30 Nov Laurel Point – Fresh Seafood in Studio City

Studio City is twenty miles from the ocean but a visit to the nautically-inspired Laurel Point may make you feel like you are sailing on the sea. Laurel Point sits on the second floor of Laurel Promenade on the corner of Laurel Canyon and Ventura Blvd. It was the location previously home to the longstanding Daily Grill. Still owned by the same proprietors, Laurel Point is a seafood restaurant in the heart of the valley. As you come up the escalator to the second floor, it is like entering the deck of a ship. Of course, the view from the deck is of cars, not of the water or boats. And inside, the bar looks like the inside of a ship, with curved ceilings and arches and the dining room shaped like the hull of a boat. Laurel Point is committed to sourcing the freshest fish and seasonal oysters. Using sustainable and organic ingredients, all items are made in-house. We started with a glass of wine. With seafood, the Giesen Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand was the pick. Turns out that they pour 9 ounces for a single glass of wine! That is a VERY large glass of wine, two to three times the size of a typical by the glass pour. If you want a good deal, this is it. But for us, we shared a glass and still had a lovely full glass of wine each. We started with a selection from the sushi and raw section. The Crab and Hamachi Roll with avocado, mango, tobiko and lime was a nice way to start the meal and paired well with the sauvignon blanc. While I am a traditionalist with sushi, the flavors and ingredients were fresh and tasty. From the appetizers section, I could not pass up the Grilled Artichoke with Remoulade Sauce. Under sandwiches, the Lobster Roll is a favorite and understandably so. The lobster is poached in warm butter and they are very generous with the lobster. The sandwich is served with french fries, waffle chips or kohlrabi slaw. From the plates section, we went with the Cioppino, a warm bowl of shrimp, crab, mussels and fish with grilled Levain. We also ordered a side of grilled Brussels Sprouts served with shavings of Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. We were full but had to find room for dessert. The Banana Bread Pudding is rich and decadent and was not the easiest to finish on a full stomach, but we did! Laurel Point 12050 Ventura Blvd Studio City, CA 91604