Whenever a friend visits your city, where do you take them?
Maybe the typical spots that they see in travel guides or the places that were featured on a reality TV show that you’re ashamed to admit you watch? Yeah, both of those have been me on more occasions than I would like to admit. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking a visitor to all the places that everyone already visits, there’s something both alleviating and exciting about visiting a location that isn’t overcrowded with tourists. At least, not yet. When a family friend, Zach, came to Los Angeles we decided to hang out. Thankfully, he has already been to all the typical spots and didn’t ask that I take him there. Insert praise hand emoji here. Instead, I suggested we visit a spot that recently opened and I was optimistic that he (and I) would enjoy. That place was Granville in West Hollywood.
The interior came with a personality that made it feel like the restaurant was dark and moody despite all of the light shining through the large windows. Scanning from room to room, we decided to sit alongside a window facing the main street. That way if a celebrity happened to get chased down by paparazzi, we’d be close enough to catch a glimpse yet remain a distance away.
Staring the meal off we had drinks. Zach went the healthy route and ordered iced water and I got the Granville Berry Lemonade ($4). The drink itself wasn’t as sweet as I would have hoped and didn’t have much of a lemon taste as its name suggests, but it was decent. Light and thin, it tasted more like infused water than anything else.
When it came to the starters, we took the waitress’ suggestion on what she felt best showcased the restaurant. Having a hard time choosing between soups, salads, and shareable plates on the menu, Zach and I let the waitress steer us in the best direction. Her top pick was the Uptown Mac and Cheese ($14). A cast iron style bowl held aged cheddar, Gruyere, chicken, and asparagus. With each fork was such a rich and cheesy set of macaroni noodles covered with large chunks of chicken that couldn’t escape each pull from our utensils. Adding the vegetables to the mix only made way for me to think that the dish was in fact healthy when I’m sure it would have only clogged my arteries. Was I ok with that? Absolutely.
When it came to the big plates, I ordered the Rainbow Trout ($22) and Zach had the Grilled Salmon ($21.50). Unfortunately, the presentation of the trout was not as appealing as the name describing it. In spite of the ordinary look of the dish, the fragrant scent of the pan seared pepita crust of the golden fish was captivating. Served with grilled herb vegetables, the fish had a surprising texture from the crust and was luscious thanks to the butter pan sauce. Pairing it with thick cut cucumbers and peppers, the rainbow trout was a light option to the majority of food I tend to order.
In complete contrast, the grilled salmon was a great choice and one I regret not ordering myself. Antibiotic free and sustainable salmon sat in between creamed corn with a red bell Cajun sauce and on top of Yukon russet mashed potatoes. In the few bites of the grilled salmon that Zach graced me with, I loved the flavor of every part of the dish. Ruling it down to one component in particular, it had to be all thanks to the Cajun sauce. I loved the way the sauce was peppery with a bit of a tang and how well it tasted across the entire plate. From the perfect salmon to the sweet corn all the way to the softest potatoes, this dish is one you must order!
After ordering just enough food, Zach and I ended lunch splitting dessert: a single slice of Yuzu Lemon Chill ($9). Not the same slice of dessert you might be assuming, this was a yuzu lemon mousse with a blueberry glaze and a few blueberries. The cold mousse was such a lovely consistency and pleasantly creamy once it warms across your tongue. I really liked how the tart lemon flavor balanced nicely against the fruit flavor because it piqued something in my taste bud to draw me in for more until it was done.
Lunch at Granville in West Hollywood was a delightful one. While the location may soon be overrun with celebrities and tourists, the space is beautiful and the food is good. It’s a great location to spend time with friends and an overall nice escape. If you find yourself in the area wanting something to keep you satisfied and full, this is definitely a place to visit.
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Address: 8701 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90048
Phone: (424) 522-5161
Hours: Monday through Wednesday – 11:00am to 10:00pm, Thursday and Friday – 11:00am to 11:00pm, Saturday – 10:00am to 11:00pm, and Sunday 10:00am to 10:00pm
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