EPICUREAN’S PARADISE

French Food Alfresco: The Hall

BY ERIC ROSEN

It’s hard to say what The Hall at the new Palihouse Hotel in West Hollywood is, exactly. Is it a bar, bistro, brasserie, lounge, café, or fine-dining restaurant? The answer lies somewhere at the intersection of all those terms.

Just as The Hall features three main areas—the lovely, leafy outdoor patio; the more staid and stark indoor bistro; and the knickknack-strewn living room—so too does its menu offering diverse choices to enjoy in each atmosphere. We recommend grabbing one of the marble-topped tables in the patio and sitting back in your Tuileries Gardens-style chair as you peruse the small but impressive menu designed by Chef Stephanie O’Mary, fresh from Dakota at the Roosevelt Hotel.

Start off with one of the savory small bites, like the crunchy ratatouille crostini, or the deviled eggs if you’re hankering for a taste of nostalgia. The little tomato tart, which is moist yet not soggy, is warm and delicious. Or if you’re just in the mood to nibble, try the three-meat plate with pâté, or the cheese plate with fruits.

Even if you don’t like frisée—and we know there are plenty of you out there—the frisée salad aux lardoons is a great standard French dish of crispy greens topped with a poached egg and mouthwatering lardoons that just drip with salty goodness. The other salad choices are more conventional and unremarkable including mixed greens with goat cheese, a beet salad with ricotta, and your average Caesar salad.

The main course section of the menu is comprised of classics like the steak frites, the duck confit with fingerling potatoes, and even a croque monsieur for your inner enfant. For more sophisticated palates, the seared scallops over succotash are luscious and rich. The merguez sausage sandwich is also flavorful and filling.

But of course, the French are just as well-known for their desserts, so you should definitely leave room for the sinfully sweet pear cobbler served à la mode, or the silky smooth crème brulée… or both. We won’t tell.

And what would a French meal be without a bottle of fine wine? The Hall’s wine list is an inspired mix of reasonably priced vintages from France and California with just a few from Italy and Australia thrown in, that eschews trendy varietals (Syrah, anyone?) in favor of good-value bottles.

Vital Info

The Hall

8465 Holloway Dr., West Hollywood
323/656-4020
www.thehallbrasserie.com
The Cuisine: French
The Scene Neighborhood celebrities, out-of-towners
Must Try Steak frites, truffle fries, pear cobbler
Cost $$$

HOT PLATES

Kokomo Café: Long a gay staple at Farmer’s Market on Third, Kokomo Café has moved to more modern, stylish digs at Beverly and Martel. We love its chocolate and turquoise color scheme, more convenient location, and especially, the food! The menu is more expansive at this location, though still offering Kokomo classics such as the roasted tomato soup and scrumptious patty melt. We are devotees of their Cajun-infused breakfast offerings, especially the eggs Sardou—similar to eggs Benedict only with artichoke and spinach in lieu of ham—and the fantastic low-carb omelette (egg whites with smoked turkey, goat cheese, spinach, and tomatoes). This may be our favorite breakfast/lunch find in some time. P.S. Kokomo is now a star, featured as the Peach Pit in the new Beverly Hills: 90210. 7385 BEVERLY BLVD. 323/933-0773 CALIFORNIA DINER $

Chipotle: I have a friend who refuses to eat Mexican food anymore, complaining of being confronted by too many plates of indistiguishable bean-y, cheesy goop. I couldn’t completely disagree with his observation until a recent visit to Chipotle. Supporting their manifesto “Food with integrity,” Chipotle offers gourmet flavor with high-quality ingredients (like sustainable produce and naturally raised, antibiotic-free chicken—trust me, you can taste the difference), at lightening-fast service. The marinated chicken burritos with roasted chili-corn salsa are beyond delicious and rank among the city’s best. The carb-conscious can skip the tortilla with a low-cal fajita bowl. And I don’t have space to describe the delicious margaritas! Suffice to say, Chipotle gives fast food a good name. There are over 60 locations in SoCal. Find one near you at www.chipotle.com $

The Waffle: Comfort food with high-quality, artisan ingredients, late-night hours, and deliciously modern décor? Yes, please. Lesbian Chef Scooter Kanfer delivers the goods with her reinvention of the American diner, and we really feel the love digging into culinary creations such as the cornmeal jalapeño waffle with crispy boneless chicken breast, old-school greens and brown gravy, the blueberry lemon waffle, and Scooter’s famous mac & cheese. The daily Blue Plate specials are out of this world, and The Waffle even extends the love to those of us with food allergies, with such lip-smacking offerings as the vegan Ruben, gluten-free waffle, and nondairy milkshake. Did we mention there’s also a full bar, and you can get breakfast any time of day? Almost too much goodness here—we hope Chef Scooter opens more locations. 6255 W. SUNSET BLVD. 323/465-6901 AMERICAN DINER $$

California Vegan: Carnivores rejoice! Should your eco-conscious new lover pull the vegetarian test on you, ride-share them over to this Thai/Chinese-inspired restaurant and spare yourself from the overpriced and tasteless vegan stereotypes. For although there is no meat or dairy to be found within the confines of this karma conscious kitchen, you’ll hardly notice because their soy and seitan meat substitutes are surprisingly close to the real thing. With a few exceptions, even the most die-hard meat eaters will find the food here tasty and hearty enough to spare you the McDonald’s run afterwards—and if you grab a lunch or dinner special, it will cost about the same. 7300 W. SUNSET BLVD. 323/874-9079 THAI/CHINESE $

Peninsula Beverly Hills Afternoon Tea: Anglophiles needn’t whinge on anymore about how all the cream tea places are over in Santa Monica—the Peninsula Beverly Hills has two seatings every day at 2:30 and 5 p.m. Set in their gracious living room, with accompaniment by a live harpist and overlooking the garden, you can nestle on the comfy couches, nibbling scones with clotted cream and strawberries interspersed with delicate sips of their fine teas. The finger sandwiches are nonpareil, and in all honesty, better than anything the U.K. has to offer. All the refinement, but in your own backyard. 9882 S. SANTA MONICA BLVD. 310/551-2888 ENGLISH $$

Luckyfish: Just the mere idea of kaiten-zushi—conveyer belt snaking through a restaurant and delivering fresh sushi and other Japanese treats—is a dream come true: a Disneyland for sushi-lovers. Luckyfish is no pokey joint either—it’s all high-style and high-tech, with fortunately low prices. Perfect for impressing a lunch date (they even offer bento boxes to go) or a special-occasion dinner. Luckyfish satisfies even the pickiest of palates, with ultra-fresh fish and creative twists on classic dishes. 338 N. CAÑON DR. 310/274-9800 SUSHI $$

WHERE TO EAT

Bombay Grill

We eschew more elaborate Indian restaurants in favor of the fantastic food, friendly service, and mom-and-pop charm of Bombay Grill. The velvety and flavorful chicken tikka masala is far and above the best in town, and comes with some truly outstanding naan bread that is freshly made in front of your eyes. Our tip is to order takeout, and shop for essentials at Trader Joe’s while your order is cooked up. All main dishes come with vegetable of the day, and there are plenty of delicious veggie side dishes, such as gobi aloo (cauliflower and potatoes cooked in spices) to be had. Two people can eat well for less than $25, with room for leftovers. It just doesn’t get any better. 7306 1/4 SANTA MONICA BLVD., WEST HOLLYWOOD 323/874-3366 INDIAN $ —KORINA JOCHIM