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Although I won’t hunt down the Komodo Truck any time soon, if I saw it again, I’d gladly order a Seoul Food Special burrito and one (or two) orders of truffle fries.
You have to love the touch of Hawai’i at the top!
Traditionally, restaurants located in malls are of the chain variety (there must be some kind of mandate that there be a P.F. Chang’s, Cheesecake Factory or California Pizza Kitchen in every mall) and, if not, they are most likely not noteworthy.
Westside Tavern, however, located in the Westside Pavilion, is no average restaurant-in-a-mall; the restaurant, which is helmed by Chef Warren Schwartz, earned a spot on LA Magazine‘s list of “Best New Restaurants.”
This weekend, after checking out Iron Man 2, I headed to Westside Tavern to give it a try for myself. Because the restaurant doesn’t take reservations (and because a few other movies were letting out), we were told there was a 45 minute wait. Luckily, the ultimate time-killer– Barnes and Noble–is nearby (*dork alert*).
J ordered the Cheeseburger (Tillamook cheddar, caramelized onions, egg bun, $14.00) with fries. With its fluffy bun and cheese dripping down the side, this burger was picture-perfect. In terms of taste, although each bite was satisfyingly textured and juicy, the meat was not particularly impressive, and the $14.00 price tag seems a bit hefty.
Our friend’s Tri-tip Sandwich (arugula, grilled balsamic onions, blue cheese, mustard-horseradish sauce, pain rustique roll, $16.00), on the other hand, was worth every penny. I hate blue cheese, but its kick worked well with the tang of the arugula and the mustard-horseradish sauce. The tri-tip had the perfect char to it, and the crunchy pain rustique roll tied everything together nicely.
I ordered the James Ranch Lamb French Dip (orange marmalade, horseradish cream, rosemary au jus, soft roll, $16.00) because, if ever lamb is on the menu, I will order it. This also contained an ingredient I don’t love–horseradish–but, damn do the folks at Westside Tavern know what they’re doing. It was the spice of the horseradish juxtaposed against the mild flavor of the lamb and au jus that took this sandwich from good to great.
Westside Tavern
westsidetavernla.com
10850 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(310) 470-1539