Seline’s open-kitchen concept. PHOTO BY PETE LEE
When Dave Beran (Alinea, NEXT, pasjoli) arrived in L.A. nearly nine years ago, he opened his first solo restaurant, Dialogue, to build an identity as a local chef. In Dec. 2024, he took his wealth of knowledge and put it to the test. “At Seline, our goal is to be representative of a time and place,” explains Beran. Through an ambitious 15 to 18-course tasting menu, guests journey through seasonal and briefly available produce—a purposeful choice by the chef to render Seline immovable anywhere else in the world.
We had the pleasure of dining at Seline as the menu was transitioning from winter to spring. From the time we parked until we took our seats in the Rugo/Raff Architects-designed dining room, we were accompanied by an escort, which added an air of exclusivity. This is not your typical Thursday night out—think discerning diners speaking softly over small plates and dim lighting. The dichotomy here is that the restaurant has an open kitchen, and nearly every staff member is amicable and approachable. “This isn’t supposed to be a pretentious restaurant. It should feel warm and comforting,” Beran says.
A gastronomic experience of this level needs beverages to enhance flavors rather than detract from them. Wine director Matthew Brodbine created a refined wine pairing and an inventive nonalcoholic pairing, which is what we went with. We enjoyed seven vibrant concoctions coursed appropriately with each dish, many of which well-exceeded our expectations. The rose kombucha was sweet and sippable, and the herb & bark elixir incorporated spirit-free chartreuse for a refreshingly minty conclusion.
The Caviar & Coffee dessert is served in four bowls stacked within each other, making a statement both in person and on camera. PHOTO BY PETE LEE
“Everything at Seline is very personal and purposeful,” notes Beran. While true of all courses, this particularly applied to one of my favorites: a leek atop eucalyptus and banana purees, garnished with purple blooms. The nasturtium flower had an unexpected briny oyster flavor, which elevated the dish.
A testament to the art of the backstory, our fourth course featured salt-cured celery root folded over tender venison tartare and savory granola. “The flavor profile is derivative of a dish from 2007 Alinea,” states Beran. Even the plateware furthers the narrative, with the course prior balancing chopsticks on a Petosky stone—a pebble-sized natural fossil unique to the Great Lakes.
Chef Beran is also known to play with comfort and intrigue in his dishes. “In our case, we serve an ice cream course mid-menu, at a point when you typically shouldn’t have it,” he reveals. An entirely vegetal ice cream, made of sorrel atop poached rhubarb, is a fascinating concept that somehow works wonderfully.
“The less obvious parts of the squab” course features a bitter chocolate truffle with liver mousse, hazelnut butter sandwiched between crispy squab skin and a Thai long peppercorn custard with burnt strawberry and roasted squab heart sauce. PHOTO BY PETE LEE
A three-course dessert is an idea I can get behind. I was pleasantly surprised by the Caviar & Coffee, a concept conceived by Beran while drinking French Vanilla Dunkin’ Donuts coffee with caviar. The oldest dish on the menu is a crowd-pleaser for a reason: the saltiness of the caviar meshed perfectly with sweet coffee cream and crunchy hazelnuts, not to mention the extravagance of how it’s served.
“Nothing is arbitrary—every item on every plate, the location of each dish in the menu—it all has a purpose.”–DAVE BERAN
Opening any dining concept these days, let alone one that has a minimum of 15 courses, is a daring feat in itself. As chef Beran’s numerous accolades and years of experience have proven, it’s certainly achievable, and he’s already pondering the next steps for Seline. “We are focusing on creating a complete experience that offers a real perspective,” he states. “You open a restaurant and you have a vision, but you have to step back and see what the restaurant wants to become.” Ambitious? Without a doubt. Set for success? Absolutely.
Photography by: Pete Lee
