Townhouse Kitchen & Bar (01/10)
Hidden minutes away from one of the nation’s busiest intersection (the 101 and 405) away Townhouse Kitchen & Bar sits snugly behind the massive Sherman Oaks Galleria walls. But once you walk in the door of the airy, completely open box of a 7,000-square-foot restaurant with its metal glass frame, you have arrived at a warm and inviting party. Where else can you find an afternoon Happy Hour plus a Reverse Happy hour that goes from 11pm to 2 amt?
Actually that’s wrong. They “had us” when, tired up in traffic, we phoned the hostess to say we were late; and she made us feel as though us coming at any time was great news. When we walked in the door, this very pretty young hostess with fresh, good looks and direct friendly attitude didn’t disappoint.
Floor-to-ceiling windows replace front walls of the former Macaroni Grill, so that the Townhouse feels wrapped in glass, making visible the goings on inside out and outside in, as well as on a patio that seats 40.
Wood, stone and tile dominate the stylish Townhouse interior with elements of sturdy distressed concrete and brick walls, mosaic tiling, and slate floors, giving it an organic feel. The design is just so, so smart. A rounded granite-topped bar is smack, center-stage in the middle of the room that seats 250. Tables surround the bar, large, comfy leather banquets hug the walls around the room. The 14-flat screen TVs hung high through the room are not noticeable unless you are watching them.
You become part of the party watching another part, and it totally works. A buzzing, diverse crowd of large birthday party tables, families, date couples, pairs and a full bar fill the room by 7 pm.
Diagonally across from the front door, cooks happily bustle about an open kitchen, separated from the main floorshow by an openwork wood latticework. This is a kitchen with casual dishes, not a “foodie’destination. But the generously portioned dishes are tasty, appealing and most have an added fun twist to them. Local, organic products and house-made ingredients are evident in the affordable selection of small plates, salads, sandwiches, and entrées.
Each dish is perfect for pairing with a glass of wine, one of the 30 beers on tap, or a handcrafted signature cocktail, many of them with fresh fruit that lingers on the tastebuds after the drink is gone, so fresh my companion asked for ice tea to pour over the fruit left from a luscious mohito berry mojito made with Bacardi razz, fresh raspberries and blackberries, mint leaves, fresh lime, pure cane syrup and sugarcane
Stick. The Fire and Ice Martini make problem fade with a kick but such a smooth kick with absolut ruby red vodka, jalapeño, fresh lemon, jalapeño slice.
Manager Chris’s concise, thoughtful list of inexpensive, quality boutique label wines by the glass that include selections from the best
The “back to basics” all-purpose eclectic California fare menu starts with a base of flatbreads,“Two-Handed” sandwiches, entrées, salads, small plates and dailys specials but for the low or no carbo eaters, many with the potential of becoming Signatures.
We were even more pleased with the suggested dishes, first with The Roasted Red Pepper Hummus ($7.99), rustic-rich and thick, served with a little olive salad.
The Lobster Cake, Pork Belly, Angry Shrimp (a wow), and Apple Wood Smoked Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders ($8.99-9.99) are stuffed into larger-than-usual buns, each with so much pizzazz that they are totally opposite to the original concept of “sliding down the throat.”
When we mentioned that The Grilled Skirt Steak ($17.99) would be even better topped with more chimichurri, and the Cobb Salad overdressed, the server attentively said he would relay this to the chef, mentioning that they had recently changed it to suit customer taste.
And watch out for the “Happy Ending” desserts. When you order the fresh, decadent sampler “trio” of Chocolate Cake Bites, the Blondie (a bit dry)-tini Sundae, and Fresh Berries with Crème Anglaise ($3.99 each or$10 for the trio), they must have been designed for Paul Bunyan.
When smart, experienced, dedicated people put together a restaurant it appears to run effortlessly, starting with Manager Chris LaCava. Signal a server a few tables away and he/she comes over or sends someone over (rather than the usual gaggle of servers surveying a room, missing guests waving for attention), and when the vibe is so much fun, the drinks so inventive and the food so tasty on top of it, at Townhouse you have the makings of a winner for years and years to come.
TOWNHOUSE Kitchen & Bar (