No matter where you go in the world for business travel, you can count on a Le Méridien property (especially as it’s under the Marriott umbrella) to provide a reliable balance of modern luxury, business accommodations and stylish dining and cocktail opportunities. And when business travel takes you away from the city center and into Pasadena’s outskirts near Santa Anita Racetrack, those amenities need to be a reflection of the best the city as a whole has to offer.

This is where Mélange, the Le Méridien Pasadena Arcadia’s signature restaurant, comes in both as a nod to Los Angeles’ reputation as city with innovative fine dining and a place where the divergent tastes of individual guests, locals and large parties (such as seminars and conferences) comes into play. Over two decades ago, several local chefs, including Kyoto-native executive chef Makoto Tanaka (a.k.a. Mako), helped squire in Asian fusion as a dining trend that quickly spread across the United States. Although other trends have since come and gone, leave it to chef Mako to apply to this new project his years working at New York City’s China Grill, refining his skills and profile with Wolfgang Puck and having an eponymous Beverly Hills destination restaurant.

As a restaurant, Mélange endeavors to be a showcase for chef Mako’s artistry rather than an influencer magnet, with beautifully prepared dishes that blend eastern and western sensibilities without going too far into left field. This ensures everything from steakhouse favorites (solid and spare steak-and-potatoes dish; roasted duck with cherry red wine and ginger reduction) to his signature sizzling whole East Coast hirame with black bean truffle and ponzu dipping sauces and garlic noodle side dish, and a seafood risotto that perfectly balances Japanese and Italian nuances truly satisfy while pleasing the eye. Cocktails and mocktails are also inspired, particularly those involving yuzu, tea and other Japanese ingredients.

More recently, chef Mako introduced a fun brunch menu served Saturday and Sunday mornings until 2 p.m. Here, you can really dig in to the kinds of things Mako was brought up on in Kyoto working for his family’s restaurants. While yuzu ricotta pancakes are a sophisticated antidote to routine hotel stacks, the presence of a traditional Japanese Breakfast Bento is particularly welcome, especially if you’ve traveled in Japan and stayed at family-run hotels or “ryokans.”

Mélange at Le Méridien Pasadena Arcadia

130 W Huntington Drive
Arcadia, CA 91007
tel 626 777 6699