la.foodblogging

LA loves all things deemed “trendy.” Parc combines many past and present trends, in hopes LA will show it more love than the previous restaurant that opened here, BlackSteel. French Asian fusion served tapas style, caviar/champagne menus, urban eco-friendly ambiance, and a stunning bar area, are all under one roof just waiting for the approval of young Hollywood and scene driven diners.

The decor is cool without being cold. They’ve successfully folded together the concrete jungle that is LA with mellow, natural elements reminiscent of, well, a park. Designer beehives buzzing with warm lights hang from the large tree in the main dining area. The rich wood accents throughout add a strong, sophisticated feeling to the space.

There are 3 champagnes offered by the glass on the “champagne & caviar” menu. We ordered 2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot. My dining companion was a true wine guru and thought their list to be quite interesting and impressive for the size. Our waiter genuinely enhanced the entire experience as he had considerable knowledge of both wine and food. A complimentary sunomono style salad made with Persian cucumbers was served first. It was fine but uninspired.

Our server recommended we order 3 or 4 items to share between the two of us which was perfect. First to arrive, the Artichoke Boursin Fritters with Jalapeno Ponzu Aioli. This dish was my least favorite of the night. It lacked in both presentation and flavor. The 3 fritters, served on a wilted piece of lettuce, were fried to a crisp golden brown, but any artichoke was overshadowed by the rich cheese. The aioli was watery and reminded me more of a store bought cheese dip. I know that’s harsh but honesty is the best policy right? :)

Moving on to the Beet “Noodle” Arugula Salad with Crumbled Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Dressing; This presentation did have more zest, but reminded me of gourmet cuisine from the early 90’s “plate painting” and “tower” designs became super popular. The al dente texture of the beet noodles was outstanding and a great pairing with the creamy goat cheese and spicy arugula. It was a touch over dressed but still very enjoyable.

My favorite plate was the Clay Pot Chilean Sea Bass, baked with black pepper, caramel and scallions, then topped with crispy onions. The tender bass was resting in a sweet, delicate broth and the batter browned fried onions made this dish pop!

Last, we had Burg’s Grilled Lamb Chopettes marinated and grilled with a rosemary Port Ginger Sauce. The lamb was butter knife tender and I enjoyed rich, comfort food flavors with each juicy bite. We opted out of dessert to catch Wicked at the Pantages. I guess I’ll have to revisit for caviar, cocktails and dessert.

THE BOTTOM LINE ~ Better than good, yet not great Asian French fusion tapas … go for the scene, ambiance, wine and cocktails, not for an exquisite gastronomical experience.

PARC
6683 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: (323) 465-6200
Cross Street: Las Palmas Avenue
Hours: Daily 6pm-2am

By foodflirt90210 (see more of her posts). You can find more of foodflirt90210's writing at her own website foodflirt90210