I've been wanting to come to The Tavern – brought to you by Suzanne Goin & Caroline Styne of my favorites, Lucques and AOC – FOREVER. Thanks to our monthly girl's night out, it finally became possible.
It'd been a ridiculously long time since I'd been to Brentwood, so getting there in post-work Santa Monica Blvd traffic was quite the battle. But once I arrived and stepped inside, I felt like I was whisked away to another world: A sexy European bar with gorgeous blue-gray high back chairs & dark woods; A Napa country A-frame farmhouse with assorted cream fabrics & steel-beaded tables; A Parisian cafe a.k.a. their front-of-house cheese, charcuterie & picnic box shop, The Larder.
The Grubdown:
- slightly crispy golden-brown outside, a little too oily & salty, yet crazy tender 'n creamy Sauteed Sole with Cauliflower Puree, Golden Raisins, Almonds & Sherry $28
- spicy 'n smooth with just a touch of fruit Hocus Pocus Santa Ynez '08 Syrah $13
Yes I know what you're thinking...1 item? YourNextBite only dined on ONE ITEM?!? To put things into perspective, and if you didn't know already, I have my fabulous Natalia Rose Detox 4 Women to thank for that. Currently, I'm not allowed to combine proteins & starches, or have meat, grains, or fruit. But since the detox is going surprisingly well, I was not going to cave, even for the Tavern.
Almonds & Golden Raisins aside, the most Detox-friendly dish on Tavern's menu was the Sauteed Sole. It has a golden crispy hue on the outside with the slightest char, and super plump 'n meaty on the inside. The Cauliflower Puree is creamy 'n sweet, which helps cut the over-salted oiliness. (Out of the three Soles ordered, I was the only one who had this issue. And, yes, 1 girl was on my Detox too so you can't blame it on my tastebuds.) But, that didn't stop me from devouring almost the entire plate because once I popped, I couldn't stop.
From the other dishes ordered – The Green Goddess Crab Salad ($16), Butternut Squash Soup with Prosciutto & Maple Creme Fraiche ($11), Braised Lamb Shank with Saffron Rice ($28), and "Snickers" Bar Dessert ($10) – not one peep was heard for the 1st 5 minutes in which they arrived. Needless to say, the girls enjoyed each & every dish and we all can't wait to return.
For Valentine's Day, The Tavern is offering a special 4-course prix-fixe menu at $85 per person. Check out their website for details. Follow @TavernLa on twitter for daily specials.
11648 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. 310-806-6464
Fabulous...LOVE all three looks!
Posted by: larder cupboard | 07/05/2012 at 03:38 AM
Hi,
Thank you very much for posting this!!!!
Posted by: Brentwood Cleanse | 03/25/2012 at 11:37 PM
I loved the Butternut Squash Soup - and was thrilled that they were happy to accommodate! If you ask for the soup without the Prosciutto & Maple Creme Fraiche it's a vegan soup! :)
Posted by: Laura | 01/20/2011 at 09:49 AM