15 Aug Summer Dishes at Delphine at the W Hollywood

Hollywood Boulevard is one of LA’s most well-known and trafficked staples. Whether you are dazzled by the stars on the Walk of Fame or captivated by famous landmarks like the Chinese Theatre and views of the Hollywood Sign, it is safe to say visitors come to this Boulevard looking to be wowed. While sights and flashy landmarks aren’t for all, there is one thing travelers and locals alike can enjoy – the food. Although there is an abundance of local eateries, bars and night venues, some of the best restaurants on Hollywood Boulevard can be found right in your own hotel. For us, that location was Delphine at the W Hollywood Hotel, located on the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Vine, in the heart of the Hollywood strip.     Delphine Eatery & Bar is located right off of the main boulevard and offers Contemporary American cuisine that is inspired by fresh and organic ingredients. The ambiance is inviting and gives off a cool California vibe with a splash of Miami chic. Seating is offered both inside and on the patio, and the décor is colorful and warm with a sophisticated flare. Besides the fresh atmosphere and creative cuisine, our visit was prompted by their new summer menu items. With so many refreshing new items, we had to make a trip and try a few (or more). Our Summer Lunch Menu: First, we tried their organic kale salad with garlic shrimp. This salad is light, large and refreshing, to say the least. Loaded with crisp pita, jalapeno, soledad farm goat milk feta, creamy citrus dressing and shrimp, this was the perfect lunch starter. If you’re a kale lover (or not) then you have to try this starter out. The citrus dressing and goat feta went perfect together and this salad tasted unique due to its jalapeno kick. Note: this salad is offered for dinner without shrimp but it may be added Another great starter we enjoyed was the Ahi Tuna Poke. This ahi lover’s delight was towering with fresh avocado, arugula citrus salad and crispy wontons. The crispy wontons made for a perfect dipper and we dove into the ahi tower. Being a favorite of many, this can be enjoyed during the summer or throughout the season. Next we got to try one of the featured summer entrees – Fresh Lemon Fettucini. I highly suggest this for anyone who enjoys pasta, but not the heaviness of it. From the first bite I could tell this was freshly made pasta, and that alone made it so much better. The pasta was infused with the fresh lemon, and topped with local yellow tomatoes, sweet peppers, and finished in a white wine butter sauce. Being fresh due to the height of tomato season, the yellow tomatoes were a great addition to the citrus in this dish.   For a special little treat, the chef brought us out some of raw bar’s specialty – oysters! The order came with 4 oysters, two Malpeque and two Kusshi. After we enjoyed a taste of the sea, we wasted no time and got back down to business. The chef brought us another summer specialty, the Asian beef salad. This salad is great for those who enjoy spicier food. The Asian beef salad comes packed with steak, rice noodles, carrots, green onions, napa cabbage and is finished in a citrus soy vinaigrette. Finally, the server brought out the lobster roll which I had been long awaiting to try. It seems as if a lot of LA restaurants are coming out with lobster rolls these days. So, seeing it on the summer menu just urged me to try it. The lobster roll (large enough to share) is garnished with tarragon aioli, greens and comes with a side of fries. The buttery roll was definitely the best part of this dish, and we preferred the taste of the lobster without the greens added. Just when I thought we couldn’t stomach anything else, the chef surprised us with desserts. But boy are we glad he did. We got to taste three very different, but none-the-less, delectable desserts. Our sweets consisted of Delphine’s take on carrot cake, milk chocolate cheesecake, and a strawberry tart. The carrot cake was topped with cream cheese ice cream, and was so moist. Our milk chocolate cheese cake came garnished with salted caramel crème that was pretty tasty. And the strawberry tart was served with crème fresh and marinated strawberries. The tart itself was like shortbread, but went well with its pairings. Personally, I’d have to say that the carrot takes the cake (pun-intended) for me.     Delphine at the W Hollywood 6250 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028