If you don't want to read past this sentence, one word could sum up my culinary experience here ... underwhelming.
We ended up here the other night after a tequila tasting in serious need of nourishment. The first thing that struck me was the crowd. The restaurant had a surprising number of tables available and it seemed as if the last of the hollywoodites had long since departed giving way to a bizarre mix of out of towner's and grandparents. I'll start off with saying, the space is beautiful - clean design in a palette of natural earth tones with beautiful shell light fixtures that dot the space like chandelier earrings. Simple, chic and inviting.
Another positive was the stellar service. It was prompt, attentive, pleasant, and we had nary a complaint about our waitress. Non sequitor side note - there are two restrooms; one for women and one that's unisex. As bizarre as it is to have a waz while staring at a urinal, it was remarkably clean.
The fact that I'm more compelled to write about the loo than the food speaks for itself, so without further ado.. the review.
We started off with oysters and the trio of seafood. The oysters were beautifully presented but on the small side. Out of a dozen, a few were gritty. The accompaniments were creative, but more cloying than complimentary. The trio of seafood consisted of three tiny bowls of minced fish. Literally, about 1/8c of each. I appreciate having a taste of this and that, but with a price tag upwards of $20, come on.
After being torn between the scallops and the rabbit, our server convinced me the rabbit was the better choice. Other dishes at our table included the salmon and the wild boar. Aside from from being beautifully plated, each of our mains had one thing in common - someone seriously heavy handed with the salt. After a few bites it went from 'gee, this tastes awfully salty' to 'the roof of my mouth is stinging and I need more water'. Beyond the salt, the rabbit was well thought out and a solid dish. The salmon was dry, dreadful and nearly inedible. Hands down, the best entree of the bunch was the boar. The roasted Brussels sprouts were perfect, but it would have been better with a simple mash in lieu of the dry spaetzle, which again, was unnecessarily fussy. When our server came by to check on our hardly eaten entrees we were honest about the salt, and she offered immediately to bring something else, but at that point, we were both over it and declined.
Moving on, it seemed something sweet was in order. We went with the butterscotch donuts and the meringue topped lemon granita. The donuts were perfect, not overly sweet, and the lemon was light and refreshing.
Even with the sweet finish, overall it was a disappointment and we all agreed, we likely wouldn't be back. When our (nearly $300) tab arrived, we noticed not even our desserts had been comped (which, at a restaurant like this, I would have expected), after two of our entrees returning to the kitchen hardly touched. C'est la vie. Given the price of admission, I'd probably take my dining dollars elsewhere next time - unless it was donut night!
7360 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-4400
Psssst... over here!
Rainy days are more and more a rarity in these parts, so when one comes, it's more tempting to head out into the world to enjoy the elements than it is to curl up in bed with a book.
After deciding to sit in a cozy red leather booth against one of the exposed brick walls (versus sitting in the bright, airy, gingham checked cafe area where the same menu is available), we brushed the rain from our coats and settled in for some serious grub. Beer ordered the sausage and onion pizza with a bag of chips (literally!) while I opted for a prosciutto-mozzarella panini served with chive topped mashed potatoes in their own mini cast iron terrine. Our server was sweet (in a genuine as opposed to sugary way) and very attentive, as was the busser who made sure our glasses were constantly full and we had everything we needed. The meal was perfect. The only thing I couldn't figure out is why we don't think to come here more often.
Is there anything better than walking around your home town and discovering some place you haven't been? I think not! So when we took off up the block in search of some lunch and spied the Taco Spot sign, I was already a happy camper. One look at the (very hip in design) nuevo Mexican menu (read: soyrizo's an option with your tofu burrito), and I was sold.
After a very educational saree fitting at Sona Chaandi down the street, (behold, the result in the Halloween photo of Stephy and I), it was suggested we grab lunch at this little mini-mall storefront. It's a small space that looks a lot like grandma's living room, complete with lace curtains and artificial flora galore. The only thing missing - plastic on the upholstered chairs!
Food aside, four servers are constantly bustling around, yet it's still a bit of an effort to get one's attention when you need it. Thankfully, you'll be in such a food coma, you won't really care!
This little gem of a store is hidden upstairs in the Hari Krishna Temple (yes, I said Temple) off of Venice in Mar Vista. If you happen to be in the market for a great tunic, sari, pashmina, stacks and stacks of bangle bracelets or that hard to find Krishna prayer candle and incense burner - cheap - this is the one-stop-shop for you. The smell of incense burning will herald you upstairs where they sell clothing and accessories, mostly imported from India, for men, women and children. The quality of the embroidery and the variety of sizes and colors is amazing.
After running, walking and driving by this small, dim local wine bar sandwiched between long standing retailers on Fairfax, and often wondering what lurked behind the mysterious exterior, we finally had opportunity to give it a try last night (thanks Stephy!).
Parking on this block of Fairfax is marginally better than the surround, but should your parking karma run out, there's a few spaces to sneak into off the alley in the rear.
If you don't want to read past this sentence, one word could sum up my culinary experience here ... underwhelming.
Between the updated exterior of the restaurant and the old Farmer's Daughter, and hearing good things, I really, really wanted to like this place, but the sad truth us, it just didn't live up to the hype.
After reading some tepid reviews, we went to Tokyo Table with another couple and low expectations. That said, we were very pleasantly surprised.
This is the neighborhood place we tend to go when Beer is in the mood for what he calls "real" brek. In other words bacon, runny eggs and toast.
Oddly enough, I've never been here for dinner in all these years, but good luck getting me off my soapbox when it comes to singing the praises of brek, brunch and lunch here. Despite some irritatingly long waits for a table, a couple of asshole servers, the impossible parking on 3rd, and even a friend's (legit) report of a rat running under her table, I can't seem to stay away!
Remembering there was something about this place I liked the last time I was here nearly a decade ago, Beer and I stopped in for lunch while in Pasadena off to see the tax wizard.
The Chamberlain is one of my favorite local boutique hotels for those weekends you just need to get away without getting away. Often overlooked by locals is the fabulous little hotel restaurant for brunch and cocktails.
Beer and I are the first to admit we're food snobs, and when it comes to Indian, we're especially spoiled - and particular. That said, Electric Karma is one of our few local faves to make the speed dial list.
Failing to find a parking spot at Quality and refusing to wait in line at Toast, we settled on Joan's for a late brunch, until we realized we were standing right in front of Alfredo's - our breakfast burrito delivery joint!
If you live in the area and like Persian food, you can't really go wrong at Shah Abbas. Everything from the salads and grilled meats to the stews and rice, is perfect. Huge portions, reasonable prices, pleasant service and, best yet, fast free delivery.
