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A friend was in town last weekend and we wanted to enjoy a late brunch before she had to head to the airport. I had read that cocktail chef Matthew Biancaniello was doing his weekend pop-up at Ysabel in West Hollywood that day so we headed to Ysabel on Fairfax. Sadly, when we got there, we learned he had switched days, but luckily we had happened upon this hidden spot. Ysabel is located on Fairfax Blvd. The nondescript building has no sign (at least not one I could find). But my GPS said I was there so I pulled into the driveway and parked in the lot. I entered a long tunneled walk-way and on the other side was a truly beautiful midcentury-modern space. The large space is like a butterfly. There is an outdoor patio that leads to an indoor area in the center. Even the indoor area feels like it is outdoors with the large glass window doors open wide and a live tree in the center of the space. The space feels like a luxurious living room with sofas and chairs grouped together.
The Henry touts themselves as the "greatest neighborhood restaurant" and it may achieve just that on Robertson Blvd in West Hollywood. Surrounded by celebrity-spotting trendy venues, including The Ivy, The Henry has a welcoming and friendly vibe. The Henry is located in the former Newsroom Cafe space on the completely overhauled 100,000 square foot Robertson Plaza. The Henry is owned by Sam Fox, the creator of True Food Kitchen, as well as numerous other restaurant concepts. Fox opened The Henry in Phoenix, where the company's headquarters are based. A popular location in Phoenix, The Henry earned its title of "the greatest neighborhood restaurant" as they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, have a full coffee bar, a cocktail program and offer free wifi. Thus, as a result, many use The Henry as a work space.
Jaffa, the oldest neighborhood of Tel-Aviv, has inspired Los Angeles' new modern Israeli restaurant Jaffa. Located on West 3rd Street in West Hollywood, Jaffa LA is a bright space that includes stone walls and reclaimed wood, serving up modern Israeli cuisine. Chef Anne Conness, who's nuevo rancho cuisine I first tried at her El Segundo restaurant Sausal, fell in love with the cuisine of Israel after traveling there with business partner Nancy Vrankovic. At Jaffa LA, Chef Conness has taken the modern Israeli cuisine that she fell in love with and combined it with locally grown, fresh and seasonal ingredients, well-raised meat and sustainable seafood. On my first visit to Jaffa LA for their "friends and family" preview, we took a seat on the patio where baskets of blankets were nearby to wrap ourselves in as it got chilly. We started with drinks, choosing from an eclectic international wine list, which includes Israeli wine, cocktails and mocktails. A glass of sparkling pink Bailly-Papierre NV Cremant de Bourgogne, France was the way to start.
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