Somni
The Best Meal of my Entire Life
If you are looking for a "to die for" culinary journey, look no further. I am a massive foodie and am rarely left speechless, so when I say a meal was the absolute best of my life, do not take that statement lightly. It has been over six years, and after trying around 2,000 restaurants in that time, I still compare every single dining experience to the way this one meal made me feel.
Trust Me on This One
I’ve dined at incredible restaurants all around the world, but nothing has been able to capture me quite like Somni did. It is so jaw-droppingly good that it is worth planning an entire trip to Los Angeles around a single reservation. Keep in mind that securing a spot is notoriously difficult, and the bookings are both prepaid and non-refundable, so you have to plan accordingly.
Back when I dined there in January 2020, the tasting menu started at $280 per person plus tax and tip, with the option to add premium upgrades like a wine flight or a non-alcoholic beverage pairing. Knowing the staggering amount of work that went into every single bite, coupled with the incredible experience you get while dining there, it was worth every penny.
Shortly after my visit, the restaurant closed during the pandemic, eventually reopening in its own dedicated, stunning new space. Today, the price tag reflects its 3 michelin star status, starting at over $700 per person. Yet, even at that price point, reservations still book up within minutes of being released. Honestly? I would beg them to take my money again. The experience was flawless when I went, and based on their evolution, I’m sure it has only gotten better.
Who’s the Genius Behind It?
Somni originally launched as a venture under José Andrés’ restaurant group, conceptualized and helmed by the brilliant Chef Aitor Zabala. It held two Michelin stars when I sat at the counter, and in 2025, Michelin officially awarded it the ultimate three-star status. Based on my experience, it made perfect sense; it easily ran circles around other two-star spots I had visited, and frankly outshone several three-stars.
Chef Aitor is a culinary savant. Like José Andrés himself, he spent years working under Ferran Adrià at El Bulli in Spain—the legendary birthplace of modern molecular gastronomy.
Arriving Like Royalty
The hospitality was seamless from the second I pulled up. I was greeted at the door by a team waiting specifically for me, who checked the guest list, valeted the car, and escorted me to a gorgeous outdoor seating area out back. The sommelier came over to confirm beverage pairings—which ranged from an engineered non-alcoholic journey to rare wine flights (+$85–$500)—and since I happened to visit during peak truffle season, I was given the option to add a healthy portion of freshly shaved black truffles throughout the night (+$125).
There was zero pressure to opt into the extras. I chose the $85 non-alcoholic pairing, skipped the truffles and alcohol, and was completely blown away. Honestly, you'dbe more than satisfied without any extras. But don’t let that steer your decision. You do you.
The Somni Experience: A 23-Course Masterclass
You read that right. My menu consisted of 23 courses divided into five meticulous segments. What sets Somni apart is that it is an immersive performance.
Once you finish your outdoor snacks, you are escorted into the main dining room. The room is gorgeous: a golden-domed ceiling hovering over a single, long, curved bar crafted from light wood with just ten barstools. Service begins the moment you get settled. Because the kitchen is entirely open, you get a front-row seat to watch the chefs meticulously plate every detail of every course. Once plated, they line up, pick up each dish, and serve all guests at the exact same time. You get a detailed explanation of each dish, and while you’re eating, the chefs talk about how it was cooked and show you raw ingredients, like the Wagyu aged in wax and live crabs. The team is incredibly engaging and loves sharing knowledge.
Here is the exact walkthrough of the 23-course menu from that legendary night:
The Snacks
The evening kicked off in the courtyard with a parade of finger-foods paired with Cava.
Almonds: A visual deception consisting of a thin shell filled with a smooth almond cream and shaped perfectly like an almond, standing upright in a bed of raw almonds.
Potato "Butterfly" Chips: Incredible potato chips engineered to look like delicate butterflies. They were perfectly crispy with just a hint of salt and served with a delicious onion and crème fraîche dip. Talk about perfection!
The “Cocktails”
Unique, edible drink concepts served at different points of the meal to cleanse your palate.
Frozen Guacamole Cocktail: Served as the 3rd bite of the night, and official start to the meal, it is not something I would ever think of, but it was like a frozen guacamole sorbet with tequila mixed in, served directly on a frozen pestle. Crazy delicious.
Strawberry Negroni: Served as the 13th bite of the night, it was a strawberry-flavored negroni that was frozen and encapsulated in a thin cocoa butter shell shaped like a strawberry. You eat it in one bite, resulting in a cold explosion of flavor in your mouth.
The Small Bites
Once inside at the curved counter, the chefs executed a flawless sequence of highly technical, bite-sized creations.
Blueberry Eucalyptus Tart: A beautiful bite that was almost like a macaron made entirely from puffed starch.
Panellets: A rich nod to tradition, featuring a warm, creamy cheese ball coated perfectly in pine nuts.
Trufflecini: A super thin, delicate crisp shaped like a mushroom, filled to the brim with a truffle cream and topped with fresh black truffle.
Pizza Margherita: A total mind trip. This was a meringue made to look like a slice of pizza. The meringue itself was flavored using tomato water, then topped with tomato and cheese. The texture is totally different than pizza, yet the flavor is completely familiar.
The Mains
This section transitioned into heavier proteins, balancing luxury ingredients with unbelievable structural creativity.
Caviar, Tuna, and Bone Marrow: A spectacular combination that kicked off the heavier plates, blending rich, savory marrow with clean tuna and premium caviar.
Chicken Mille-Feuille: A savory interpretation of a Napoleon. Instead of using a caramelized puff pastry, the chefs used flaky, compressed layers of crispy chicken skin, filled with a rich, bacon-infused cream. Yum.
Shiso Tartare: Tied for my favorite of the night. The chefs literally paint a fresh shiso leaf with tempura batter and fry it until it puffs up. Then, they top it with the best beef tartare I’ve ever had.
Eel Panini: Almost like a miniature sandwich made from potato crisps, filled with tender eel and fresh greens.
Ensaimada: A savory version of the spiral-shaped pastry traditionally served sweet or savory in Mallorca, Spain. They mixed in caramelized onions that had been caramelized for something like 40 hours—constantly rehydrating them as they dried out until they were left with an intensely rich onion that was almost like jam.
Beet Gazpacho: Straightforward and exactly as it sounds—an earthy, super creamy soup served with a rigid beet crisp.
Kohlrabi and Snap Peas: My other favorite dish of the night. The chefs carved out a kohlrabi root to make a bowl and filled it with the most soul-comforting soup made of kohlrabi puree and fresh peas. I could’ve eaten 10 servings of this dish (and don’t tell... I may have actually licked the root clean).
Sun and Shadow: A stunning, dramatic crab ravioli made with jet-black squid ink.
Tuna Katsu: Premium Bluefin tuna, perfectly breaded, fried, and served right on the bone.
Pigtail Curry Bun: Almost like a cross between a dim sum pork bun and a kolache, featuring tender shredded pork inside a yeasted roll, topped with a creamy red curry sauce.
Beef Emmolada: The ultimate wagyu course. Absolutely melt-in-your-mouth beef served beautifully with sauces.
Sweets to Round Out the Night
The dessert course abandoned heavy sugars in favor of anise, nostalgia, and hyper-creative textures.
The Goat: A brilliant palate transition featuring a refreshing, anise-flavored granita and a crisp shaped like a goat. This was their take on a “cheese course”.
Fresas con Nata: A beautiful, refined take on classic strawberries and cream. Strawberry sorbet, with a strawberry juice and cream gummy.
Vienetta: A nod to the nostalgic layered ice cream cake, the team reinvented it with new flavors, including black truffle, and an elevated presentation.
Chocolates & Freeze-Dried Fruit: A custom box of handcrafted treats to officially bring the evening to a close. You were so full, it was a struggle to finish them - but as the saying goes, leave no survivors.
The Verdict
Would I eat here every night? No—I couldn't afford to. But would I be absolutely delighted to come back 1–2 times per year? Without a hesitation. It remains the absolute culinary benchmark against which I compare every other restaurant in the world. And at the current price point, it honestly should be—but when you weigh the sheer quality of the food, the excellence of the service, and the intimate atmosphere against the final bill, it is easy to see that the value scales proportionally to the unforgettable experience it delivers.
