous host, a slice of those decadent treats really delivered a huge chocolatey flavor! Wow!
I had an awesome time with everyone especially with my bud Limzer and my new found YE friend Alex S., pleasure meeting and getting great tips from you guys!
Lastly, a big thanks to Katie B. for another great gathering, always a pleasure and much appreciated.
à votre santé!

Had a fantastic time at my first Unilocal Elite event! Met some lovely people, had some great eats, and great drinks. Awesome décor… I felt like I was in a very posh and modern vampire movie.
Ummmm bees knees? Yes please. Never had an adult lemonade like that one… loved that hint of honey in there. Just one of those had me feeling real nice. The micro beet/​humboldt fog cheese on the baguette was one of my favorite things (though I didn’t get a chance to try a couple things such as the short rib and sliders). I also really enjoyed that tomato basil soup. Yes it was simple, but it was just so creamy and delicious that I kept wanting to suck down whatever I could out of that class. I really am a lady, guys…
The brie en croute thing was yums– if that’s even what it was– but I am never one to speak negatively about Brie or any other cheese for that matter. This went nicely with the marmalade (it was fig, right?) with the crostini and the berries. Also got to try the chorizo and shrimp cioppino, which was pretty good. And we can’t forget that extra rich flourless espresso cake. Wow. Those really were cut into appropriate sizes. Don’t think i could’ve handled too much of that situation all at once. But I’m not gonna lie, we grabbed one more before we headed out.
Service was seriously on point. The staff was so wonderful and accommodating. It’s got to be difficult to wait on that many hungry Unilocalers all at once. That alone would bring me back to this wonderful gem that I may not otherwise have discovered. Thanks Katie B!
Only negative part of the night for me: I also received a $ 53 parking ticket for an expired meter like Lizmer L. Take his advice, just do the damn valet every time! Them meter maids DON’T PLAY!

«The Bee’s Knees»:
(adj.) Good, the best, high quality.
(n.) An expression from the 20s meaning an extraordinary person, thing, idea; the ultimate.
(n.) A killer drink, served up generously by Brianat the Mirabelle Elite Tasting, sure to wreak havoc and chaos on any previous night plans you had in mind
I was biding my patience waiting to see which of our 4 glorious LA East Tasting Events I would «bring my talents» to. With timing and what not, I ended up driving down Sunset Blvd. at dusk, loving my city, excited to meet with my Unilocal besties for what was sure to be an intimate, fun, spontaneous night.
Walked in through the back and right into the food line. Hello! The spread on the buffet table was ‘healty’ — crostinis with fig jams, fruits, veggies and ranch, and a great apple bake thing that was a little hard to cut into but so delish.
After I found my boys crew for the night — I see you JMSJ and Jose — we settled into our permanent seats and let Brian do his magic. What kind of magic? Making fantastic food and multiple Bee’s Knees (the House Specialty Cocktail, aka. an adult lemonade) appear out of nowhere, much to our delight. Seriously laid out full spreads in front of us, and we weren’t complaining!
And the food circulating from the servers was what really caught my eye. The cioppino with sausages and a shrimp was so tasty I was sipping all the last bits out. The short rib in a mini bowl, inhaled that so quick I can barely tell you what was in it, but I know it was good.
A few rounds of Bee’s Knees in, we wandered upstairs and met up with Shannon, Jenilee, Vicki, and the rest of the gang and made plans for our afterparty. Everyone was in tip top spirits, and so thankful we were throwing hugs at Katie B left and right. The girl just doesn’t trip up, ever! And she does it with mega pizzaz!
All in all, this was one of my favorite Unilocal nights, despite the light eats, because I really got to meet some great new faces, reconnect with old ones, and get to meet and mingle in a way that isn’t possible at our bigger monster events. I left feeling like the Monday was a Friday, and so eager for what the rest of my week had in store. Thank you Mirabelle and thank you Katie. Yah all saved my Monday and really made it the bee’s knees ;).

First off I absolutely LOVE the venue! The hanging chairs, moose heads, comfy sofas, etc make this restaurant out to have a very eccentric yet romantic feel. Although, I didn’t get much of the tasting for the food on the menu. Almost everyone left starving. Now of course we don’t show up expecting to be fed all the time at Unilocal Elite events but the food was seriously lackluster. The food laid out wasn’t much of a tasting at all. They had a platter of assorted veggies with ranch dipping sauce (um did they just buy this from costco and place it on the table?). The flourless expresso cake was ok, and I did like the butternut squash soup, but where was the short rib and sliders? We waited two hours for the waiter to bring us out some samples and nothing was ever bought over to our table. I even specifically asked for the short ribs a couple of times and the waiter said he would bring some over for us. Perhaps choosing the comfy sofa and table near the exit was the wrong choice since we barely got any service where we sat. I’m usually not disappointed at Unilocal Elite events but this one was a big disappointment. Not your fault Katie B. we still love you! Just disappointed we didn’t get much of a tasting of actual food.

found parking across the street at the meter
2 hours max, good because it’s from 7−9p
walked up in the place and was greeted by the lovely katie — big hug
gave my name to this new intern by the name of stephen?!
got my name tag and i was on my way
it’s dark in here, like disneyland haunted house dark in here
i’ve been here before but the interior has changed
restrooms are boy/​girl
upstairs was a change up and could be cool for a private soirée with the outdoor patio
went back downstairs to the food
veggie plate with ranch — what you’d expect, nothing new, nothing wrong
baked brie — twas good with the grapes
chocolate cake bites — quite tasty, loved the size
cioppino — nice sized shrimp in that lil bowl
short rib bite — delish but super tiny, literally a taste
crustini with the beet pesto — pretty good and crunchy
overall the food was tasty and as long as you didn’t come hungry and were more in for the libations and conversations, you were a happy camper. i didn’t see happy campers though, i more or less saw explorers on the last leg of their expedition ready to feast!
red or white wine
shipyard ipa
beez neez — lemon vodka concoction
yeah there was a surplus of libations compared to the food so CHEERS!
i was more than happy to drink!
i can easily compare the evening to my night at the aviary
a lot of drinks and tasty little bites
table of one dude — me
table of two dudes — alex and i
table of three dudes — neil, alex and i
full table of dudes — stephen, neil, alex and i
hilarious conversations at this table with these fellas and i would be happy to do it again! katie thanks for coming by and shooting the shit with us for a lil bit.
i thank mirabelle’s staff, good lookin’ but dark venue, the libations, the tasty bites, the fellas at my table (neil, stephen & alex), lindsey the bartender at a different bar, and katie b. for a great evening.
the only thing i didn’t like was the $ 53 parking ticket by one minute, dammit!
*note to everyone — VALET AT ALL TIMES!

Mirabelle is such a gem! Wonderful ambiance, décor — I’ll definitely be back to try the menu (& the server let us know that there’s a new chef running the show now as well who won some TV show I believe). Thanks for the intro Katie B.
As for the tasting, I’m not sure how much actually adhered to what was listed but here’s my best guess:
*Chocolate Cake: I was absolutely OBSESSED with this. Not so good to pick up with your fingers (no cake utensils in sight!) but rich, not too sweet but melt in your mouth delicious.
*Beet Pesto: Great flavors — garlicky!
*Jam & Baguette/​Crostini: Don’t believe this was listed but it was surprisingly good. Delicious citrus-​y/​cinnamon notes that reminded me of fall.
*Cioppino: Liked it — reminds me of Carmine’s hearty minestrone or Garden Café vegetable soup.
*Fantastic Chardonnay!
*Crudités: Not much to say here but I did like the mushrooms
*Baked Brie: Definitely a big fan of this one! A little too salty to eat by itself but great to pair
We arrived at about 7:30p and the food was about 80% depleted. Joyce M and I ended up stuffing ourselves with crudités & chocolate cake (the cake part is all me haha). Towards the end, I did see the servers refill, bring around other items (short rib, cioppino, etc) but I can see why others were a little disappointed.
Downside? Valet parking is a bit pricey — $ 7.

Another day, another awesome event put together by Katie B! TGIM! The minute you come into the place itself, you know that your at another great elite event. The Unilocal peeps were there in full force enjoying everything from the luscious chocolate cake bites, the crustini, the nicely made braised short ribs, and the tomato and shrimp soups. The drinks were great as always which was a cab to a lemon flavored delight. One of my favorite parts was the balcony. You had an awesome view of Sunset Blvd that cant be beat.
It was great seeing the Unilocal peeps as always, from Matt, Janelle, Jose, Nat, and all the others as you know who you are.
Thanks again Katie for making hard work look easy, and providing a great end to a Monday and a final push to finish off this week.

My 10 cents:
— — — — — –
The Upside:
1. Short Rib appetizer in a little rami with a dollop of heavenly cream atop (amazing, standing ovation)
2. Shrimp & Tomato soup — to die for (every little drip of it)
3. Servers — smiley, and very nice (and cooler than school)
4. Décor — beautiful! Dark woods with cool art, furnishings, lamps, candelabras (can I move in?)
5. Cocktails (delish) and wine (generous)
6. Great mingle with Unilocal peeps, met several new friends along with first-​time meetings of several Unilocal pals! (extra shout out to Renuka, Peter, and Charlie).
The Downside:
7. Food was not at all plentiful, I left hungry and complaining a bit (booo…hissss, and only more appreciative after I went out to get dinner elsewhere). I would have liked to have had more volume, as well as try additional things (a «tasting») of their menu… because what I did have was terrific.
8. Valet backed up upon arrival, with little direction and signage… I was stuck on a decline sideways for about 10 minutes before I could leave my car and go inside (better before eating than after).
Neither Up nor Down:
9. Upstairs balcony — nice view of the Hollywood/​Sunset Hills and little lights. But, with just a handful of tables, it was missing any kind of «Je né sais quoi» or cool buzz. With all the investment in furnishings inside, I’d suggest a little more on, what could be, a rockin’ hangout: add sectional sofas or leather chairs, a fire pit, perhaps the bar just inside firing up cocktails.
Summary:
10. I am gracious for any event, any invite, and any chance to try a place — so with that said, THANK YOU Mirabelle management and staff (very gracious and generous of you). I’d like to know the price of a truckful of the short rib appetizer, please??? Thank you Katie for putting this event together, and for your famous «Katie hug», my first time, and review!

CUUTTTEEEE Venue! Cute chairs, cute décor.
I’m actually looking forward to Katie B’s Queen of Booze Review. Can’t come back if the booze isn’t good haha jp
I can not tell if this place was a wino place or a cocktail place via Unilocal Elite rowdness. I guess I’ll just have to come back again to relive it all. Thanks Katie B!