SiLa Bistro: Honoring Silverlake with a California Flair (08/08)

 

We arrived after confirming directions to this charming bistro because unless you know Silverlake well, this is an off-the-beaten path restaurant.  After you’ve been there once, it’s easy and worth the trip.  Like the cuisine we experienced, the location is a surprise until you look back and see how very logical and natural it is.

 

For starters, we ordered the Cheese Plate (they were out of the popular baked brie by the time we arrived later in the evening) and the Cilantro Caesar Salad. The Cheese Plate was small and delicate, but they had great artisan cheeses and it was an excellent compliment to our glasses of Carignane.  Carignane is a wine of the Rhone region in France and not often found in a small bistro in Los Angeles.

 

Sila worked with Jarred Hooper, sommelier, on the wine list and thankfully they want their wines to be "wines you won’t find at Gelsons".   So far this philosophy has lead them to a very nice wine list that shows great potential and a gift to all  foodies and vinophiles alike with more boutique and small case production wines that really compliment the food.

The salad has to be one of my new favorite dishes.  Chef Steve Brown has taken the traditional Caesar salad and introduced it to California cuisine.  It was so refreshing to see this innovative take on a traditional item.  The owner stated that while in culinary school he was told, "don’t try to reinvent the wheel…know the basics and you’ll succeed in having great food."  Here he proves he learned this point well.

I found the kick of the cilantro and the balance of cool avocado such a surprise to the palate in its combination, even after having these items in other dishes and knowing they are California staples.  It seemed so logical.  And yet, this was the first time I’ve ever seen it prepared and presented in this way.

For our main courses, we chose the Rack of Lamb and the Grilled Wild Scottish Salmon.  I find that good lamb is hard to come by in Southern California; great lamb even more difficult, yet at Sila Chef Steve Brown seems to have found it.  The mission figs and pearl onion compote add a savory taste that acts as a beautiful framework around the perfectly prepared lamb.  The subtle mint crust is not that noticeable on every piece but when it was…wow!

The salmon seemed a touch fishy but the overall plate was well done.  My guest couldn’t stop raving about the Moroccan couscous.  Chef Brown adds black pepper, which is umcommon, and again, it comes as a pleasant surprise to the taste buds though afterward it seems so logical against the sweet honey lavender. 

For our confections, we chose the Port Poached Pear and the Lemon Cheesecake.  Both of these were again home runs.

SiLa itself  is beautiful in an understated, unassuming and approachable way that welcomes guests and invites a feeling even if you are there for a meal.  Both Chef Steve Brown and owners Ray and Frank have a certain confidence that  I found justified after we ate their quietly elegant cuisine.   While we thorough enjoyed our experience, I believe the best is yet to come from them.

Tuesday-Thursday, 5 to 10 PM, Friday & Saturday 5 to 10:30 PM, or when your wine is finished.  Reservations: 323-664-7979
2630 Hyperion Avenue @ Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA  90027