RH restaurant at the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood has great food and laid back atmosphere (6/09)

Looking for a relaxed atmosphere restaurant with great food?  Look no further and head up to the Andaz Hotel (Formally the Hyatt on Sunset) and dine at RH. The menu has a great variety while the staff is personable and attentive.  The open kitchen and spread out tables make you feel very comfortable.
Start with the potato leek soup and their delicious bread.  For appetizers, try the heirloom tomato/mozzarella salad or the dungeness crab with haas avocado.
 
It gets really fun after that as you select from one of two menus for your entrees. From the Market List menu,  choose between shrimp, scallops, yellow fin tuna, chicken, steak or pork.  Then you pick how you want it cooked (Seared, Stir-fry, Tartar or Steamed).  Then you pick from a wide assortment of vegetables and which sauce you want it cooked in.  Don’t miss the tempting side dishes such as triple fried french fries, organic wild rice, mashed potatoes or cauliflower gratin.  You can also order off the regular menu with selections such as the tasty green vegetable risotto, Colorado lamb chops, fresh halibut or tuna and the RH black angus burger.  They have a full bar, cocktail drink menu, wine list and after dinner drinks.  The dining experience was fantastic and food was amazing!

RH FACT SHEET

OPENED:            January 2009

ADDRESS:             RH
                Andaz West Hollywood
                8401 Sunset Blvd.
                West Hollywood, CA 90069
                (323) 785-6090
 
OVERVIEW:     The 100-seat RH restaurant and bar showcases the region’s freshest seasonal ingredients expertly prepared in one of the area’s most exciting culinary settings: a well-oiled 1,515-square-foot exhibition-style kitchen.

EXECUTIVE CHEF:       Sebastien Archambault, 33, a French-trained chef who has worked under such luminaries as Alain Ducasse, Jean-Francois Rouquette and Guy Savoy. He previously ran Le Pirate in Corsica, which earned a Michelin star under his direction. At RH, Archambault’s mantra is “fresh, seasonal, local.” He works closely with local farmers, fishermen and purveyors to create simple, expertly prepared “market to table” cuisine.

CONCEPT:                 Located at Andaz West Hollywood, a sleek re-invention of the former Hyatt on Sunset Strip, RH is a nod to the hotel’s storied past and stands for its ‘70s nickname “Riot House.” While this moniker may conjure up images of its star-studded heritage – an era when the hotel was known as a hangout for hard-partying rockers – today the new hotel and restaurant are all about simple elegance. In that spirit, RH embodies freshness and conviviality with a deeply local, “market to table” philosophy. The kitchen is entirely open, providing an exciting view of the choreography that takes place as RH’s culinary team gracefully transforms painstakingly sourced ingredients into finished dishes.

                     Restaurant employees are dressed in a variety of pieces from local designers Velvet and Vince. Staff selects their own personal items from these collections that are comfortable, simple and easy to coordinate in a neutral palette of colors.

MENU HIGHLIGHTS:      Guests can create their own dish from the “Market List” – selecting from the season’s best farm-fresh ingredients and carefully sourced seafood and meats – and choosing the method of cooking (Sear, Stir-fry or Tartar) and accompaniments, which include flavorful sauces and chutneys for dinner entrees such as a luscious butter sauce; pesto; chili and onion chutney with kaffir lime; and yellow curry sauce.

Chef Archambault also offers an ever-evolving selection of signature dishes, such as for dinner: Seared Diver Scallops with Orange Braised Endive and Cilantro Seeds; Slow Braised Beef Cheek with Baby Carrots and Black Olives; and Double Pork Chop with Pancetta, Garlic Confit and Artichoke Hearts. 

Lunch features a wide selection from the “Market List” to create salads and sandwiches, and offers light entrees like Simple Seared Chicken Breast with Roasted Vegetables and Field Mushroom Risotto with Parmesan. Breakfast incorporates a hearty line-up of freshly squeezed juices, fresh fruit or vegetable smoothies, Organic Farm Fresh Eggs with add-ons such as bell peppers, Swiss cheese and all-natural bacon, and specialty dishes such as Chilaquiles and Rocky Road Pancakes.

A sumptuous Weekend Brunch menu features the best of breakfast and lunch with new classics such as: Bloody Mary Oyster Shooter; Potato Waffle with Smoked Salmon, Poached Egg and Dill; Breakfast Salad with Romaine, Chicken, Potato Chips, Fried Egg and Peanut Dressing; and Diver Scallops Florentine.

INTERIOR DESIGNER/ 
ARCHITECT:     Janson Goldstein, LLP, New York, New York

DESIGN/DÉCOR:     A portion of RH and the main bar is housed in the new “glass-veiled”pavilion that serves as the entrance to Andaz.
    As guests walk into RH, an evocative black and white print by Los Angeles born photographer Anne Collier – depicting a woman’s eye — offers an intriguing hint at the venue’s sleek interiorscape.

With an open, airy almost translucent quality, an aura of fluidity prevails throughout this barrier-free venue – with spaces flowing seamlessly from one area to the next. The overall ambiance is elegant and refined, yet casual and comfortable, with a fresh and lively mid-century vibe.

The restaurant’s uncluttered design scheme masterfully blurs the distinction between inside and out. Expansive windows open up to the vibrant Sunset Strip, while successive interior layers – the bar, kitchen and glass-clad refrigerators – help pull the light and energy of the street into the space. Diners can also glimpse an 11-foot-tall exterior sculpture, The Departure, by celebrated New York-based artist Jacob Hashimoto. This three-dimensional stainless steel and aluminum abstract work artfully ties into the restaurant’s minimalist décor.

Banquettes are upholstered in sleek, silver-hued leather, accentuated by whimsical curved metal light fixtures.
Metallic, glass, marble, dark wood and marble accents are offset by a subtle off-white and grey palette. Clean lines, bold columns and hourglass-design mosaic stone flooring all converge to provide a fresh, appealing backdrop for the restaurant’s dynamic centerpiece – a bustling open kitchen. Here, guests can view firsthand Chef Archambault and his talented culinary team, as they deftly prepare their meals.

Two marble-topped communal tables seat up to 12 each, and allow for large group dining; while traditional seating – with reconstituted wood and simple leather and metal chairs – is clustered throughout the bar and restaurant. The light-infused cocktail lounge is anchored by an expansive marble bar top and an oversized glass accent wall adds to the ethereal ambience. The semi-private chef’s table area is accentuated by a striking oil and enamel abstract work on canvas – which gracefully depicts a white birch grove – by Los Angeles artist Kirsten Everberg.

PRIVATE DINING :          Set against the textured backdrop of an expansive 400-bottle copper-fluted wine wall, the private dining area has three tables topped by sleek modernist light fixtures, and seats up to 12.

WINE PROGRAM:        Wine consultant/sommelier Bonnie Graves has compiled an eclectic wine list featuring 70 varieties of outstanding California wines, focusing on small-lot, hand-crafted “boutique” wines. More than 20 varieties of red, white and sparkling wines are offered by the glass. Select wines are made from naturally, organically and/or sustainably farmed grapes, which echo Chef Archambault’s commitment to local, artisanal produce.

RH BAR:                Seated at the swank, light-infused bar overlooking Sunset Strip, guests enjoy a cocktail list that not only includes the classics, but custom drinks that rely on the restaurant’s inherent focus on sourcing the freshest seasonal ingredients available. Highlights include: Mr. Plant (No. 209 gin, cucumber, tangerine and agave syrup), Sunrita (Patron Silver Tequila, Grand Marnier, organic citrus, blood orange and agave syrup), The Steelo (Hangar One vodka, St. Germaine liqueur, grapefruit juice, fresh blueberries). Dining is also available at the bar.
                   
KITCHEN DESIGN:     RH features one of LA’s most exciting open kitchens. Molteni stoves, ovens, and other sleek stainless appliances and cooking stations are clearly visible from the restaurant and bar; while huge walk-in refrigerators sport glass fronts so diners may closely follow the progress of their meal – from cooler and pantry to prep areas to table.

This pristine open area enables Chef Archambault and his staff to show off the freshness of their ingredients and cleanliness of their kitchen. This is sheer “cooking as entertainment,” as diners take in a frenzy of activity just a few feet from their tables.

SEATING:     The restaurant seats up to 100, and dining for private parties is available for up to 16 people. The Chef’s Table seats up to 7 and allows guests a close-up look at the action-packed kitchen area.

HOURS:                 Restaurant:     Daily, 6:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Bar:     Sunday – Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 a.m
        Thursday – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.

Brunch Hours: Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

PRICING:     Dinner: Appetizers $8-$22, Entrees $15-$35, Desserts $8
Lunch: $12-$25; Weekend Brunch: $10-$18; Breakfast: $3-$16

PARKING:                A separate valet caters exclusively to RH guests.

OWNER/OPERATOR:      Global Hyatt Corporation

MEDIA CONTACTS:        Marguarite Clark Public Relations
Marguarite Clark, (949) 295-2801, [email protected]
                Sydnie Moore, (619) 283-8896, [email protected]
           
                Jaimie Confer at Andaz, [email protected]