Hinoki & the Bird

When the biggest issue you can write about a restaurant is that it’s difficult to find, you know this review is going to glow.  I’m sure by now you’ve heard of Hinoki & The Bird which opened in January.  David Myers imaginative food is amazing but you’ve come to expect that, right?  David’s long list of restaurants include Sona, Comme Ca in West Hollywood and Las Vegas, Pizzeria Ortica in Orange County, multiple Sola locations in Tokyo and now of course, the Silk Road-inspired Hinoki & The Bird in Century City.  

I ventured in to Hinoki & The Bird last night with friends only after having to call the restaurant to truly figure out where it was.  That’s because it’s part of a new building in Century City on a road that didn’t exist when the GPS in your car was last programmed.  

But that was the last of my challenges as I arrived early and seated me immediately.  Unheard of in LA, I know.  I ordered a drink, the Gordon’s Cup on my waiter’s recommendation and eased into some serious people watching.  And then I noticed it.  The kitchen.  The only kitchen I’ve ever seen with the best looking kitchen staff EVER.  Now, I’m not talking model thin, crazy high cheek bones good looking.  I’m talking about the kind of attractiveness that just makes you want to invite all those people to your house, visit and drink long into the night.  Well that’s my version of good looking at least.

Our waiter was sweet and kind and knowledgeable.  We went over half the menu before my friends arrived but that was all I needed to put us in his hands for the evening.  We started with the Raw Bar and devoured the Marinated Tuna and lemongrass salad along with the Scallops with grapefruit and lime leaf.  Next was the Crispy Marinated Chicken with lemon aoli, Chili Crab Toast with spicy cucumber and coriander and Salt & Pepper Marinated Fried Calamari with ajwain-tomato jam.

What I’m about to tell you is shocking, I know, but I ordered too much food.  So hold on to your hat.  After the Raw Bar and Fun Bites items, I moved to the bigger course with the BBQ Pork, Apple marinated Shortrib, the Lobster Roll, Coconut-curried Mussels, Hinoki scented Cod and the Caramel braised kurobuta Pork Belly.

Oh yeah and then we had dessert.  Yikes!  

Nick, one of the managers, came over to see how we were doing and he couldn’t have been more delightful.  Even the restroom had a bit of whimsy and something unusual about it.  If you haven’t tried Hinoki & The Bird yet, you must. 

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Over and Over

Hinoki & The Bird

10 Century Drive, Los Angeles 90067

(310)552-1200

Open: Tue-Sat 5:30p-10:00p, Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30a-2:30p

Reservations

Salt's Cure

This is what happens when friends go to dinner and blog - dueling reviews!

Heather: This review is incredibly old because Craig and I are crazy busy and had a bit of mis-communication.  But we’re here now so here we go.  Craig’s going to do a lot of complaining about Salt’s Cure which tells you he has exacting standards.  He also doesn’t play well with others but then again, I don’t either.  That said, I liked Salt’s Cure - a lot - and would go back if it wasn’t so far away from where I live.  You see, I used to live right up the hill from it’s locale but now I have kids and live on the westside of LA.  If Salt’s Cure were in West LA, I would certainly be there more often.  But it’s not, so I’m not.  :(

The menu is incredibly limited and changes almost daily.  That chalkboard above is pretty much it which is amazing if you think about how much they save in printing menus every day.  The meat is a little salty but don’t you expect that from a place that cures/brines everything and is called SALT’S CURE?  Exactly.

Go, eat the food but the past part are the owners - those two guys in the picture above.  How can you not love them?  They take their meat VERY seriously and I can appreciate that.  Just like I appreciate Craig for his high expectations and demanding nature. 

Craig: I had heard about Salt’s Cure for some time.  Heard about it opening, heard about lots of people going there, heard about, heard about.  But I actually, come to realize, knew very little about the place.  I certainly didn't know that their fancy chalkboard contained the only items on the menu and not just the specials.  (Wait, you have, like 9 total dishes?)  I didn't know the guys behind the bar owned the place.  And I certainly didn’t know that all those appealing dishes other people were ordering that were not on the chalkboard were actually on a printed wine menu.  I mean, guys, get it together!  You can’t tell me the whole menu is on the chalkboard and then hide the cheese plate on the wine menu.  You hide a cheese plate from me, and I will come after you.

Aside from my cheese rant, the place was enjoyable enough.  The food was good, and the wine was good.  After a long and stressful week, it was a nice, relaxing evening even amidst the rare Los Angeles rain.  But what made it really great, not to be too pandering, was the company at hand.  In the end, it doesn't matter if you go to a McDonald’s, it’s the glittering nature of conversation and friendship that makes even what was really just an “OK” meal a great time.  So go ahead and try Salt’s Cure once or twice.  It’s not a repeat kind of place.  Unless you repeat with a good friend.  In which case, you should try someplace that matches the company.

Craig’s Rating: Worth going back…maybe.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back

Salt’s Cure

7494 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood 90046

(323)850-7258

Open: Closed Tuesdays, Dinner 5:30p-10:00pm, Sat & Sun Brunch AND Weekday Lunch 11:00a-3:00p

Reservations

Picca

I’m going to take the surprise out of this review and let you know that my vote for Picca has always been “Go again and again”.  

And I have.  

Liberally.  

And usually with a taxi, given the deliciousness and wide range of cocktails made only with Peruvian liquors.  (You’d be surprised how strong pisco is.)  

The delight in Picca is when you go “again and again” and take someone who is tasting this delightful hotspot’s food for the first time.  Like a pro, I know to order the Black Cod Anticucho (even though I have no idea what anticucho means), and the Chicharron de Pollo (fried chicken nuggets!), and then I look all smart when my good friend looks across the table with a smile.  Little does she know that I only know what to order because this restaurant’s staff are just as helpful and friendly as any in town.  Conversation makes a meal, and the conversation certainly was the best part of Tuesday night’s dinner, but it certainly helped that Picca’s small plates are universally delicious the perfect complement to a fantastic dinner with a good friend.  

Craig’s Rating: Go Again and Again and Again

Picca

9575 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles (310)277-0133

Open Every Day: 6p-11p

Reservations

Stella Barra Pizzaria

I’ve been in love with Stella Rosa in Santa Monica for awhile now.  Amazing pizzas, great drinks, decent wines and probably the best burrata appetizer I’ve EVER HAD IN MY LIFE.  Yes, you heard me.  THE BEST.  I just want to take it and smear it all over me so I can love on it 24/7.  Oh wait, I digress.

Stella Rosa has a paternal twin in Hollywood.  Not an identical twin but they look an awful lot alike.  Stella Barra is Chef Jeff Mahin’s Hollywood version of Stella Rosa.  The pizzas are there but they’ve added a few more things in - like lunch and breakfast.  Sounds like a must-go to me!

Stella Barra

6372 West Sunset Blvd.

Between North Cahuenga & Vine

(323)301-4001

EUREKA at BierBeisl in Beverly Hills

Flynn McGarry’s January Winter Menu Pop-up

Some said it was his unveiling, his debut, the beginning of his professional career.  Isn’t that a lot to put on a 14-year old?  Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.  But Flynn McGarry is taking it all in and cranking out amazing food all at the same time.  Called a culinary prodigy, Flynn has been cooking since he was 10 reportedly because he didn’t like his Mom’s cooking, or lack of cooking - he was tired of take-out.  Soon his bedroom was turned into a test kitchen and they were running a monthly Supper Club out of their house.  At 11, he was cooking from recipes in the French Laundry cookbook.  He’s clearly got the food bug.

In late January, Tere and I were lucky enough to get off the wait list and into his Winter Tasting Menu dinner held at Bier Beisl in Beverly Hills with the help and guidance of Chef Bernhard Mairinger.  The menu was pretty ridiculous - 11 or 12 courses of pure creativeness including dessert concoctions from pastry chef, Josh Graves.  I made notes on the menu above that Flynn signed for me.  There was a water sommelier pouring very high end bottled water from Beverly Hills 902H0. I didn’t even know water sommeliers existed.  

Both Flynn’s Mom and Dad were completely involved in the dinner from seating guests, chatting and getting to know newcomers and photographing and videotaping the seemingly perfect orchestrations from the kitchen.  Flynn is going somewhere and at only 14 years old, his future career is going to be long.  I can only imagine where he will go, but I’m excited to go along for the ride.

Learn more about Flynn and his upcoming dinner at his website and a great video from this dinner HERE.

Red O West Hollywood

Update: Sadly, Red O no longer serves Brunch in West Hollywood. We hear the Santa Monica location may start serving brunch one day soon.

Although Cheebo is our go-to for any weekend breakfast or lunch, Red O is our Sunday brunch must-have.  Rick Bayless’ West Hollywood haunt has “the best guacamole EVER” according to our son.  That’s a pretty serious endorsement since up until that moment in time, he was conviced Tere’s guacamole was the best.  It put him in quite the predicament on the day he switched teams.  If only Rick Bayless knew!  

If we have nothing to do on a Sunday around 10a, Red O is the first words out of the kids’ mouths.  Again, I happily drive across town to experience that “world renowned” guacamole along with the Huevos a la Mexicana and the Huevos Rancheros Verdes.  It’s all scrumptious.

Tere likes the Steak & Heirloom Tomato Salad (I do too) and we’ve had the Dungeness Crab Cakes multiple times.  We all love the Churros with chocolate-Kahlua dipping sauce.    

There really isn’t a bad dish on the menu but the one thing I jones for is the margarita.  I go for the Market Margarita otherwise known as the “Spa” margarita.  It has cucumbers and feels very refreshing which is another way of saying I can drink MANY of them!  Tere likes a little spice so she prefers the Alacran Cabo Wabo which has a red color and looks incredibly fire-y to me.

Red O also has a $100 margarita available on Fridays and Saturdays called The Benjamin, and rightfully so.  If you’re uber-knowledgable about tequila, here is the recipe…amazing. 

Extra anejo tequilas; Patron Burdelos, Herradura Selection Suprema, & Partida Elegante, Gran Marnier Cuvee du Cent Cinquentanaire. with fresh Mexican lime & 100% Organic Agave syrup, shaken & poured over homemade lime sorbet ice cubes & Louix XIII cognac float. Finished with Blood Orange caviar & edible gold & kosher salt rim, served on a silver platter with a stainless steel straw.

I’ve always wondered if Red O was going to make it because the crowd for Sunday Brunch always seemed to be a little on the light side but I hear the evening dinner scene is a madhouse.  Tons of people enjoying the amazing food and out of this world margaritas.  I really need to get over there one evening to check it out but for now, I’m pretty happy with my lazy Sundays and a Market Margarita.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Over and Over

Red O

8155 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles 90046

(323)655-5009

Open: Sat & Sun Brunch 10:30a-3:00p, Daily Dinner starting at 6:00p

Reservations

Cheebo

We used to live right up the hill from Cheebo in Hollywood a number of years ago.  It was my absolute go-to for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I love it so much that if I’m not cycling on a weekend morning, I will drive the kids all the way across town for their fried bread, cheeburrito, chopped salad and pizza.

The LA Times reviewed Cheebo back in 2003 and I decided I had to check it out. The pizza sold by the foot is the big draw and you should definitely have it but it’s everything else that makes Cheebo worth coming back over and over.

For breakfast, the kids (and I) love the Chee-Begniers N Honey - and yes, that’s how they spell it on their menu so don’t give me any grief over it.  For the rest of us, it’s otherwise known as fried bread and honey.  These little pillows of fried dough come out steaming hot and make every bad thing that happened to you melt away.  After you satiate your sweet tooth, move on to the Cheeborito.  I go for the Original but add in Avocado.  One Cheeborito is more than a normal person can handle without feeling like you’ll lose a full day to the “sleepies” after you’ve consumed this massive beast.  I also love the Huevos Rancheros, classic SoCal breakfast.

If you’re headed to Cheebo for lunch, order the pizza and a Cheebo Chop.  This is by far my favorite chop salad.  They have a vegetarian version but I don’t understand the point of that.  Get it with all the cheese and meat they will put in. It’s delish.  

To make Cheebo even more interesting than the food is that once in awhile a relaxed, chilled out celebrity will be eating right next to you.  It’s Hollywood so everyone’s cool like that.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Over and Over

Cheebo

7533 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles 90046

(323)850-7070

Hours: 8:00a-11:00p Every Day

Reservations: Call

BOA Santa Monica

Although our Christmas holiday involved more food than anyone could ever consume, we found ourselves watching the Food Network non-stop this past Saturday.  If you recall, the morning started out cold but dry and quickly devolved into a rainy, soggy mess.  I was out on my bike and got caught in the rain - fun.  So once I got home, all I wanted to do was sink into our bed and watch tv.  And watch tv we did.  In the early afternoon we were starting to get very hungry as we watched a series of restaurant shows on The Travel Channel.  One in particular, Food Paradise, was all about steakhouses.  We learned about dry-aging beef, wet-aging beef and how to get the best cuts of meat from a cow.

We were all dying for a steak and started calling around town to secure an early reservation with the kids.  Mastro’s was booked, Lawry’s was going to be too touristy but BOA was reasonably close and could seat us at 5:30p.  Perfect!  

We threw on slightly nicer clothes, slicked down the kids’ hair and took off for Santa Monica.  As we walked in, our son asked where the pictures were on the walls - unfortunately, he thought we were going to The Palm which he saw on that show.  Now I’m forced to take him there one day soon.  Only WE would have kids that think going to The Palm is normal.

I’ve eaten at BOA many times and this trip didn’t disappoint.  We started off with a special bruschetta appetizer with ricotta cheese, cherry tomatoes and truffle oil that was heavenly and a picture perfect chop salad.  The steaks were wonderful although my gigantic Porterhouse (to share with the kids - hello!) was much more rare than the “medium to medium well” I asked for.  I also really loved the wine menu with a number of unique, hard to find wines but mostly the half-bottles that allowed the two of us to try two different wines without spending a small fortune.

The coup de grace of the evening though was the perfectly square mound of blue cotton candy they made for the kids.  They went nuts.  Everyone around us was in awe of it and it was awe worthy.  For a last minute trip out for “cow” as my daughter said, it was a pretty great night.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Again 

BOA

101 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica 90401

(310)899-4466

Reservations