Yes, we had dinner at Gwen a couple of weeks ago and the bread and butter was memorably good. Actually, every single thing we had was really good; all hits and no misses. House made charcuterie was creative, rich and tasty, salad was excellent, can’t go wrong with duck fat fries and the Wagyu NY steak was delectable. Even the Chocolate Whisky cake impressed me, and I largely lost my sweet tooth decades ago. If we lived closer we’d definitely go there more frequently.
We decided to go a second time because it got the Michelin star. We went many years ago. I think it’s a good restaurant. All the dishes were good. I’d eat there any time. No complaints. But nothing too special. Really safe food. (The reason we hadn’t gone back is Peony thinks it’s too boring.) The chef’s other restaurant Maude is in a different league. 6.4 Warrior Points.
Have to disagree. Been there twice in the last few months. I would not have done it, but circumstances prevailed - my wife loved it. Both times the steaks we ordered , one was a strip and the other a dry aged ribeye were gristly and not that tasty. I can make a much better steak at home for a fraction of the price - here is a flatiron with fries and roasted broccoli…
Not a great picture but a much better meal.
Yeesh that plating is Wednesday night dinner level and the food does not look particularly tasty
This thread revival reminded me that our dear friends took us for a very nice dinner at Gwen Restaurant & Butcher Shop a while back.
We were early so we sat at the bar and watched the mixologist whip up an old-fashioned for hubs. What is that tool on top of the ice?
My husband is the Goldilocks of the old-fashioned cocktail, especially when it comes to the size & amount of the ice. This cube was “too big”.
Sorry, a couple of the dishes we had are off the current menu possibly to return as the seasons change.
Stecca Bread… It’s free!
Don’t think I’ve had Stecca Bread before. It’s like the outside is fried but it’s not - oily, salty & crunchy outside & yeasty inside. They bake it in one of the flaming contraptions used to fire up the meat. So good! ![]()
Charcuterie - Cured Salami, Whole Muscles & Spreads, Pickled Things
I only had a small taste of everything as it’s very rich. Loved the spread & pâté. Highlight.
Melon & Burrata w/Grilled Onion, Watermelon Vinegar, Sunflower Seeds
Banana Prawns - Harissa, Roasted Garlic Purée, Snap Peas
The prawns were my order and favorite bite! Perfectly cooked, w/roasted garlic purée for dipping. The fat, harissa, spices & lime seeped into the heads and made for some goood eating! ![]()
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Knives Out
Creekstone Farm 30-day Dry-aged Ribeye
Jus
Hubs and our companions really enjoyed their smokey, charred, crispy, fatty, beefy, ribeye. I sliced off a bite of the crispy, salty, fat and a little meat. ![]()
Mango Cheesecake & “Cheeky” Dessert Liqueur
Deconstructed was not what I expected when a mango cheesecake was ordered. It’s light, creamy, tart, sweet, textured, Yum.
If anyone knows about this drink called “Cheeky” I’d like to hear about it. I can’t find anything.
Hubs had the old-fashioned. I had wines by the glass…
My girlfriend had a glass of J. Lassalle, “Cachet d’Or” Premier Cru Brut
The menus from our dinner…
Thankfully we Uber-ed as we were quite satiated. ![]()
Maybe this?
ice cube branding stamp?
I saw that one in my search but the one we had was brown & syrupy. IIRC it did have herbal notes like gin though.
If I remember I’ll call them for more details.
Good guess @PorkyBelly. Thanks.
Warrior: The best dish tonight was the cauliflower, which had a delicious herbal seasoning. I’m not much into beef, but the steak was good. Duck fat potatoes and complimentary bread and butter were excellent. Fig and pear with doufu hua was good. Delicata squash was a dud. Cherry sorbet with black pepper was surprisingly effective. Good wine list. 6.5 Warrior Points.
Peony: High quality food and a pleasant meal. I like how tender and juicy the steak is. Really beautiful natural flavor. Interesting meat collection in the front of the shop for meat lovers.
Peony says their lighting doesn’t make for very Instagrammable photos. No question, interior design begins and ends with lighting.
We love Gwen. Or at least I love Gwen; Peony can speak for herself. Good everything.
P: pretty good.
p.s.: definitely get the Three Bays water. Great mouthfeel.
Has anyone been since the closure announcement? Wondering if this is a viable Hollywood option or if they’re mailing it in.
Actually, yes, we went earlier this month, though we didn’t know it was closing / moving. We had a great experience. The sommelier greeted us cheerfully. The food was great, especially the 90-day aged beef.
This is a huge bummer. One of my go-to bar dining spots.
Gwen has not moved. The food is just as good and unremarkable as always.
Went here with just the wife (child with mother-in-law) on a rare date night and enjoyed the technical execution of a one star in LA. I think your summary is spot-on as it was solidly unremarkable. Service was a bit slow, which I’m not dinging them for since it was the night before Thanksgiving and I found the dishes all to be within expectations at this level. On a side note, I enjoyed the seafood mains over the meat dishes, which were still on point.
I was there a few days ago and asked a bartender about that. Evidently it was just an idea floated that someone took and ran with. But sounds like no plans to move.
Our meal was good: chicory salad, lamb ribs, beef tartare great, aged ribeye quite good, but was just slightly warmer than lukewarm when we got it, desserts a little weak. Also their vintage cart intrigued me, but everyone on staff I asked didn’t seem to know much about it, and there was no list. Would return with a larger group to try some more proteins
“At Gwen in Los Angeles, Riese’s water program has been widely reported to generate close to $100,000 a year, with guests selecting bottled waters with the seriousness once reserved for wine.”
Wow






























































