Wilshire is a delight

Wilshire Restaurant is a standard bearer for New American cuisine in Santa Monica.  The restaurant which is known for its beautiful back patio has also been known for the talent in the kitchen.  Longtime executive chef Andrew Kirschner left earlier this year and was replaced by rising star Nyesha Arrington, who had been the Executive Chef at Caché.  Previously she had worked with Josiah Citrin at Melisse and at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas.  Arrington is becoming known to a wider audience through her participation on the current season of Top Chef, now airing on Bravo and the formal announcement of her position as Executive Chef coincided with the announcement of this season's cast of cheftestants.

I recently had dinner at Wilshire with a friend in the restaurant business and we shared much of the menu.  Several of the highlights are pictured below.  Overall the food was approachable and tasted good.  This was not tweezer food, although it was attractively plated.

The Heirloom Tomato Salad with burrata was served with aged balsamic.  The combination of fresh heirloom tomatoes with burrata can be a cliche, but if it is executed well, like at Wilshire, it can remind you of why it is so popular.  Arrington lets the quality of the ingredients shine through; my dining companion and I fought for the last forkful of cheese.

Maggie's Farm Caesar Salad is another take on a classic, with large crisps of toast standing in for the croutons and with white anchovy.  The parmesan gave it a pleasant salty tang.

Cool pate with preserves and warm toast fresh out of the oven is always welcome on my table.  The pate was creamy and unctuous and the fruit provided a pleasant acidity as a counterpoint.

Whole fishes are a favorite of mine and the Whole Grilled Branzino was no exception.  The light fish was served with a fennel salad and typical of Arrington's style was prepared simply and well executed.  A squeeze of lemon and we happily devoured the whole fish, including the cheeks.

The Ribeye with tempura onion rings was a fitting end to our meal.  The beef was nicely rosy, medium rare as asked, and deep in flavor.  The crunch of the onion ring was quite good and this onion ring had none of the grease that is so often found in versions of the dish.

Sitting in the back patio at Wilshire is a real pleasure, especially as the food matches or exceeds the setting.  There can sometimes be a scene in the front bar lounge area, but when you step outside onto the patio, it is like leaving Los Angeles behind.  Arrington stopped by our table and she mentioned that she has brought on many new purveyors and farmers whom she had relationships with from her prior experience working at Citrin's restaurants.  I look forward to seeing the menu continue to develop.  I have a feeling that Arrington's profile will grow in this town, mostly from her cooking but also from her television appearances where her genuineness comes through.

So request a table on the patio and have a leisurely dinner.  Relax, you will be in good hands.

Our meal was hosted.

Wilshire Restaurant: 2454 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica.  Phone: (310) 586-1707.  Website: wilshirerestaurant.com

Dining Deals around Los Angeles

Several restaurants have launched promotions recently in which their food or drinks are available at lower prices than their standard offerings.

I covered the White Plate dinners at Wilshire restaurant last week, in which an entree and beverage are only $15, but there are other great options to look for.

BLD restaurant, on Beverly Blvd, has a Plat du Jour every weeknight for $15 as part of their "Recovery Relief":
Monday: BBQ Smoked Beef Brisket
Tuesday: Country Fried Chicken
Wednesday: Smoked Chicken Ravioli
Thursday: Tweet-a-Dish
Friday: Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Last week Bastide launched a cocktail hour from 5-7 pm on Monday evenings only. Your choice of a soju martini, one of three wines by the glass or a rotating cocktail of the week plus the opportunity to munch on three of Chef Joseph Mahon's hors d'oeuvres such as yellowtail tartare, rillettes and summer corn soup can be yours for $15.

It appears that $15 is the magical price point right now for dining deals.

I would be remiss not to include the continuing Bar Food menu at Drago Centro, where a mini margherita or sausage pizza is only $4, kobe beef slides are only $7, and several beers and specialty cocktails are only $5. This menu is available whenever Drago Centro is open, not just for certain hours or days of the week, making this an affordable option to consider when in downtown LA.

White Plate Menu at Wilshire Restaurant

Last week Wilshire Restaurant in Santa Monica began a new dinner program in their bar areas in which the White Plate dish of the evening plus a beverage is available for only $15. The dish changes nightly:

Monday: Steak frites
Tuesday: Polenta fried chicken with summer corn salad
Wednesday: Meatloaf with fried egg and smashed red bliss potatoes
Thursday: Carlsbad mussels with shoestring fries and saffron aioli
Friday: Newcastle brown ale-battered cod and fat chips
Saturday:Spaghetti and your mama's meatballs with cheesy garlic bread

The beverage offered is a featured red or white wine, a draft beer or a specialty cocktail which include the bees knees or a margarita among other selections.

This is a tremendous value and is available in the entire front bar/lounge area near the entrance as well as at the bar in the patio. You can get dinner and a beverage for almost the same price as some of the cocktails.

Last week I tried the fried chicken (Tuesday) which came as a large boneless piece of thigh and leg meat. I was asked whether I preferred white or dark meat, a nice touch that I hadn't been expecting. The chicken is breaded in polenta, which not surprisingly tasted like a cornmeal crust. The chicken was served on a bed of summer corn salad. The chicken was reminiscent of the lauded fried chicken available on Fridays at Huckleberry (also in Santa Monica), so if you enjoy that chicken you will likely enjoy this version.



I opted for the Bees Knees, made with Junipero gin, house made triple syrup and fresh lemon juice. It was well made for a restaurant cocktail, although don't go expecting the precision of The Roger Room or the Varnish. It is apparent that consultant Alex Straus spent time training the staff how to make these drinks properly.



Overall it was an excellent value and I would recommend this deal, especially as you are not restricted to physically sitting at the bar to order it (there are bar tables in the bar/lounge area). Chef Andrew Kirschner has been improving the quality of the whole food program and this is a great way to bring people into the restaurant who might not otherwise have come to sample his cuisine.

Wilshire Restaurant: 2454 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica. Phone: (310) 586-1707. Website: wilshirerestaurant.com

Heaven Hill Distillery Tasting at Wilshire Restaurant

Wilshire Restaurant was the scene of "Whiskey Social", a collaborative dinner and whiskey pairing with chef Andrew Kirschner, Heaven Hill Distillery and mixologist and cocktail consultant Alex Straus on June 30th. The dinner was followed by a whiskey tasting and the opportunity to sample Straus's whiskey cocktails.



Straus (above) poured his Cucumber Jalapeño Old Fashioned, which had a nice balance of spice from the pepper and coolness from the cucumber. It was my favorite of his whiskey cocktail menu. The recipe is below:

3 slices of cucumber
1 slice of jalapeño pepper
1 sugar cube
3 dashes Angostura bitters
cherry
2 oz Elijah Craig 12 year
soda water
Stir the ingredients together and then top with soda water

The Parker's Heritage Collection 27 year aged Bourbon was a highlight of the tasting. It is 96 proof, but was extremely smooth and had not a dram of harshness in it. It is named for Parker Beam, who is Heaven Hill's 6th generation master distiller and the great nephew of Jim Beam. A bourbon of this age is a rare product and it is the Heaven Hill bourbon with the most age available. The Parker's Heritage 27 year is still going strong and has not suffered any of the effects that can be a danger with long term aging. Retail price is ~$200/bottle.

The Elijah Craig 12 year is pictured above with the Cucumber Jalapeño Old Fashioned. The Elijah Craig had a nice balance and is a good whiskey to mix in cocktails both because of its accessible price point ($20) and its flavor profile.

I also sampled the Bernheim Wheat Whiskey, which was made with 51% wheat, not something I had ever seen before in a whiskey. That is because it is the only wheat whiskey on the market; something different to try. It is distilled in and named for the Bernheim Distillery in which Heaven Hill distills their American whiskey. I found it too sweet for my palate but it is great to see distilleries be willing to experiment with different grains and techniques. ($50 at retail)

Another highlight was the Rittenhouse 25 year aged single barrel rye, which had strong caramel notes and was also exceptionally smooth. The finish was long. The smoothest rye I have sampled. (Retails for ~$170)

The patio at Wilshire was a great spot to taste the Heaven Hill portfolio as it was a warm summer night in Los Angeles and it is a beautiful spot. Straus was a gracious host who was happy to talk about the various whiskeys, ryes and bourbons and his thoughts on how best to use them in cocktails. I am looking forward to trying more of the drinks he created for the Wilshire Restaurant cocktail list.