Review: BLD

Although BLD is one of my favorite restaurants, and has been around for several years, some of you may not know it. BLD stands for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and this place does each meal perfectly. BLD is located in the Beverly Corridor, and is owned by Neal and Amy Fraser, who also own Grace, another great restaurant that is located just a few blocks east.

We went to BLD for dinner last Saturday night, and as usual, had a delicious meal and a wonderful time. To start, my friend Luis got his standard cheese plate, which comes with an assortment of self-selected cheeses, toasted raisin walnut bread, baguette, fig cake, quince paste, fresh fruit, and spiced marcona almonds. We got two bottles of tasty Syrah for the table. Jamie and I shared a special salad, which had shaved artichokes, fava beans, frisee, and manchego cheese - so yummy. Jay had tomato soup with herbs. I honestly don't remember what anyone else had as an appetizer... I was already a bit tipsy by then!

For entrees, Jamie had a veggie burger with grandma's piccalili, homemade pickles, and fries. Andy had a grilled beef burger with cheese, homemade pickles, and fries. (BLD has an assortment of fancy, unique burgers.) Jay and I both had seared scallops with fresh pea risotto, pea tendrils, and carrot nage (which, in my opinion, is the best entree on the menu). Sadly, I don't remember what Amy and Luis had for their entrees, but I know they enjoyed their food.

On a sidenote, one of BLD's most innovative offerings is the self-constructive dinner. You choose a protein from the following: grilled free range half chicken, grilled flatiron steak, grilled salmon, and hemp seed crusted tofu. Then you choose two sides and one sauce from the following options: fresh polenta, roasted fingerling potatoes, french fries, garlic rapini, kale, brussel sprouts, wild mushrooms/ basil pesto, lemon butter, red wine sauce, garlic nage.

For dessert, I always get the same thing - it is so divine that I must order it every time I go to BLD. So I shared the homemade crepe with nutella and bananas with Amy, Jay, and Luis... although, of course, I ate the vast majority of it myself!

In sum, BLD is one of the best restaurants in LA! You should definitely try it... especially for brunch and for dinner :)

Review: Tavern

I had the pleasure of enjoying a delicious meal at Tavern on Tuesday night (thanks J)! This new restaurant in Brentwood is a joint venture between Suzanne Goin of AOC and Lucques (two amazing restaurants right near my place in WeHo) and Caroline Styne. For the past few weeks, I've been getting emails about Tavern from DailyCandy, Thrillist, Urban Daddy, and Zagat's, as it just opened recently. So you can imagine, I was really excited to try it.

Tavern is located in the old Hamburger Hamlet space in Brentwood. We used to have Board meetings there for the U of M Alumni Club of LA, and let me tell you, it was a dumpy, gross restaurant. I barely recognized it as Tavern - they made it into a truly beautiful dining space! Tavern has an opulent yet comfortable atmosphere. There are three main areas, including the larder/bakery with large windows and a view into the kitchen, the lounge/bar area with luxurious plush chairs and couches, and a stunning dining room atrium with high, vaulted ceilings, mirrors, and real trees.

We were seated at a table right next to Tyra Banks, who was out with some friends. That was pretty cool for me - not growing up in LA, I still get excited about celebrity sightings. Another one to add to my list! Back to the meal - we ordered a bottle of Syrah, which was so yummy. As for the menu, I had actually studied it online beforehand, so I knew what I wanted to order. In my opinion, the menu was just right, as it had enough choices to be interesting without being overwhelming (just like the menu at Lucques). Given my obsession with burrata (creamy mozzarella), I ordered spring vegetables with burrata, olives, and meyer lemons as my appetizer. It did not disappoint! I literally cleaned my plate. J had diver scallops with green garlic soubise and tangelo. He really liked the scallops but was not in love with the greens. I tried the greens and liked them though :) Maybe men just don't like vegetables?

For my entree, I had mussels and clams with vermouth, artichokes, and fava toast. This dish was truly delectable. The mussels and clams were cooked perfectly, flavored with the dish's broth but not overwhelmed by it. Under the mussels and clams and partially in the broth were some tasty mashed potatoes. The artichokes were a nice addition, both in terms of flavor and texture. I loved the juxtaposition of textures! I also loved the fava toast, because it was unique and because I could dip it into the broth. I, of course, finished everything on my plate. J had Niman Ranch hangar steak with creamed spinach and fingerlings. It was a rich, creamy dish, with strong flavors. He was not in love with it, but I really liked it (big surprise, I know). I even had the leftovers for lunch on Wednesday and they really hit the spot!

No room for dessert because we were so full from the meal and from the bottle of wine. Maybe next time.

In sum, I loved this restaurant and would really like to go back - maybe I will take my parents when they visit LA this summer. The dining environment was lovely, the service was excellent, and the food was fantastic. Tavern gets an A+ for being simple, elegant, fresh, and innovative.