26 Mar Bring a Big Appetite to Littlefork in Hollywood
Another birthday in the family had me looking for a new restaurant to try and Littlefork was at the top of my list. Littlefork is the new restaurant in Hollywood from Jason Travi (formerly of Fraîche and Mesa) and David Reiss (owner of A-frame, Sunny Spot, the Alibi Room and the Brig). The menu is influenced by Travi’s New England roots but also by the southern reaches of Canada, as reflected by the prevalence of smoked meats and poutine on the menu.
We started with a few selections from Bar Manager Dino Balocchi’s cocktail menu. Dino comes from the Michelin-starred Longman & Eagle whiskey bar and gastropub in Chicago and has created a menu of bitters-intensive variations on sours, daisies and Manhattans.
Thai Town Mule (gin, lime, thai basil, peppercorn, house ginger beer) – a refreshing drink to start with but the peppercorn adds a little kick
Kentucky Daisy (rye, cynar, rosemary, mint, lemon, barrel aged bitters) – if you like the bittnerness of cynar, this herbacious cocktail is a good choice
Georgetown Swizzle (darm rum, jamaican rum, EXR, lime, demerara, mint) – sweet/spicy/bitter flavors coupled with the strength of the rum and the mint adds a lightness
We began with the Smoked Meats Poutine with curds and gravy from the “Bar Snacks” section. The solid salty fries stood up to the hearty smokey gravy which was balanced by the cheese curds.
We then moved on to the Small Plates Section of the menu and ordered two salads from the “Salads & Such” section:
Warm Mushroom Salad with parmesan and radicchio – the mushrooms were perfectly seasoned and tender
Baby Beets with housemade ricotta, watercress and hazelnuts – the ricotta was whipped and light, I really wanted to pick up the plate and lick every last bite
We had a lot of fun in the “Seafood” section of the menu:
A plate of fresh Raw Oysters, served with cider mignonette and cocktail sauce (Littlefork is named after those small oyster forks you use when eating oysters)
Roasted Mussels with bread crumbs and lemon to add a crunch and acid kick
Crispy Oyster Sliders with tartar sauce and pickled hot pepper were perfectly fried and while the slider could be eaten in a bite, or two, they are deceivingly filling.
The Lobster Roll with a parker house roll, house salt and vinegar chips did not skimp on the lobster and paired well with the sweet crispy roll
We included one dish from the “Vegetables” section:
Brussels Sprouts, apple cider braised, sage, crispy chicken skin – the apple cider added a sweetness to the ever popular brussels sprouts and the chicken skin added a extra savory kick
The final section under Small Plates is the “Apple Wood Smoked” section from which we selected two plates:
The Brook Trout with potato salad and hot sauce was tender and the mustard seeds in the potato salad added a crunch and a hit of heat.
The Brisket was served with three mustards (whole grain, raisin-infused and Dijon). The meat was smoky and tender and the mustard added a great contrast.
We covered most of the menu but there was still dessert and they didn’t disappoint!
Whoopie Pie (two pies, marshmallow fluff) is an iconic New England dessert and lived up to any expectations. The chocolate cake is moist and the marshmallow frosting was sweet but not cloying.
Apple Cider Donuts with apple butter and salted caramel were hot and crisp with a nice spice.
I can’t wait to go back! Happy to have a go-to-destination in Hollywood.
Littlefork Restaurant
1600 Wilcox Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028
323.465.3675