Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Public Kitchen and Bar at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

Oxtail Galette, Poached Egg
Crispy Oxtail Galette, poached egg, frisee ($9)
The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel is already the local hotspot, and it's now even more so with Chef Tim Goodell's newly opened Public Kitchen and Bar (he is also responsible for the burger joint, 25 Degrees).

They managed to keep the look continuous with the iconic hotel without the "drab". The tall windows let in plenty of light at 6pm, giving it a spacious and bright feel.
IMG_0054
Loved the clean look of the chandelier, too.
The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel has strong cocktail programs all around, with Matt Biancanello at Library Bar and Aidan Demarest heading The Spare Room. The cocktail program at Public is not to be left behind either, the menu was actually created by Matt's mentor. I'm sure I'll end up drinking at Public more than Library Bar or Spare Room since the cocktails here are only $9!

Kentucky Brunch Cocktail
I started with the Kentucky Brunch (r1-rye whiskey, apricot marmalade, lemon, egg white), a refreshingly sweet yet potent drink. The cocktails here definitely on par with the best bars in LA.

My next drink was the Alexandra (milagro silver tequila, aperol, st. germain, lemon syrup, passionfruit, yuzu juice, mint).  It sounded like it would be sweet with the list of ingredients but it was nicely balanced.
Alexandra Cocktail

Now, onto the food.
Parker House Rolls with Vermont creamery butter ($5), which was a recipe of Chef Goodell's grandmother.
Parker House Rolls


Chicken Liver Terrine, kumquat marmalade, rustic bread ($14)
A table favorite, especially with the tart kumquat marmalade. So rich and creamy you (almost) don't even need foie gras. When you run out of the bread, just spread it over the rolls - double the richness.

The Chicharrones with chili and lime ($7) weren't crispy as I had expected, but was thick and fatty (think bacon!)
Chicharrons

Being a big fan of gnocchi, I also really enjoyed the gnudi (made with ricotta cheese instead of potato)
Gnudi
Gnudi, brown butter, chanterelles, bacon -$10
One of my favorite entrees was the Spice Duck Steak, leg confit, caramelized turnips ($22)
Duck Steak
Both the breast and the leg confit were juicy and wonderfully gamey.

We also got one of that day's blackboard specials, the duck and foie gras sausage!
IMG_0092
The sausage itself is quite moist, but don't forget to savor the foie juices that burst out of this sausage as you bite into it. This dish also showcases the quality of the products here with the exceptionally sweet cherry tomatoes.

The table was divided over the Shaker Lemon Pie as most aren't used to eating lemon rinds, and I'm not sure that the crust worked particularly well with it, but I did love the Valrhona Chocolate Souffle for two ($12).
Valrhona Chocolate Souffle
Unlike your normal souffle, the center of this one is chock full of melted Valrhona chocolate.

The butterscotch pudding had a nice touch of sea salt.
Pudding
Chocolate and Butterscotch Pudding ($8)

The food at Public tends to be rich and flavorful, and they're elevated comfort food. Some I thought were too heavy, like the potato tart, and needed an accompaniment to cut it, but for the most part they were a sure crowd pleaser (there are lighter options too like the Crab Feuilles Des Brik w/ Espelette Aioli). Public Kitchen and Bar offers good food, good cocktails, and reasonable prices for both. In short, this should be your go-to Hollywood spot.

Public Kitchen and Bar
7000 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 769-8888
Public Kitchen & Bar on Urbanspoon

Disclosure: this meal was hosted.

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