Birch

Nifty, hip, industrial place serving British-​inspired meals. In this long overdue review, I’ll describe the Sunday Roast that we took our mum to for Mother’s Day. Their Mum’s day brunch is $ 55/​head. It comes with a soup and salad and dessert. The main protein is your choice of roast beef, roast chicken, baked salmon, or rack of lamb for $ 6 more.
The soup was a cold asparagus vichyssoise with crème fraîche and chives. So beautifully plated (see the photo). It was really smooth and savory with a nice blend of flavors. Everyone loved it. The butter lettuce salad with goat cheese, radish, and croutons was good, but the dressing wasn’t the best. Salad was served «family style».
The main dishes were pretty classic, no twists or anything like that. I got the baked salmon, which was silky and perfectly cooked. The beurre blanc was fabulous. I was quite pleased! The roast beef and yorkshire pudding was as expected. The roast chicken was amazingly good. The lamb rack was also as expected. The mint sauce came in a special jar with an eyedropper. Everything came with generous sides. Caramelized carrots, brussels sprouts, peas were as expected. The roast potatoes were a hit… they had this crisp, almost deep-​fried, exterior that everyone was fighting for. Not a lot of people ate the cauliflower cheese. It was okay.
A bunch of us got «fauxitos» (alcohol free mojitos), but IMHO, they were not worth the $ 6/​piece. Too much ice, not enough flavor.
The dessert was a fanciful concoction with ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries, freeze dried bits, and strawberry syrup. The dessert was a shared dish too, which is weird, in my mind. There was entirely too much whipped cream and not enough ice cream!
The «highlight» of our meal was… Keanu Reeves. Yes, that Keanu Reeves. He looks quite scruffy in real life! Our cousin spotted him with what looked like his sister at the bar. They moved to a table with some other people. Our clever aunt identified Keanu’s blonde haired British mum who looked nothing like him. Awww… how sweet! We decided not to disturb them and to respect their privacy, therefore, no photos folks! There were some other actors in there too… our aunt spotted a lady from one of the CSI shows.
Overall, a solid place to eat, but expensive. Can be distracting because of the celebrities. We’d consider coming back for dinner, so we can try some of their more creative dishes. Parking is not easy — we found a lot nearby.

This play was EXCELLEEENT!
The ambience is nice, clean, they got trendy light bulbs ‘cuz you know that’s a must nowadays at hip restaurants.
The service was GREAT! Our server, Sin, was so much fun and gave us great recs for food. She gets 5 stars!!!
We had:
Scallop sashimi (good)
Salmon cornets (AMAZING*)
Monkfish Tikka Masala (great taste and beautiful presentation!
Capellini (⁴⁄₅ stars, when we were first served the dish it was WAY too salty and we are not new to squid ink seafood pasta dishes, however, they were very gracious about us sending it back and they made us another plate that was less salty! It was so nice of them and we really enjoyed the dish then)
The drinks were also great! Yippeeee
Also need to mention the busser, I wish I had gotten his name, he was such an impeccable gentleman!
And the host was super cool as well.
The place had an all around great vibe. DEF COMING BACK!
Second time around — our server Laura was amazing!!!

*** 3.5 stars ***
Birch is a small-​ish restaurant that has somewhat of a casual vibe yet serves very upscale food.
Each dish was beautiful, presented individually like a work of art — the type of food that people will take their camera out to take a picture. Taste-​wise, everything was pretty good, and there were a couple of stand outs, but nothing blew me away. However, I was impressed with the presentation. Note that because each dish comes out individually, it takes a bit of time to eat here.
I brought my sister here for her 40^th birthday, and it was a good choice for a special occasion given the quality of the presentation. I just wish it had more of a «wow» factor when it came to flavor, especially given the fact that it is not cheap.
FOOD:
Crab cake — this did not look like any crab cake that I’d ever seen before. It was served in a crispy rolled up shell, almost like a crab egg roll. I really liked this one, because it was so unique, and who doesn’t like fried egg rolls?
Brussels sprouts — served with pork belly — this was a very large serving size and we left with leftovers of this dish. There was a decent amount of pork in this dish, so it wasn’t purely a side dish like we expected, and it was served on its own. Good, but not a stand out. A bit greasy, and I’ve had plenty of better brussels dishes.
Cauliflower — I was a fan of this, being a cauliflower fan and never considered pairing it with feta cheese before. One of the dishes I enjoyed more.
Monkfish Tikka Masala — this falls into the «interesting» category for me. I’m glad we tried it, but I think I’ll stick to having masala at Indian restaurants.
Squid ink lobster Cavatelli — this was both of our favorite dish, both flavorful and interesting. Definitely a stand out!
All in all I didn’t walk away disappointed, but I also didn’t feel like I had to rush back.

Yet another restaurant trying to make it in a seedy part of town. Looking at their website I was favorably impressed. Upon arriving I wondered if it was the same place on the web. It’s smaller than I expected but couldn’t help feeling I was eating in someone’s reasonably decorated garage. I jest not because the garage door is in the ceiling on rollers which obviously closes at the end of the day exactly how garage doors close.
The service is good with real cloth napkins and a table cloth. The menu is nicely presented. The food is good but the selection for me is poor. If you are looking to get a salad with your meal this is the wrong place as they don’t serve salads or soup in any way shape or form.
The beer selection is poor with only 4 beers on tap. When I was there there were only 3. Beers and wine are expensive. The meals are also expensive at $ 24 a plate just for Sunday Brunch of Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding.
According to their website the owner hails from Nottingham, England. The only thing English is their Sunday brunch, fish & chips, and bangers and mash and English breakfast. Nottingham has some wonderful ales. I was born and raised in Derby 17 miles west of Nottingham. Beer, especially cask real ale, is a delight in Nottingham. Not so here at the Birch. Not an English ale in sight and definitely no cask beer.
So overall, the meal was reasonable but the setting is very disappointing and expect your bill with a tip to be close to $ 100 if you have brunch and a couple of drinks.
Good luck finding a place to park. There are some seedy little places to park if you can’t find room on the street that charge between $ 7-​$ 10.
My review of Birch was for Sunday Brunch. If you plan to eat here in the evening I would imagine their dinner evening meal will be even more expensive so check first.
I won’t be going back and cannot recommend this place to my friends.

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner on a Tuesday night. We were celebrating our anniversary so we thought this would be the perfect place for a date — we won’t be coming back.
The music was loud and clubby which was odd for the ambiance of the restaurant. We had to shout to each other for our entire meal. I love non stop beyonce and britney spears as much as anyone, but hearing Toxic blasting while i’m trying to have a relaxing dinner is not ideal.
Our server was very nice but did not guide us through the menu very well. We ended up ordering way too much food. The menu is presented as a tasting menu but the portions are enormous. I’m fine with getting a lot for my money, but when we order several different plates when 2 would have been fine, it’s very annoying.
The Peach Burrata was very tasty and perfect for two people. The octopus and rabbit baklava was okay as well.
The cauliflower dish was honestly the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen on a plate. It’s a whole head of cauliflower covered in sauce with a bunch of stuff on top. It looked like a fruit cake. We wouldn’t have ordered it if we knew how huge it was. I tried a portion but the sauce was so overpowering I couldn’t finish.
The real star of the night was the pork shank dish. We wish we had just ordered the burrata and the pork. It’s HUGE and perfectly cooked — meat just falling off the bone. Absolutely delicious.
I won’t be recommending this place anytime soon.

Great Sunday brunch spot! In the middle of Hollywood! However our waitress told us dinner is extremely good as well. Looking forward to returning for dinner. Mimosas were great made with fresh orange juice! Chicken liver toast was so yummy and I’m not even a big fan of liver. My memories of my mom trying to make me eat liver still haunt me, but this liver mousse was exquisite, topped with a thin layer of jelly and a few crispy pickles on the side were the perfect side for the mousse.
Banjo burger was also very good a little bigger than I would like but put a fried egg on any burger and it will always be delicious. Fries were a little disappointing. But overall a great brunch!

My girlfriends and I came here for a GNO on a Friday night.
I had made reservations so we had no problems getting a table.
We arrive for our dinner and are seated at a table with 2 other random people … what? There were 6 of us and it was a 8 person table. It wasn’t THAT busy that they had to seat us with a random couple. I mean the couple ended up being nice but how awkward. They were obviously on a date and we were a group of girls being loud and unruly. We could feel the awkwardness all night.
We ordered the:
Salmon cornets — Small portions. Very small. Half the people at the table liked it. The other half not so much.
8 oz birch burger — Decent burger but nothing that sets it apart from another burger.
Monkfish tikka masala — Least favorite dish
Lobster capellini — Favorite dish. Everyone loved this one!
Pork shank — Very tender. Meat fell off the bone.
We ordered alot more drinks than food and while the service was very friendly they were very slow. All of our drinks took about 15 minutes and I stress that it wasn’t that busy. Our meal for 6 people ended up coming out to $ 415 including tip and tax.

You know the nostalgia for comfort food that hits you? This is a brunch only review. And what a good brunch they make.
The restaurant is style in a minimalist design. Wooden chairs with soft curves. Gray walls with some plant, dark wood, light wood accents. A very serene place to come have a weekend brunch.
I ordered the Proper English Breakfast ($ 20) and it came in a sizeable portion. It came with a cooked tomato, beans, blood sausage, sausage, mushrooms, toast, eggs, and bacon. I wished tomato was grilled but it was sweet and tangy. The blood sausage had a rich salty savory intensity. The sausage was juicy and herby. Good beans and I wished there were more to pair with the food. The eggs had an orange glow of a loving sunset that spoke of its freshness. Good bacon that had a good bite. Airy toast that seemed a little crispy. I wished the bread was heartier, denser.
All in all. It’s a great place to get some English breakfast food if you’re in the area and willing the spend some coin. I’d definitely looking to come for dinner.

Items Selected:
Arancini with Cauliflower Purée, Truffle Oil, Young Parmesan
Monkfish Tikka Masala with Basmati Rice Cracker
Rabbit Baklava with Carrot, Mustard Seed, Honey
Pork Shank with Palm Sugar, Black Garlic Hoisin, Butter Lettuce, Pickles, Sriracha, Za’atar Flatbread
Bourbon Glazed Beignets with Pear Compote, Housemade «Cool Whip»
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Burnt Sugar Ice Cream
Located just off Hollywood Boulevard, the North Cahuenga garage door blending right into its environs — and likely passed by thousands who do not even know it to be a restaurant every single day — Birch by Brendan Collins seems to have recently gotten lost in conversation thanks to ever-​trendy local dining customs, though a recent Wednesday visit showed the cooking to still be amongst the best in LA.
Smallish in size from the exterior, a canapé overhanging the outdoor podium offering only minimal protection of a hostess in the glare of setting sun, it was exactly at 5:15pm that I arrived for my reservation and as the only diner present for the bulk of my meal the service could not have been more pleasant, a water bottle graciously offered for refills while Chef Collins and the GM also took time to make my acquaintance.
Born in Nottingham, but no stranger to SoCal diners thanks to acclaimed stints in kitchens including Waterloo & City, Collins describes Birch as «a combination of old-​school and new-​school cooking,» the decoration Nordic-​minimalist without feeling IKEA while the soundtrack roams all the way from The Rolling Stones to P.Diddy.
Seating around fifty when accounting for the bar, another fifteen or so via al fresco patio in back, Collins and his kitchen staff can be seen working dilligently through the windows of a glass box at the far end of the restaurant and having already created a few signatures spruced up by seasonal innovations the focus of my meal was on the former, a four course tasting served at a perfect pace for just over a hundred dollars, all-​in.
No doubt benefitted by early arrival, the kitchen literally cooking for just one until seconds before dessert, the meal began with a complimentary rice ball fried crisp atop smooth cauliflower before diving into clever Monkfish Tikka Masala unskewered tableside beneath a curvaceous Basmati cracker, the orange pool of sauce fragrant but not particularly spicy and thereby not overwhelming the meaty fish’s flavor.
At this point easily one of the most recognizable dishes in the city, Collins placing a Frenched Rack atop flaky layers of phyllo layered with braised saddle and loin, the Rabbit Baklava comes through both sweet and savory without being overwhelmed by mustard seeds, the *Must Eat* Pork Shank an equally balanced dish in terms of richness cut by sugar, the skin itself as shattering as puff pastry while the meat was supple without being too fatty with nuance added by Bahn Mi styled condiments.
Citing the Chef’s British heritage as a reason to order Sticky Toffee Pudding, a personal favorite I’d have greedily gotten regardless of pedigree, the presentation of the dish was unfortunately quite tiny beneath Burnt Sugar Ice Cream in a deep pool of sauce prone to wasting, the more «American» Bourbon Glazed Beignets a far more sharable dessert with soft pillows of warm dough atop Pear Compote with whipped cream, the best bite actually using the doughnuts to sop up all the mixed caramel and melted ice cream left over from the pudding.

Sometimes you get a hankering for English food, and I’ve found it pretty difficult to find here in Los Angeles. I was happily surprised by the offerings at Birch, the food is quite good!
— Chicken liver toast with cornichons — Definitely a must. This was probably my favorite dish. The toast and tangy cornichons are perfectly crispy and pair well with the creamy, savory pâté with a thin layer of sweet jelly on top.
— Bangers and mash — A generous portion with 2 crispy, juicy sausages atop creamy mashed potatoes in a sweet onion gravy. So good.
— Bacon and egg «banjo» burger — Very good as well. The burger is moist and has a distinct Worchestershire sauce seasoning. I’m not as big of a fan of the fries though, not crispy enough.
All in all, a delicious brunch, can’t wait to go back for dinner… especially the sticky toffee pudding.

TERRIBLE SERVICE!!!
This restaurant and its management does not care about their clients.
We came here on a Saturday night and left our car with the valet. Upon leaving the restaurant, the valet brought back our car with damage to the side. I immediately brought this up to the valet person before getting in the car. They gave me a phone number to call on Monday to resolve the issue.
Called on Monday and long story short, the valet gave me the run around and refused to give me their insurance information. I then proceeded to call the restaurant to get the information from them. I originally spoke with someone who was not in charge and they told me that either the GM — Gabby, or the Owner — Brendon will call me the next day… Never happened. I followed up with an email and finally a few days later Gabby replied… Never heard once from Brendon.
Gabby proceeded to drag this on for as long as possible, a week to be exact, and refused to provide me with any help at all. She did not provide me with a video from the front of the restaurant which the valet parking guy AND a restaurant employee said that there is. She also did not provide me with the insurance information for the valet company. She claimed that she did not have the insurance info.
How can you not have info on a vendor that you hire??? If such is the case, then this is major negligence on the behalf of the restaurant to hire a vendor and not check and keep records of their paperwork. This either shows a lack of interest in protecting their patrons, or shows that they are protecting their valet instead of helping a paying client.
I never expected such poor customer service from an establishment that positions itself as fine restaurant. I will never be back and will recommend to all that if you do chose to visit them (nothing special btw!) don’t expect much if something goes wrong!

So was continuing my quest for LA establishments to grab dinner at and Birch popped onto my radar after searching on Unilocal.Made our way over to Hollywood on a Saturday for a 6 PM reservation and had to circle the block a few times as the parking was getting tricky. We were fortunate to find a meter spot a block away but I know the place has valet plus there seems to be a parking lot in the small street behind the restaurant. We showed up for the reservation and were greeted by smiling faces and sat immediately at our table. The restaurant itself is styled with minimal décor but clean making it similar to the way Animal is designed. The biggest difference is that there was a nice sized bar and window to see the chefs working their stuff.
After sitting down, I started to peruse their cocktail menu as there were a lot of Unilocalers commenting on their drinks. I decided to go with the old fashioned #10 and went with the whiskey. The cocktail was solid and I loved the uniqueness of the ice cube coming out with fruits embedded within it. I was a fan and ordered two throughout the course of the meal. For the food we decided to go with the Chicken Liver & Foie Gras mousse, the rabbit baklava, and the pork shank. I saw some of the Unilocal reviews stating that they had a difficult time with service but I suppose I was fortunate enough to not have had that problem while dining here. Our server was very helpful and she was attentive throughout the meal even with additional requests such as bringing out extra cilantro. The Liver & Foie Gras was the first to come out and came with toasted bread. The mousse was a solid starter and had the right texture to it and was a generous portion. I wish there was more toast because I felt like I was forcing a heaping portion on each piece of bread to balance it out. I was glad that it wasn’t «too rich» and the pickles are also nice I think to cut through the sweetness if required. The rabbit baklava was next and I think this was also a solid dish. I could see how it could get a quick pass but the key thing here was that the meat was not gamey at all. The outside crust was soft and flaky with tender pieces of meat falling into the middle. The mustard seeds offered a nice contrast with the tzatziki offering a nice compliment also to the overall dish. I think this was very well made and a nice surprise. For the finale we got the Pork Shank which the waitress commented as «enough food» which I had no idea what it meant when she first said it. I realized exactly what she meant when I saw a platter heading our way and then eventually placed in front of us. This thing is a massive succulent piece of pork paired with cabbage, a pita wrap, a slaw mix with cilantro, hoisin sauce, and siracha sauce. The style kinda reminded me of what momofuku in NYC was trying to achieve but this was definitely an exclamation point to the meal. The pork is tender and a bit salty while it falls off the bone easily. I recommend using the slaw mix as it offers a sharp contrast to the saltiness of the meat making it perfect. It is also great to wrap it (Korean style) and put some hoisin and siracha sauce to blend it together. I was already full at this point from the first dish but still ended up killing a good portion of this dish. The one knock I have on this dish is that it wasn’t that original to me like the rabbit baklava but when you have a chunk of meat sitting in front of you, it is hard to deny the hearts in my eyes and stomach.
All in all, a good experience and definitely somewhere I will go back. The drinks were interesting and I am interested to try more of their options.

Le fiancé had made a last minute Dine LA reservation for the both of us at Birch since he’s been wanting to visit for a while now.
For a restaurant that closes at 9:00PM and accommodated us at 8:30PM (yes, we were THAT couple in this instance) I can truly say that I did not feel rushed all throughout the meal. In fact, service was amazing all throughout and the dine LA menu was definitely worth it.
Curried kabocha soup, brussel sprouts, crema: absolutely rich and luxurious to the taste in all the right ways. It’s on the creamy side of things but the hint of curry and crispy brussel sprouts definitely balances all flavor notes.
Stone crab croquetas, farmers egg, ginger broth: a tad salty — I mean, I get it. It’s crab. But maybe someone added a bit of salt? Either way, it was still a fantastic mish mash of textures when you put everything together and such a pleasing experience still.
Roasted salmon, pasta e fagioli: PERFECTLY cooked salmon. PERFECTLY seasoned fish skin. I rarely order salmon when eating out but oh my goodness I am so happy I decided to order salmon that night! PERFECT FISH IN EVERY SHAPE WAY AND FORM.
Chocolate pots de crème, bombolini: probably should have left this dish for a sweet tooth friend. The bombolini was amazing but my silly self should’ve taken a serious hint from «chocolate pots de crème» haha!
Btw, Palm sugar glazed pork chops was freakin’ amazing and so unexpected coming from Birch. This toffee nosed entitled wanker ass is slow clapping for Brendan Collins, slow clapping indeed.

DineLA review
3 courses + cocktail = $ 39
COCKTAILS
Yellow pepper, tequila, chartreuse, smoked salt, chili bitters — a bit tart, nice bite/​spice. Served with jalapeño
Cardamom, gin, carrot, aperol — rich, carrot flavor, a bit heavy
APPETIZER
Chicken Liver Foie Gras Mousse– a nice portion of creamy mousse served with crusty bread
ENTREE
Palm Sugar Glazed Pork Chops — really more like pork shank, the meat was tender and flavorful with the sugar glaze. It is served with pickled carrots, cucumbers and cilantro to be eaten with butter lettuce or flatbread. It reminded me of banh mi flavors.
DESSERTS
Sticky Toffee Pudding — sweet and rich, the pudding was moist and was served with a delicious toffee sauce.
This place serves solid food, but there wasn’t anything spectacular about it. The space is modern and the service was efficient and friendly. However, the ambience and service lacked a bit of warmth overall.
parking — metered or valet

The search for fine food ends at Birch. This is easily one the top 5 dining destinations in the City. Forget the sorta seedy hood. Look past the roaming denizens of the chaos outside and step into this wonderful über hip, smart, grand food and cocktail outpost. Settle back in comfort and enjoy a unique experience.
The concept is an homage to the chef’s boyhood home surrounded by woods, complete with little birch twigs holding the constantly evolving menu together.
Who doesn’t miss Waterloo and City? Well, Chef Brendan Collins is here in his own space and rockin’ the town. And who would complain about the Beatles hovering and swirling overhead in the sensible volume music loop.
There’s a warm welcome from the mêlée in your life waiting for you along with a nice table, or one of the 14 comfy bar seats. Perhaps you’d like the cozy romantic tiny patio out back suitable for proposing marriage or simply making a proposition.
On a pleasant evening the front of the place is completely open to the World. Or at least to the street so you can sit at a counter and watch the valet strip first gear on your Lambo or catch a snoot full of exhaust from the uncorked crotch rocket roaring through clogged traffic.
The Vibe: As au courant as au courant gets. It’s a small shoe box of a place but intelligently designed so you never feel like you’re a Jimmy Choo party pump packed in.
The Cocktail options are many and unusually good. Order by number so no cutesy names to roll your eye over. Have a #4 Ruby Port, Benedictine, Fluffy Orange (wouldn’t you like your oranges fluffed a little?), Nutmeg, Luxardo Cherry all over a Rubik’s cube sized ice block. Oh baby, one for each hand please and a long straw for the one in the middle.
The Food: Nothing like it in town. The chef is cooking for himself and hopes you enjoy and appreciate it too. I did and do. Bold flavors, risk taking adventuresome delicious food with no pretentious silliness. Just straight ahead well thought out, perfectly executed dishes. Kinda Indian, kinda Persian, kinda French, Italianesque, add a twist of Moroccan, and it all works.
Za’atar Flatbread. This is a Michigan bankroll of Persian Sangak Bread with a cup of Labneh (yogurt cheese). Too hot to handle when it arrives from the oven but so good when you can touch it I’d have eaten it stuffed it with dust bunnies or wiped down the 4 top next to me and enjoyed every bite.
The Grilled Octopus was a huge Elephant Man octo-​arm. Tender and charred just right with Shishito Peppers, Red Pepper Humus, and Sesame Seed Aioli. I high-​fived it before hoovering the entire appendage.
The Sunchokes with Red Curry, Coconut Milk, Broccolini, Lime and Cashews was stellar. It had a warm Punjabi punchaso to the curry and was the best dish I’ve had in recent memory. My feelers still have the last of the sauce on the ends as the bowl went back cleaner than the day it was new.
The Monkfish Tikka Masala in other hands is just junk fish. My Monk was spoon tender, moist, and the sauce would please any Rajah. So, take the whole harum and all the eunichs here just for this plate.
The Pork Shank was a beast. Succulent, juicy, and enough for the 7^th Cav. Slow roasted in palm sugar and black garlic hoisin sauce. I defy any Vegan to stay on the wagon when close enough to reach a slice of this pig.
The Sticky Toffee Pudding with Burnt Sugar Ice Cream was so… so English. My lips stiffened just looking at it.
The Staff: Sharp, smart, professional, helpful, and humorous. «What’s you name?» I asked. «Cyn» she replied. «C-​Y-​N?» «No,» she said with a gleam in her eye «S-​I-​N.» Father forgive me for I have could have «sinned» with enthusiasm.
There was a young man from Church,
Who found himself in a lurch.
He prayed to his Savior to forgive his behavior,
and was blessed with redemption at Birch.
And so shall you…

Birch is a 5 star restaurant in my book. Man what a fantastic dinner we had here. We came here during DineLa, but we both opted not to do it. The restaurant ain’t to big or to small, but definitely you shouldn’t come with a party of 6 or more. But I’m sure they’ll accommodate you.
PARKING:
Valet or street parking, but make sure you read the street signs. There were a lot of sighs that say no parking from 6pm-​3am at the meters.
SERVICE:
The service was excellent from start to finish. Very professional.
FOOD:
Scallop Sashimi: Let’s start of by saying what a beautiful presentation. This dish was fantastic. The flavor of the apple, celery, meyer lemon vinaigrette dizzle over the scallops was delish, and didn’t overwhelm the freshest of the sweet taste of the scallops. The pomegranate give it a nice little crunchy texture.
Rabbit Baklava: Outstanding dish. Beautiful presentation as well. The rabbit wasn’t gamey tasting at all. The meat was tender and so flavorful. The mustard seed tzatziki complimented the dish very well. Plus you get the a little rack of the rabbit chops. I do recommend this dish.
Short Rib Cavatelli: Excellent. I could this all the time. The short rib was cook to perfection. The dish was very flavorful. Everything that was in this dish like the purée celery root and the roasted carrots went all well together. Especially with the truffles shaving .That took dish into a whole new level. Each bite was just a party in your mouth. Highly recommended this dish with the truffle shavings.
Until we meet again.

Late 20^th & early 21^st century exposed air ducts, cement walls & floors, refurbished brick from earlier construction, hard utilitarian mid 20^th century Scandinavian style hard wood furniture. Clean look, but all the non-​sound absorbing hard surfaces bounce loud voices so that ubiquitous roaring sounds make for non-​tranquil dining.
The front patio space & the interior is continuous so that the outside & inside blend & merge together which means street sounds also enter. Come from 5pm until 7pm for those not into cacophony.
Mami, the receptionist, is great in making you feel at home w/​her cheerful chatter. Tony, the bartender, is thoughtful, friendly, attentive, proactive in meeting needs while he is mixing drinks for the myriad of customers. I was in good hands & fortunate that I was seated at the bar next to Tony’s multi-​tasking genius.
Special Tasting BBE Menu Monday-​Thursday $ 60
1) Za’atar Flat Bread is thick, unleavened, dense w/​light flavours of thyme, oregano, winter savory. Chewy, moist bread is rolled tightly like Ethiopian Injera bread. It can be used throughout the meal to sop up any sauces that may pop up.
Persian Yogurt is like Greek yogurt which is thick since it is drained of water. There is a strong, minty, earthy, green herbal flavour of Tarragon & possibly more Za’atar.
2) Scallop Crudo dressed w/​Sauce Mignonette which is vinegar along w/​finely diced cucumber, onions, cilantro, greens. Soft, velvety, ocean sweet scallops modulated by the gastrique from the Mignonette. Fried shaved apple chips lend crispness & touch of sweet.
3) Jonah Crab Cornet: crab mixed in w/​a Ceviche tasting of sea salt, grapefruit citrus juice sweet Umami is paired w/​oily, buttery, herbed Guacamole w/​a smoky cilantro undertone all in a crispy fried cone possibly made from wheat.
4) Monkfish what was then called «poorman’s lobster» before prices went up is fried in a thin soft batter until golden brown. Fish is soft yet slightly fibrous, w/​a subtle sweet sea tone. Tikka Masala Sauce which is tomato sauce, powder chile, cream, garlic, Garam Masala spice blend & simmered until the sauce is thickened. Spice flavours of possibly black pepper,
Cloves, Cinnamon or cassia bark, Nutmeg (mace), Black and green cardamom pods, Bay leaf, Cumin.
Tikka Masala sauce is complex, piquant, smoky, sweet, earthy. However, the Monkfish’s delicate flavours were overwhelmed by the strong Tikka Masala sauce. Perhaps gamier lamb would have stood up better to the strong curry. Smear of lime pickle added a nice citrus element that contributed to a more earthy yet refreshing citrus aromatic. Huge fried rice chip was a nice crispy, starch & oil sweet contrast, but I used the flatbread to sop up the Tikka Masala Sauce.
5) Charred Octopus may be marinated in olive oil, but Tony told me it was also pressure cooked to induce a soft, meaty texture to the usually rubbery octopus. Smear of starchy, pasty orange colored Hummus (whom moose), dots of demi-​glacé of Nero di Seppia/​squid ink that was salty, yet sweet, w/​a musky ocean Umami. Japanese Shishito– green peppers were like playing Russian roulette since about 1 in 5 was extra piquant.
6) Rabbit seemed to be braised in its own juices & possibly a meaty fond de cuisine until the juices were concentrated. Rabbit itself was shredded, soft, moist, full of meaty Umami almost like a Confit w/​addition of pureed Noor dates & Pistachios, which lent a sweet candy effect.
All was enclosed in multi-​layer Filo dough that was baked to flakiness. There were mysterious small spheres looking like rounded mustard seeds slow cooked to semi gelatious softness. Creamy purée of white beans seemed to be a counter to the general date sweetness, but for me a light salad of Ruccola/​arrugula greens would have been more refreshing. Small pieces of roasted rabbit such as a mini Carre de Lapin/​rabbit chops was a humorous, visual, culinary joke.
1−6a) Tony made a cocktail that was primarily fresh, sweet, earthy, woody carrot juice mixed w/​cardamom, gin, Aperol/​sweet-​bitter Italian bitters similar to Campari. A sprig of carrot leaf top was added as decoration to reflect the main ingredient.
7) Chocolate Pudding sounds simple, but this version was chefly. Pudding was a light chocolate w/​lots of milk for a sweet mellow dairy flavour. Sugar grains were sprinkled on lightly, torched & caramelized for a subtle sugar crunch to contrast to the smoothness. Donut holes were glazed w/​a bit of coconut cream sauce & dark almost black huckleberry confiture could be slathered on the donuts. It was two desserts in one. Tony made me a very rich, dark, almost Espresso-​like cup of coffee to contrast the sweet w/​the bitter, a classic combination.
Good food harking more to South Asia & the Middle East in flavour profile: earthy, sweet, sour, bitter, complex spice & herb mixes. 4 Unilocal Stars especially for the special service.

Brendan Collins is hilarious and awesome… read for yourself…
Had a good lunch here with some good buddies
PASTA CARBONARA
Rich, creamy, salty, porky, tasty. What the fu*k are these peas doing here?!
GRILLED CHEESE REUBEN
Dear lord… good stuff. Gotta love you some cheesy corned beef.
PORK BELLY BLT
Pork on pork on pork man. What’s not to like?
What are you waiting for?
Get your toffee nosed entitled wanker ass down here!

Found this restaurant listed on an article regarding the hottest restaurants in LA. After reading that article, I decided to come check it out. The restaurant is near Hollywood so good luck finding parking. There is valet and meters only.
Our reservation was at 830pm and we were on time. It is understandable that you won’t get seated right away, but we wait for about 15min and then the hostess decided to have us «wait» in the bar while our table was ready. The problem was, there was 3 of us and only 2 bar seats available. Uhhh how is this going to work? I ended up standing up for 10 more minutes until she said there was an opening in the patio. Since we were all sick of waiting, we were okay being seated outside on this terrible SoCal heat weather.
–Wild salmon tartare, cucumber, avocado, fresno pepper: Nothing really special about this dish. It was pretty average. Presentation was nice though but a bit hard to eat.
–Crab cornets, avocado, grapefruit, cilantro: I loved the avocado throughout the cornet. However, the dish as a whole was way to salty.
–Fuyu persimmons, burrata, huckleberries, macadamia nuts, butter popcorn: Who doesn’t like burrata?! This was a pretty clean and nice dish. Very refreshing. HOWEVER, there was no butter popcorn in our dish.
–Brussel sprouts, crème fraîche, crisp smoked pork belly, pecan, maple: Overly sweet but the crème fraîche kind of diluted the sweetness. The pork belly was pretty darn good.
–Lobster capellini, san marzano tomato, basil: Ordered this one since they ran out of Pork Shank which was a shame. This was aite. Only like 2 pieces of lobster though.
Overall, it was mostly a miss. The food presenation was nice but some flavors and ingredients were lacking on the dishes. I cannot get over the bad service and the hostess with an attitude though.

Suzie Q’s Fun Facts:
Birch sap is enjoyed as a traditional drink in Northern Europe, Russia, and Northern China. It can also be used to make birch syrup, which — like its cousin, maple syrup — is poured on pancakes and waffles.
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I never would have guessed that Birch was the successor to the now-​shuttered (and dearly departed) Waterloo & City in Culver City.
First of all, the two seem to have opposite sensibilities. W&C, located in a fairly quiet part of Culver City was populist with a big, «something for everyone» British-​inspired menu (courtesy Brit chef Brendan Collins), and occasional live music. Birch, however, is austere, modern, with a quirky global menu.
Getting to Birch — located in the «ball sack» of Hollywood (to quote a friend) — after work from Century City entailed navigating an obstacle course of hobos, drunk people and tourists. By the time I arrived, and had found $ 5 parking one block over, I was on edge, irritable and exhausted.
But the hosts who checked me in for my reservation were friendly and unobtrusive. And our waiter was talkative, charming and «just» opinionated enough (my dining companion commented that he must be an actor). With that welcome, and the dark open air dining room, I felt soothed and at ease.
We ordered:
— chicken liver mousse, port jelly, toast 12
This tasted about how you’d expect it to taste. Nothing particularly unexpected or innovative. The mousse was good, although I would have preferred to spread it on crackers or smaller, more rustic chunks of bread (rather than large pieces of loaf-​sized white bread).
— coleman farms sun chokes, curry, broccolini, lime, coconut 15
I really liked these sun chokes (a cross between a potato and an artichoke in flavor and texture), but my friend found the curry a little too spicy for her taste.
— monkfish tikka masala, lime pickles 22
I liked this dish, though didn’t absolutely love it. The presentation was gorgeous, however; the waiter brought the kabobs of monkfish to the table still on a metal skewer, and de-​skewered the fish tableside. The beautiful rice pappadom on top was quite a stunner as well.
Still, there was something about the texture of the fish (a cross between lobster and halibut), combined with the sweet and creamy sauce, that was a little off-​putting for me. I might pass on this next time.
— lobster capellini, san marzano tomato, basil 18
By far our favorite dish of the night. Our pasta was squid ink’d (though this wasn’t mentioned in the description) and the sauce was rich, but just tangy and piquant enough to offset the richness. I wanted to lick the plate!
However, it must be said: I wasn’t a fan of the foam dousing the top of the pasta. The general impression (to me) is of cow spittle. In my opinion, this is a culinary trend that is past its expiration date.
— skillet toffee pudding, burnt sugar ice cream 6
An enjoyable afterthought. Eating a bite combining hot pudding and cold ice cream was quite a sensory experience.
I also enjoyed a vinegary, astringent berry and herb kombucha that was «on tap» from a local supplier. Some portion of proceeds (we were told) go to a charity benefitting stray animals.
If this were located in Santa Monica or WeHo instead of the Hollywood ball sack, I could see myself coming here more often. As it is, though, I may only make it back to Birch once in a blue moon.
**POST-​DIGESTION POSTSCRIPT: Oh holy moses, my stomach did NOT enjoy the aftermath of the sunchoke dish. I feel sorry for anyone in my general vicinity the following day. From my highly scientific internet research, apparently I’m not alone: Many folks cannot easily digest this tuber. So if you have indigestion for 24 hours after eating at Birch, blame the sunchokes themselves, not the restaurant.*