Mediterranean
Magnificence at
Delphine Eatery & Bar West Hollywood
Next
time you are in L.A. and hit West Hollywood to mix,
mingle and munch with movers and shakers, then Delphine Eatery
& Bar is a must. Housed at the ultra-chic W Hollywood Hotel
directly across the street from the Pantages Theatre, this remarkable
restaurant dishes up Mediterranean cuisine in a warm, inviting
and electric brasserie setting.
As part of the Innovative Dining Group (IDG), known for its
trendy and stylish restaurants like Sushi Roku, Boa Steakhouse,
and Katana, the Delphine extends the company's commitment to
excellent food, uncommon ambiance, and distinctive overall dining
- as was my recent experience.
The
restaurant has an open-air concept as part of a 6,000 foot indoor-outdoor
space at the hotel that includes "The Living Room"
indoor lounge and "Station" - an outdoor lounge space
situated on a W Hotel terrace.
The
modern interior design at Delphine is lively, replete with vibrant
colors, bold patterns and grand scale décor, juxtaposed
with beach wood, muted fabrics and other understated accents
that exemplify a laid-back Provençal lifestyle. Retro
black and white artwork featuring seafront scenes sets the right
tone for the seafood-laden menu. In all, the vibe at Delphine
is extremely pleasant and the venue is as appropriate for lunch
with clients as it is for dinner with family and friends.
From
my recent visit I can tell you that service here is top-notch.
A friendly, prompt, and highly professional wait staff remains
at the ready to offer preference-based food and drink recommendations
from a menu they know inside and out.
Speaking
of the menu, Delphine offers a litany of fresh and flavorful
Mediterranean morsels reflective of France's Côte d'Azur,
Spain's Costa Brava and the Italian Riviera courtesy of Executive
Chef Sascha Lyon - a culinary master with many achievements
to his credit. Upon graduating from the Culinary Institute of
America at the age of 20, he went directly to work as one of
Daniel Boulud's opening staff for his New York restaurant, Daniel.
From there, he worked at Balthazar and then Pastis, both in
New York. Sascha then tried his hand at his own restaurant with
the critically-acclaimed SASCHA Restaurant. When the opportunity
arose to command the helm at Delphine for IDG, Chef Sascha returned
to his L.A. roots to the distinct pleasure of locals and tourists
alike.
While the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and brunch (weekends
only), I recently hit this eminent eatery for its dinner service.
On this evening, I had the opportunity to sample a wide array
of Chef Lyon's offerings and the experience exceeded all expectation.
The
evening started with the restaurant's delicious and unique cocktails.
I opted for the "Clemintini," a refreshing Clementine
martini. Other great options included the Espice Rouge with
Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, lemon sour, blackberries, raspberries,
jalapeno, Agave nectar and splash of soda; as well as the Lavande,
which is made from Delcon Diamante Tequila, blueberries, Agave
nectar, lavender bitters and soda. Of course, Delphine offers
a great wine list, with many red, white, rose and sparkling
varietals offered by the glass. Premium beers are available
on draft or by the bottle.
With
drinks flowing, it was time to vet the victuals. From Delphine's
raw bar came a commanding platter teeming with shellfish served
atop a crushed ice and seaweed bed. A copious combination of
shrimp cocktail, briny east coast oysters, New Zealand Mussels,
Kumamoto Oysters with spicy tomato granite, and Endive surrounded
a bed of shrimp, mussel and squid Ceviche. This ocean extravaganza
can be amped up with other available raw bar options, including
west coast oysters, little neck clams, head-on prawns, live
Maine lobster, and Bairdi snow crab.
In
addition to its raw bar, Delphine has a bevy of other starters.
Prime Beef Carpaccio with fennel, arugula, preserved lemon and
grana padano; Garlic Shrimp and Spicy Sausage, Roasted Garlic
Hummus with crispy flatbread, and Onion Soup Gratinée
are among the notables.
Next I moved on to a salad course, sampling a classic Caesar
salad with bacon (incredible as expected given the Boa Steakhouse
connection); and the signature Delphine salad with escarole,
red onions, walnuts, and Italian Grana Padano cheese tossed
in a very bright lemon truffle vinaigrette. As delicious and
inventive as these salads are, the Organic Kale Salad on special
was by far the most spectacular salad I've ever had. Deep green
julienned kale is tossed with jalapeno and crisp pita bits in
a creamy citrus dressing, and topped with Soledad goat feta
and bits of citrus fruit. The mélange of sweet and spicy
flavors with creamy and crunchy textures was utter perfection.
The
third course was nothing short of gastronomic genius - a smooth,
creamy and beautifully seasoned Summer Squash Rissoto topped
with a generous slice of seared foie gras and topped with black
truffle jus. The velvety texture of the slightly caramelized
foie gras pate against the bite of the risotto, duly elevated
with the rich and dense black truffle jus, is a veritable "perfect
storm" of ingredients and preparations.
Although Delphine serves a great many dishes for land-lovers,
like Braised Short Ribs, Dry Aged Pepper Steak, Dry Aged Rib
Eye Steak, and Pan Roasted Garlic Chicken, my epicurean adventure
went ocean-side for the entrée. And, as with the salads,
I sampled a variety.
Most
incredible was the Whole Grilled Dorade on special, the most
overtly Mediterranean of the fish dishes, thoroughly stuffed
with rosemary stems, a trio of olives (niçoise, piccolini
and kalamata), golden raisins, and capers and prepared in brown
butter. The meat of this lean and flaky fish, served whole with
head, skin and tail in tact, was permeated through and through
with the herb essence and tanginess of the accompanying ingredients,
resulting in flavors that lovingly linger on the palate. This
enjoyable entrée is aptly served with a side of Braised
Fennel with roasted peppers.
Another
flavor-rich entrée is the Trout Meunière, appropriately
enhanced with lemon and parsley brown butter but also topped
with a fantastic sautéed shrimp and potato diced hash
of sorts. The Pan Roasted Halibut on special is also Mediterranean
magnificence. The delicate meat, generously portioned, is moist
and tender, and pairs perfectly with the other components: crushed
potatoes, fresh tomatoes, and Niçoise olives accented
with a tomato almond vinaigrette.
Other seafood entrée options at Delphine include Grilled
Loup de Mer with roasted asparagus, onion confit and sauce vierge;
and a Grilled Salmon with creamy polenta, radicchio, and beech
mushrooms with a sherry vinegar jus.
There
are side dishes available of various sorts: from French Fries
and Mashed Potatoes to Macaroni and Cheese kicked up a notch
with cured ham, sweet onions and gruyére. Green beans
and spinach rounds out the vegetable sides. Bread is available
throughout dinner upon request.
For dessert the edible opulence continued. An uber-rich Dark
Chocolate Hazelnut Dacquoise Cake with house-made coffee ice
cream was a perfect counterpoint to the Chilled Apple Risotto,
made with tart green apple rice topped with caramel apples and
accompanied by a salted homemade caramel ice cream. Other decadent
desserts offered on the menu are Macchiato Tiramisu, Lemon &
Limóncello, and a tempting Valrhona Dark Chocolate Torte
With Caramel.
While
on-site I did also have the honor of meeting Chef Lyon, who
proved to be just as personable as he is proficient in his culinary
profession. I enjoyed speaking with Chef Lyon, who is unmistakably
passionate not only about his distinctive menu and cooking style,
but also his "inside track" ability to source fresh
fish for the restaurant above and beyond the norm.
In
a word, Delphine is divine. Run, don't walk.
Learn more online at www.RestaurantDelphine.com.
Delphine
Eatery & Bar W Hollywood Hote
6250 Hollywood Blvd,
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 798-1355
http://www.delphinehollywood.com/
By Merilee Kern, 'The Luxe List' Executive Editor
"The
Luxe List" Executive Editor Merilee Kern scours the luxury
marketplace for exemplary travel experiences, extraordinary
events, and notable products and services. Submissions are accepted
at www.LuxeListReviews.com.
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***Some
or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or
service(s) detailed above were provided at no cost to accommodate
this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of
Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***