20 Aug Journey to a Greek Taverna at Kassi Club

Restaurateur and interior designer Nick Mathers first opened Eveleigh on Sunset Blvd. Next he opened Elephante in Santa Monica. And now Kassi Club in West Hollywood is the newest addition in the group. Australian born Mathers was inspired by his travels to Greece and has converted the space on West 3rd Street in West Hollywood that was forrmerly Goldie’s into a Greek eatery with a California flair. In some ways, the decor and vibe are similar to Elephante in Santa Monica. Influenced by the tavernas of Kastellorizo,a small Greek island near Turkey, Kassi Club has a chic vibe and a warm energy. There is oak flooring, stone accents, rattan ceilings and low lounge seating.  The menu at Kassi Club is great to share and when you see all of the options, you will want to. We started with a Mezza Mix which included marinated olives, cudite, taramasalata, whipped eggplant and tzatziki and served with the house-made pita. The whipped eggplant is the same creamy dip served at Elephante but instead of wood-oven sourdough bread, it is served with pita. The Spanakopita is not layered like you may be familiar with. A thin, single layer, it was more similar to Turkish Gozleme, which looks like a quesadilla. The phyllo dough is filled with spinach and served with taztziki and green chile sauce. The Cheese Saganaki is served with a cherry honey that adds a lovely sweetness to the melted cheese. The Lamb Dolmades are a play on traditional dolmas. Ground lamb meat is wrapped in grape leaves and grilled. They are served with labneh and pomegranate bbq. Grilled Sea Bream is served splayed with the skin down and topped with salsa verde. The Grilled Vegetable Plate is served in a hand-carved wood dish. Fresh pieces of zucchini, red and green peppers and squash are grilled in olive oil and served with grilled lemon. To pair with the food, wine director Diane Pandolfini has crafted a wine list celebrating coastal wine regions. There are wines from Greece, Italy and California and some cool finds, such as a Moschofilero Rose from Troupis, Arcadia GRC, a 2014 Assyrtiko from Santorini with a bit of age on it and a Pinot Noir from Macedonia. For dessert, the Baklava Sundae with soft serve vanilla ice cream, pistachio honey, salted caramel, filo wafers and pistachio crumble is a cool, sweet treat. For a decadent, rich dessert, try the Chocolate Cheesecake with whipped cream and sesame brittle. By the end of the night, I felt like I was in a Turkish Amman as there was a warmth to the space. The vibe was chill, the service friendly and the food very tasty. Like Elephante, Kassi Club is a popular place to be but the space is much smaller. Plan ahead and make a reservation. Kassi Club 8422 West 3rd St., L.A., 90048