Craft

6/20/2016

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Yelp 100 Challenge

Craft has been long time on my list of restaurants to visit when someone else is paying for the meal and it did not disappoint. Can be kind of difficult to find, but once you figure out you just park at the Annenberg Space, then you are good to go.

People are definitely dressed nicely here- whether it's because they are coming here after work or for an engagement of sorts, do dress well.

Service is fantastic, my water cup was constantly replenished. No complaints on service and the recommendations made by my waiter lived up to their hype mostly. Please be noted that Craft serves the dishes family style.

Ordered:

Avocado salad - Good, refreshing. Nothing super innovative
Octopus- probably my favorite dish of the meal! Must order
Halibut Ceviche- Good, but I've probably had better ceviche elsewhere

Loup De Mer- Really good, melts in your mouth. Wish I could eat this weekly.
Duck Breast- Normally not a huge duck fan, but this was delicious. Definitely devoured half of this on my own
Farm Chicken- Chicken is chicken...difficult to screw up

Shishito Peppers & Assorted Mushrooms were our side dishes. I think I would probably skip side dishes the next time and order another main course or first course instead.

Chef brought complimentary dessert- a nice palate cleanser to end the dinner.

Overall, Craft definitely lives up to the hype as a classy restaurant that utilizes high quality ingredients. The food, service and ambiance are a complete package.

7/1/2016

• 1 check-in

Craft is the restaurant I chose to treat my girl out for her birthday. With 1000+ solid reviews and Tom Colicchio as the chef (one of the judges from Top Chef), how could it possibly go wrong? It didn't. Our experience here was wonderful.

Parking: make sure you get your ticket validated for free parking. You can park in P1 near 130-140s for direct access to the escalator. Make your way up a few flights through the glass doors and head left to find Craft.

Ambiance: clean and elegant. I opted to sit next to the Windows for the natural lighting.

Service: HOLY COW...I'm going to take some time to express how extraordinary their service was. It was absolutely impeccable. As I walked to and from the bathroom, every server stepped out of the way 6-10 feet in advance and gave a kind smile as I went to and from carrying out my business. I felt like an absolute champ. While I was away, my gf explained to me that a server immediately came and tucked in my chair and folded my napkin upon my departure. Why you ask? Just so that everything looks presentable upon my arrival. They did the same for my gf when she went to go freshen up. Suuuuper consistent! It doesn't stop there though. Each entree was preceded with a hot new and clean plate and utensils. After each course was completed, someone would proceed to clear tidy everything up for the next item...holy cow. If you choose to take home some left overs, they take away your leftovers and give you a piece of paper with a number which you'd use to pick up your food as you leave. Whaaaaaat?

Food: the food was good. I had some risotto, mixed mushrooms, and the dry aged ribeye. They also gave us each a hummus bite which was pretty amazing, it was simple and every component could be distinguished well. The risotto was flavorful and the mushrooms absolutely blew me away. I didn't know mushrooms could taste like that. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the ribeye. The bone marrow that accompanies the ribeye was a bit funky tasting and the meat itself came predominantly medium with bits of medium well and med-rare when we asked for medium rare. I've had an expensive cut of dry aged ribeye before from Baran's 2239 two months prior near Redondo. They are a fairly new restaurant, and was able to use them as a gauge. Surprisingly, Baran's rendition of the dry aged ribeye was much more tender, well seasoned, and juicier. You should give them a try.

Desserts: I absolutely loved every single one of the desserts...holy cow...they were phenomenal.

Lemon herb frozen yogurt-this was amazing. The lemon and herbs were well balanced with a perfect level of tartness. I couldn't get enough of this. This functioned as a wonderful palate cleanser.

Cherry Pie- looooove. I'm not usually a huge fan of cherry pies but this blew me away. The cherry wasn't too overpowering and the crust was strangely reminiscent of korean sweet potatoes. It meshed well with the vanilla ice cream and cherry sorbet.

Devils something chocolate- this was give tours for my gf's birthday. I've never tasted a chocolate cake so rich and decadent. If others could be described as a pond, the depth of flavor from their cake was as deep as the ocean. One small bite permeates your mouth with a wave of chocolate flurry.

Everything was executed wonderfully. Overall, I did enjoy the desserts more than the entrees. I walked out wishing I tipped our servers more. They really elevated the entire dining experience.

Go ahead and treat yo self!!!! It twas amazing.

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  Birthday menu

  Birthday menu
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• See all photos from Daniel K. for Craft

6/26/2016

• 1 check-in

• Listed in You Fancy huh?!

My friend took me out for a celebratory dinner and I was super excited to check out Craft, as they had great reviews, and the pictures looked good. They have valet $11. We had a reservation at 7 but got there a bit early so we sat at the bar and grabbed a drink. My Pinot Noir (Montinore Estate, Pinot Noir Red Cap, 2014, Willamette Valley $15) was great, a light and subtle, not too strong which is good since I'm still easing up to red wine. My friend got the Pimm's Cup (Pimms, Ginger Ale, Orange, Cucumber, Angostura Bitters $14). It was very refreshing from the cucumber and orange, slightly sweet, and a tad smoky, great presentation.

The menu style is similar to steakhouses, where you choose the protein and the sides are all separate. They also have small selections of appetizers and other dishes that are a bit small and shareable, like tapas style. The meat entrees are pretty big and they give you a few amuse bouche here and there so we got pretty full after. The inside is real nice, my style too! Romantic, relaxing, a bit modern and industrial from the hanging lights that I love! A great date spot as it was quiet but still lively. Lots of families, locals and business I would think was the crowd.

_We got a complimentary amuse bouche of what looked like a salmon spread with puffed cereal on a spoon. The bite was refreshing, not too fishy, it reminded me of a salmon shmear for your bagel.
_Octopus & Romanesco ($19) I love octopus, presentation was pretty and the first few bites were great, but it started to taste a bit more chewy and some were way overcooked. It was pretty salty as well. Came with a sauce that tasted like a buttery tartar dill sauce. It paired well with the octopus. I thought this was okay, I've had way better octopus elsewhere.
_Spaghetti, Red Prawns & Meyer Lemon ($34) My friend wanted pasta, and I'm glad he got this. Presentation was simple but nice. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. Good amount of plumped and perfectly cooked prawns. The flavors were simple, butter with some lemon and chopped parsley. Nothing amazing but still had good solid flavors.
_Alaskan Halibut & Beech Mushrooms ($39) I wanted fish, as I was trying to be a bit healthy haha. The halibut was good. The skin was nice and crisp and the fish itself was cooked well but I do wish it was a bit more flaky and soft. The juice sauce on the bottom tasted a bit like bonito. A tad fishy, but salty and sweet. Good but a little forgettable.
_Duck Breast ($39) This was surprisingly very good! I'm not a huge fan of duck, as I find it a bit gamy and fatty in meat. However my friend ordered this and I'm glad he did. Nice presentation , comes in slices of duck. The duck itself was cooked perfectly, moist and not at all gamy. The sauce was a bit sweet and the depth was rich and robust. The sprig of sage was a nice touch and flavor. I highly recommend this!
_Hen of the Woods Mushrooms ($19)The mushrooms were good but a bit salty. For $19 there was nothing amazing just good solid mushrooms.
_German Butterball Potatoes ($13) O.M.G! the best potatoes ever! We were going for potatoes, and I can't do dairy as all the potatoes listed had heavy cream so we opted for this that was dairy free haha. It's cubed potatoes that you see at lots of breakfast places. But, something about Craft's was different. For one they were all consistent, in flavor and texture. You did not get one that was good and some that were burnt.. NO, all cooked perfectly. The best part was the texture. It was so crisp outside but so soft and moist inside. I don't know if they bake it then fry it but I just wanted to stuff them all in my mouth and pocket for later. We ended up taking some to go and I had it the next morning with my eggs :)
_For another complimentary amuse bouch we got raspberry sorbet, which was okay. A few sweets, of some puff pastry, peanut butter brittle, that was amazing, and dark chocolate cherry bark that was good but pretty tart from the cherries.
_Cheesecake Panna Cotta w/strawberry sorbet ($12) Presentation was nice but overall flavor was a pass for me. The cheesecake itself was soso. Not much flavor, very bland, thick like a cheesecake should be, but also felt like eating flavorless tofu. The only thing that saved this was all the components that paired with it, like the fresh strawberries, pistachio bits, and strawberry sorbet.
_At the end we got a complimentary blueberry cornbread that was to-go. I had it the next morning with my coffee and it was pretty good. Not too sweet and very crumbly.

Overall great experience. Solid dishes, although I realized most of the dishes were all a bit on the salty side. Great service! Everyone was friendly and attentive. Thank you to my friend for the experience :)

*Side note: If you can't finish your meal and want to take it to go, they give you a little number that you give to the front when you are about to leave, so that it does not just sit at your table, which I thought was clever.

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  Cheesecake Panna cotta w/strawberry. Soso

  Cheesecake Panna cotta w/strawberry. Soso
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  Complimentary dessert trio

  Complimentary dessert trio
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  Complimentary sorbet

  Complimentary sorbet
• See all photos from Vanessa M. for Craft

6/24/2016

Ok. first, not creative and inventive at all. All mediocre dishes. I cannot talk bad about their dishes, but let me put it this way. Tiny bit better than Cheesecake Factory. Everything you order here, you have tasted it before. Time to change the restaurant name Craft to "Ordinary".

Quail - sucks
Pork - burnt...too much I could not chew
Octopus - super salty... Ink has best octopus
Risotto - meh nothing special
Gnocchi - WAY over cooked and softened, bland.

Their complimentary bread was good.

3/24/2016

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Jonathan Gold 101, ed. 2015

Craft is:

perfect for a celebration with family and friends
perfect for a second date if you know what I mean
perfect for meat and poultry lovers
perfect for pre- and post-dessert lovers
just perfect

Craft is not:

inexpensive
tacky
pushy
snooty
loud

Validated parking.

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  The complimentary pre-dessert: smooth frozen yogurt with topping, exceptionally delicious

  The complimentary pre-dessert: smooth frozen yogurt with topping, exceptionally delicious
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  Post-dessert on the house

  Post-dessert on the house
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  Quail and tortellini

  Quail and tortellini
• See all photos from Isobel L. for Craft

3/17/2016

• 1 check-in

Another lovely Wednesday night dinner with my fellow dinner mates. This time, we ate at CRAFT (American), owned by Chef Tom Colicchio from Top Chef.

A very beautiful, romantic, and intimate restaurant setting - facing an array of lighted up trees, gorgeous! Great place to catch with friends, or having a romantic dinner with your loved one(s). Even the restrooms are beautiful! Each stall is super private like the ones in the Vegas casinos.

PARKING:  FREE parking with restaurant validation. Your trunk will also be searched by security to prevent any possible terrorist attacks. CRAFT shares the underground parking lot with the Annenberg Space for Photography Museum.  I absolutely love their underground parking lot! Why can't parking structures everywhere else do the red/green lights for spaces - so organized and efficient! :)  Once you come out of the museum, CRAFT faces a gorgeous array of lit up, lighted trees (evening time).  Now onto the Drinks and Food:

Complimentary Bread:  YASSS!!!! Unlike Cassia (where we ate last time), this place actually gives you bread while you're waiting for your food. We had enough time for one group shot before the food started coming out quickly, yay! The bread was crispy around the edges, and soft in the middle. The butter that accompanies it - so smooth and creamy, yummy!

WATER & COCKTAILS:  The staff here is excellent at refilling your water and alcoholic drinks. Their bartender that night was heavy-handed with the alcohol. I didn't like the Gypsy Queen:  Tasted like burning, cough syrup. Wouldn't recommend getting it. Later on, I did get the Singapore Sling - slightly sweeter, but the alcohol was still strong. I got more than an Asian Flush - my whole body looked as if I was sun burned at the beach, lol! Both drinks cost $14 a piece - both are so not worth it. As for the food...

Before the appetizers arrived, we were given an amused bouche to get our taste buds warmed up. I liked the cute curved spoons it came on. It was a little spoonful of marinated veggies and fruits - sweet, light and refreshing. I would definitely eat this as a summer dish if they made one.

My dinner mates and I shared a bunch of plates consisting of:

Appetizers:
1. Quai $34.00:  A REALLY TINY birdie (think newborn chick size), but the meat was tender and delicious, and it wasn't as gamey as I thought it would be. I never had quail other than the egg, and I liked it. As far as sharing the bird between a group of 4, this dish is best shared between two people actually, lol!

2. Tortelli, Taleggio and Perigord Truffles $35.00: The meat was a mixture of sweet and savory, though the entire tortelli itself was a bit al dente. They gave us 5 pieces, and we each got 1 piece and 1/4 of the 5th one we shared, lol!

Main Entrees:
1. I got the Mugifuji Pork $38: Pretty good - had the right amount of pork belly fat to it with thin slices of glazed pear. Soak the sauce up with the bread, delicious!

Shared some slices from my dinner mates:
2. Farm Chicken $34.00:  Tender chicken slices, wasn't dried.
3. Duck Breast $39.00:  Tender slices, wasn't dried, and juicy.
4. Flat Iron Steak $39.00:  Tender slices, and melts in your mouth easily.

Veggies We All Shared:

Sunchokes $12.00:  Crispy and delightful - reminded me of eating potatoes
Hen of the Woods: $19.00: Big chunks of grilled mushrooms, yummy!

Dessert:
We were also give amuse bouche desserts: Tofu-like yogurt with candied nuts and marmalade on top, it was so good!!!  Good way to cleanse the palate before our actual dessert came :)

We all then shared - $12.00 per dish:

Soudough Donuts with Lemon Cream, Huckleberry and Key Lime Sherbet
Strawberry Cream Pie - Matcha Meringue & Passion Fruit Caramel
Malva Pudding Cream Cake - Rhubarb & Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream
Drambuie Ice Cream:  a sweet Scotch whiskey liqueur flavor

All the desserts were delicious and refreshing! That definitely woke me up from my delicious dinner mood, lol! Finally, they surprised us with a last dessert amuse bouche - a deconstructed s'mores dish with toasted marshmallows, chocolate brownie piece and a snicker doodle. That was awesome!

Also, one last surprise - after you pay your bill, you get a complimentary to go doggie bag of either cookies or breakfast granola - they gave us granola goodie breakfast to go home with. Something to eat healthy in the morning after our yummy, indulgent meal, lol!

Overall, I dig this place! I would come back again if I'm Century City again. Despite the strong cocktails, along with awesome company, the overall food and service was on point, and best of free parking with validation, hellz yea! :)

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  Dinner with the Gang :)

  Dinner with the Gang :)
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  Granola Breakfast Goodie Bag To Go for all patrons that night.

  Granola Breakfast Goodie Bag To Go for all patrons that night.
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  Gary and his Birthday cake, again, lol!

  Gary and his Birthday cake, again, lol!
• See all photos from Kim T. for Craft

3/18/2016

Craft: ultra chic in a low key yet sumptuously appointed plush, comfortable restaurant where there are many fabrics & soft surfaces to absorb the cacophony of sounds so common now in other up-to-date eateries surrounded by cement walls & floors to reflect obnoxious sounds drowning out & making intimate conversations impossible.  There is no loud "party scene" crassness as found in such places as Bottega Louis, Bestia, Animal, etc. Craft is a very classy oasis of pleasant dining where Edison light bulbs give off a muted, soft orange-yellow glow of welcome.

Waiters here are helpful, thoughtful, friendly, never-the-less down-to-business in a crisp professional manner.  

1)Tortellini are more like its larger sibling, Tortelloni, & were rather al dente in a stretchy, chewy sort of way stuffed w/ ground pork belly & earthy, green earthy sage.  I must say that the similar Casonzei at Factory Kitchen was a more savory, meaty concept, but the FK is a master of Paste.

2)  Roasted Qualie/quail totally deboned except for the appendages was masterly prepared w/ a meaty sauce demi-glace coating the blackened caramelized skin. The soft yet firm flesh was marinated in a likewise meaty Umami.  The garnish of a sprig of rosemary also seems to have been swished in the demi-glace sauce to add a last minute oily, perfumy, smokiness.  

3)  Farm Chicken used here may be a close equivalent of the famous Appellation d' Origine Controlee Bresse Chicken roasted a pleasing golden brown accompanied by roasted root vegetables.  The firm yet moist meat has that ineffable, delicate barnyard fowl Umami in the now ubiquitous flavourful demi-glace sauce.                  

4)  Mugifugi Pork seems grilled w/ application of the demi-glace w/ pieces of roasted apple for a nice agrodolce/sweet, sour contrast to the porkiness & sumptuous fat still attached to some of the meaty slices that had a soft yet noticeable chaw.  

5)  Flat Iron Steak almost seemed blackened on the outside in a hot pan w/ hint of thyme to add herbal oily smokiness. Good chaw, but couldn't quite sense a beefy, grass-fed undertone from the meat.  

6)  Duck Breast:  roasted so the flavourful fatty skin is a bit crisped for a great texture contrast to the moist, soft yet chewy, rich duck meat w/ a touch of gaminess & seemed spiced w/ possible cinnamon, allspice that put it over the top. A fried sprig of lavender w/ flower attached was a nice aromatic touch.   Demi-glace was sweet w/ a good stock to augment to the duck undertone.  This was the piece de resistance of this meal.

All the good quality meats above except maybe the Mugifuji seemed pre-marinated in a meaty Umami filled fond de cuisine so that each dish from the get go had a luscious carnivore intensiveness.  

7)  Sunchoke is slow roasted so some parts of this root/stem looking vegetable is meltingly smooth w/  lightly chewy thin skin & other parts are more like artichoke heart, soft yet fibrous w/ a sweet vegetal whisper.

8)  Hen of the Woods mushrooms were for me too blackened to the point of making it look inedible.  Light earthiness that is soft collapsing into remnant fibrousness.

1-8a)  Westerly Merlot, Happy Cyn Sta. Barbara: nice lush California Merlot w/ full dark berries such as blackberry, touch of blueberry, nice mellow oak, mellow tannins & light acid to balance out all the fruit.  This paired well w/ all the above.  

Desserts:

0)  Pre-dessert of semi tart yogurt dressed w/ a bitter orange marmalade & Amaretto-like bitter almond finish.  

1) Sourdough Donuts: White sugar sprinkled almost stick to the roof-of-your mouth soft, sweet, bland, child-like doughiness. Lemon cream, huckleberries, key lime sherbet.  

2)  Drambuie Ice Cream: subtle hint of sweet lightly smoky, smooth Drambuie Scotch Liqueur

3)  Malva Pudding Cake:  Cushy, soft, sweetened w/ perhaps treacle or brown sugar dressed w/ rhubarb confit, dollops of rhubarb & Mexican vanilla ice cream

4)  Strawberry Cream Pie: is more elegant than it sounds w/ a tarte-like shape of thin grainly crust, strawberry cream, macerated strawberries in possibly Cointreau to give the strawberries a melt in your mouth fleeing texture.  Passionfruit caramel sauce w/ crunch seeds still in added a tropical exotic lilt while a tiny scoop of strawberry sherbet added a cooling, tart, sweetness.  Excellent way to end a meal.

5) Mignardise: Deconstructed S'mores w/ browned marshmallow, brownie, peanut butter scented sugar cookie.

6)  And there's more:  a take home trail mix package of roasted oats, almond, sunflower & pumpkin seeds.

Good service, food, utterly enjoyable quietness. Craft delivers.  4+++ Yelp stars.

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  Stylish, Chic bar scene at Craft.

  Stylish, Chic bar scene at Craft.
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  Complimentary petit gateau d'anniversaire

  Complimentary petit gateau d'anniversaire
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  Comfortable booth seating

  Comfortable booth seating
• See all photos from Gary I. for Craft

6/14/2016

Came here for a work lunch.  This is definitely up-scale in terms of ambience and price.  There was a lot of natural lighting, which was great during the lunch hour.

I got a salmon salad, which was fresh and tasty but over $20, which would have been steep if I was dining here on my own accord.  It wasn't a large dish, though pretty filling still with crisp greens, crumbled salmon and little fried rice bits.  The table bread was a thick-cut multigrain.

5/9/2016

• 1 check-in

Craft is by Westfield in Century City. It validates self-parking. It also has valet parking in front of the restaurant.

My daughter and I stopped here on Friday for dinner. We made reservations through Open Table. We were seated immediately. The service was prompt. Our server was Jim. The food was delicious although I probably won't order the hamachi again.

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• See all photos from Keila N. for Craft

1/20/2016

I'm a huge fan of Top Chef, so of course I have to try Tom Colicchio's restaurant. Came here last year for Dine LA. I don't remember too much from that menu, just that the whole experience exceeded my expectations. I loved it so much, I came back again for this year's Dine LA!

Complimentary
- Amuse Bouche: Salmon mousse on wheat crisp. Great salmon flavor compacted into the perfect, tiny bite.
- Bread and Butter: Wished the bread was warmer. Love the butter with sea salt though.

Appetizers (comes with everything on the Dine LA menu for the table to share)
- Winter Squash Hummus: Sooo interesting! Never had this flavor of hummus before. Really tasty and comes with thin pita crisps.  
- Frisee Salad: Light dressing with just the right amount of saltiness from the bacon.
- Tuna: Also very light. There was grapefruit on top, which is an unexpected flavor combination. Each of us got 2 pieces.

Main courses

- Mugifuji Pork: This was the most memorable dish we had last year, so we're happy to see it back on the menu. Initially, all 3 of us were going to order this. Last year, they were individual servings. Our waiter this year advised against it since everything is now served family style. He suggested we order different items so we can try a bigger variety. We all REALLY wanted the pork to ourselves and were being stubborn, so we ended up still getting 2 orders. When it arrived, our waiter was right, it was A LOT of pork lol. But no regrets, we finished everything. It's fatty and tender. I can cut through it with a butter knife. The sauce is nice and earthy but also has a sweet fruitiness. Complements the meat really well.

- Short Rib Ravioli: The dish we ordered because we shouldn't get 3 porks. Comes with 4 pieces. A bit smaller compared to the pork dish, but the sauce is heavier and they did not skimp on the short rib filling. Great for all of us to share.

- Side Brussels Spouts: Complimentary(!) since it's technically not part of the menu. Charred the right amount and so flavorful. When they placed it on the table, you can smell the aroma right away. I would actually pay extra for this.

Desserts to share (both on Dine LA menu as well)
- Chocolate Panna Cotta: Not overly chocolate, which is good after the meal we had. Comes with grapefruit (again)... Is it grapefruit season? Would have liked to see another fruit instead.
- Fry Bread: Pretty much a churro / doughnut. It's shaped like a flatbread, but is really light and airy inside. It's dusted with cinnamon sugar on top, and comes with vanilla ice cream and apples.

Additional Complimentary Items (yes, there's more!!)
- Lemon Cookies: Really small, thin discs but had such a pop of lemon flavor. Really refreshes and cleanses the palette.
- Granola to take home: They did this last year too, and I absolutely love this cute idea. Craft takes care of you for dinner AND breakfast the next morning.

This is much more than a 3-course dinner, which really makes the $50 more worth it. Service has been spot on both times, attentive but not overbearing. And listen to your waiter, they know best! Free validated garage parking also a huge plus.

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  Fry Bread (5/5)

  Fry Bread (5/5)
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  Chocolate Panna Cotta (4.5/5)

  Chocolate Panna Cotta (4.5/5)
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  Brussels Sprouts (5/5)

  Brussels Sprouts (5/5)
• See all photos from Jessica C. for Craft

3/18/2016

Came here at lunch with one of my employees, place was nice and clean, food was delicious!
I had the steak with pesto it was so juicy and tender!
Their arugula salad was so refreshing and perfect! I would absolutely come back!

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• See all photos from Maribel S. for Craft

11/9/2015

• 1 check-in

This place is really good.

The host was nonplussed that my reservation for two had turned into dinner for one.

The service was perfect, professionals who enjoy their jobs and their customers.

Started with the grilled octopus with yams.... Perfect.

Then the Mugifugi pork which was amazing. And the pan of roasted veg with it... Perfectly done with the semi globes of Brussel sprouts were my favorite.

I asked them to suggest wine and the pairings were perfect.

I will definitely return... This is my second dinner at Craft and both were of this standard.

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  The park next to Craft..

  The park next to Craft..
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  Craft from the outside...

  Craft from the outside...

5/8/2016

Mother's Day here went well for the most part. Food is always a hit (with the exception of the cauliflowers today)

My only complaint was my server's fake attitude that showed its true self throughout the brunch and hit its peak as I was leaving. I left her a 20% tip ($50) which she decided to take the bill when I was still at the table. As I was leaving, we walked by each other and she glanced, glared and walked passed. That really left a bad taste in my mouth.

How are you going to act like that at a restaurant at this caliber on Mother's Day. She didn't even know what berries were in the salad and had to ask her other servers who were visibly iritated with her. Her fake smile and attitude were cringey and too forced.

This has been my favorite restaurant to go to for 4 years, but this incident was really upsetting.

8/28/2015

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Hopeless Romantic, Spoil your loved ones with  $$$ and $$$$ restaurants

So we made a last minute late reservation on a Saturday night, I kind of wanted to try this place because of the high ratings on yelp, so here we are. A very classic and elegant restaurant in the heart of Century City, got seated at a big half booth table, I noticed all the tables are pretty big here, I liked that, very open and more comfortable.

Started off with sparkling water and Century City Mule specialty cocktail, it was refreshing but not very strong, the Goose vodka lemon drop martini I tried later was not very strong either but still tasty.

Starters:
Table bread with butter: I didn't try it, hubby liked it alright.

Dozen raw oysters on half shell: medium sized oysters were very fresh, the housemade cocktail sauce was very good.

Entrees:
I tried seasonal fish that our waitress recommended, it was refreshing like she said but I didn't like the texture too much, liked the melon and dried tiny shrimps in it. It was also not flavorful enough for me.

Flat iron steak: perfectly cooked to rare plus, hubby loved the housemade steak sauce.

Sides:
Sautéed mushrooms and shishito peppers: so fresh and flavorful, very delicious.

Truffle gnocchi: generous amount of truffles on top, the gnocchi was one of the best I have ever tasted.

We actually didn't order truffle gnocchi, for some reason it took the kitchen extremely long time to prepare our entrees, I wasn't very hungry that night so I didn't complain, but the chef still gave us a complementary gnocchi side dish.

Dessert:
Three flavors of sorbets, it was on the house too. They were very tasty and refreshing.

Finished our meal with glass of  20 yr old Tawny port as usual.  Hubby had double shot espresso.

The food was delicious mostly, the portions were big. Service was very attentive and friendly. The manager came by to apologize for the delay of our entrees a few times too, very professional indeed.

Overall it was a pleasant dining experience, it just the menu is not much of my type, most of the items are meats and poultry, I didn't  have much to order, just very limited fish and shellfish choices. Wish they had more seafood options.

A good place for dinner dates, I loved the ambiance and atmosphere, quiet and relaxing yet still kind of romantic.

Ps. Valet available, self park at Century Park towers, remember to validate parking tickets.

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  Sparkling water n table bread

  Sparkling water n table bread
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  Cookies

  Cookies
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  Sorbets

  Sorbets
• See all photos from Mimi L. for Craft

2/12/2016

Came for a birthday dinner and they printed the birthday boy's name on all our menus!! Pretty neat. The restaurant is as classy inside as the courtyard outside. Food was good but not really memorable... I wouldn't go during non dineLA. Order oysters!!

We each got a lil baggie of house made granola to take home with us -- tasted great.

Free self-parking in the structure during dinnertime.

6/1/2016

My wife and I celebrated our 39th Anniversary at Craft last weekend and we were not disappointed. We came early and had drinks and appetizers in the bar area (the hush puppies and the Halibut ceviche - both were so yummy).

For our dinner I had the Loup de Mer with pea tendrils and my wife had the Diver Scallops in vermouth butter we shared the Yukon gold purée and the shishito peppers. Everything was perfectly prepared and delicious. For desert we shared the coconut cream donuts which came with coconut ice cream and banana ice cream  - this desert was simply spectacular.

Everything about Craft is about quality and service. From the personalized menu's, the palate cleansers before and after dinner and the friendly attention to our every need. Yes the prices are at the higher end but the experience is worth every penny. We can't wait for another excuse to go back.

7/12/2015

• 1 check-in

Took my boyfriend here for his obligatory birthday steak dinner, it was DELICIOUS.

We sat at the bar for a bit while they got our table ready.The bartender recommended me the perfect drink on the cocktail menu when I told him I wanted something light, sweet and fruity. I forgot the name but it had champagne and strawberries in it.

They gave us a personalized menu with a birthday message and his name on top.
After we ordered, we snacked on some bread and a complimentary mini salmon appetizer (?).

Flat Iron Steak: Delicious! I loved the sauce that it was drenched in.

Rib Eye: $105...ouch! It's the only dish that came with a side of bone marrow. In my opinion the bone marrow presentation was nice but the taste was underwhelming. The ribe eye was AMAZING! Very flavorful with some fattiness, which my boyfriend loved. The only downside is that the steaks were all sliced, which cooled down the meat faster.

Gratin: It tasted like potato gratin... not sure what else to say about this dish lol I needed starch to balance out my meat.

Goodies: We got to take home two mini bags of granola and nuts. I had it for breakfast with almond milk, honey and some blueberries. YUM!

Parking: Free when validated

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  Special menus

  Special menus

1/23/2016

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Yelp 100 Challenge (2016)

SHORT VERSION:
If you don't know who TOM is, watch Top Chef. Check out how he sets his standards as a judge...Now imagine being held accountable to all the high expectations he has, and imagine how he would execute those expectations... actually, no need to imagine... JUST VISIT CRAFT!

LONG VERSION:
Where do I even begin!!?

So this is Tom Colicchio'a restaurant and with that said, you should expect perfection once you arrive at this establishment. I've been here several times and will not be able to focus on menu details but I can write a general review of the main aspects of this restaurant.

FOOD: Overall amazing! The most memorable dish I had was a pasta item which I had during the January DineLA in 2011... I wish I could remember what it was called!

THE EXPERIENCE: The service is great! They provide you with bread and an extra bite of whatever they choose for your visit and that item has never failed to wake up my pallet. Your table is always kept neat and there will never be awkward waiving for a staff member because they're always there making sure that all is well.

THE K9 Experience: I always like to specify when restaurants give us a hard time about our small service animal. I also always like to specify when they do not. In this case, they were very accommodating! I wouldn't expect any disrespect or any uninformed, unaware, uneducated response from this establishment. So, WOOT WOOF FOR THAT!

STAFF: What better measures the friendliness of staff than their patience with taking a photo of your group / you and your date with your celphone?! RIGHT!? They're more than willing to do so and they do it with a smile. They've also consistently been very helpful with the ordering process with suggestions for the indecisive.

AMBIANCE: Trendy, Classy, Lots of natural light during the day and dimly lit at night.

BATHROOMS: CLEAN! Stalls go from floor to ceiling so you get complete privacy (I'm not privy to the men's restroom so I don't know how that one looks like)

BAR: Seating area inside with patio seating as well. Drinks are obviously on the pricey side but still delicious.

Pricey but worth the experience!

7/16/2015

• 2 check-ins

I came for Dine LA and it was totally worth the experience. The big thing that I didn't really understand from the publisher menu is that you get ALL of the 3 appetizers, not just one. This actually makes all the difference in the world because you really get to try many of their dishes. All of the appetizers were exceptional, especially the tomatoes and peaches (coming from a guy that doesn't like tomatoes). The fried chicken was really good, however I don't think I've ever seen a smaller breast. They put it on this huge plate so it looks even smaller!
We also order the scallops al la carte. Good - but once again was soooo small for the money.

The waitress was pretty amazing and she was a little embarrassed by the size of the chicken I guess... She brought extra dessert so we didn't leave hungry.

All in all... Service really was on point, and the place is pretty charming. If this wasn't Dine LA I probably be ranting about the value, but it worked out pretty well this occasion.

Ill be back next year

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  Fried chicken with a monstrous plate

  Fried chicken with a monstrous plate
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  3 apps! All 3 come with Dine LA

  3 apps! All 3 come with Dine LA
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  Fried chicken... Super small but great

  Fried chicken... Super small but great

1/9/2016

• 1 check-in

We ate here last night.  First-timers. Get your reservation.

The decor and ambiance are outstanding.  Awesome, fine-dining experience.  Perfect for special occasions etc.  Cozy, spacious, inviting - all those adjectives and then some more.  LA dining is so often a cramped experience, tables so close to one another.  How refreshing to come into a place where there is tons of space where, for a change, you can only hear *your own* table's conversation.  So tired of being made to eavesdrop on the conversation of my neighbors at the table next door!

Professional, reliable, efficient service.

Usually we over-order, but we exercised some self-control here:

GNOCCHI WITH PARMESAN (5/5)  Very simple and elegant.  Just what I was expecting.  Small, tender, heavenly pillows of white goodness.

GRILLED OCTOPUS (4/5)  We order this at almost every restaurant.  This version gave us nothing to complain about.  Pretty modest portion, so a table of three share just a bite or two.

CAULIFOWER (3/5) Middle of the road here for me.  Just roasted cauliflower with a hint of curry fragrance.  Nothing extraordinary and probably wouldn't order again

PORK BELLY (5/5) Best of the night I think.  Carmelized and crispy at the top, not too fatty.  Served with dates that were just pasty enough to spread over the crispy top of the pork to balance the saltiness.  Perfect.  Would order again.  Kudos to the chef on this one.

DUCK (5/5) I eat almost anything, but duck remains pretty high on my "No Thank You" list.  So this is my wife's order and she L O V E D it.  Best duck she's ever had she said.  My daughter, who is also not a duck fan, tried it and raved about how it didn't even taste like duck.  My wife also said it tasted like tender beef.  I was tempted to try it but I was already feeling full so I wasn't able to go out of my comfort zone.  If you're a duck fan, my wife implores you to order this one.

APPLE PIE (5/5) Served as a round tart.  It was buttery and slightly but deliciously gritty.  This one grew on me with each bite.  Served with Rum Raisin ice cream.  Hit the spot.

CHOCOLATE NAPOLEON (5/5) Didn't care for it, but wife and daughter raved about it.  

CINNAMON SUGAR DOUGHNUTS (5) Three, soft pillows of freshly fried, homemade donuts.  Served with a hazelnut chocolate sauce and coffee ice cream.  Fireworks on this one.  Best of the three.

Solid 4 or maybe even 5 based on the service and elegant ambiance.