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Eva Restaurant
Rating Details »
Categories: American (New), Amateur Sports Teams
Neighborhoods: Mid-City West, West Hollywood7458 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 634-0700
- Hours:
Tue-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
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15 reviews for Eva Restaurant
A truly wonderful dinner experience at a very affordable price.
The decor is simple and the staff is friendly. The whole place has a very warm and cozy feeling to it, which I believe is their intention. I've been here twice in the last couple of weeks and enjoyed each experience except for one minor detail on the most recent visit.
On the first visit I had the young chicken which was perfectly cooked and presented. To be honest I didn't even know what I was eating half the time but it flowed together wonderfully. I felt there was a lot of thought and care put into each plate. The presentation was excellent for an $18 entree. The staff and chef were very welcoming and considerate of our needs. They were very much behind what they were doing there. The bread pudding was absolutely delightful.
My second visit was nearly as satisfying as I had the off menu special which was lamb. It was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The quinoa was also very well done. For desert we shared the pain perdue which was made of a ginger custard and garnished with bahri dates. The only disappointment was that our waitress left for the night and didn't announce she was doing so. Not a big deal, I guess...
So Eva has/had a lot going for it. Food is good to great, Menu changes a lot. Service is attentive and the owner is very friendly. Cocktails are creative and fresh. Wine list has some great wines. Portions are small overall but delicate and tasty.
What it needs is consistency in Decor, if you are lucky, you sit inside which we did on first visit and you are cajoled.
If you are less lucky, you sit outside under glaring lights or worse in the back with a dimly light patio with tea lights and a glaring back porch light. Hostess was less than helpful when asked to relocate us inside from said back patio for a 7pm reservation.
Recent favorable review must have cause too much buzz.. so that she did not even bother addressing my request.
Advice: Give them 2-3 months to work out these details and for the foodies to come and go. Then Try it. Perhaps it will be up to snuff. Last diner there was displeasing overall.
C'est la vie.
I went here a couple of weeks ago for the $35 Sunday dinner which included 5 courses plus wine. This meal is a great value, as you can keep asking for more food if you're not yet full. Nice.
On the flip side, this 5-course price fix is all that they offer on Sunday evening, and they don't usually announce what that week's Sunday dinner menu is until that day or the day before. Ergo, if you go and you don't like what the price fix is for that Sunday, you're out of luck.
Here's what I had during my Sunday dinner:
- Arugula salad with currants, pinenuts, and ciabatta croutons: This was fabulous. The peppery arugula was fresh and crisp, and the currants and pine nuts provided a nice sweetness and crunch. The huge homemade croutons were wonderful - buttery, herby, and garlicy!
- Harissa chicken with carrots, potato, and cipollini: This was my least favorite of the courses. I've never had harissa before, but the flavors of this dish seemed undeveloped. It wasn't particularly spicy or sweet...just bland.
- Lamb shank with mint gremolata: This was extremely flavorful with the rich, moist lamb meat falling off the bone.
- Egg noodles with soubis onion, garlic chips: These noodles were delicious - so buttery and perfectly cooked.
- Lemon tart: This was okay, but a bit on the tart side for me.
My favorites, clearly were the arugula salad and egg noodles. Unfortunately, for some reason, I wasn't really in the mood for lamb (well, I don't usually order lamb much, at least not prepared this way), and so I would've been happier with another protein. The so-so chicken didn't help either. It seems that other Sunday dinner menus had more items to my taste, although of course that's a matter of personal opinion.
Our group sat in the patio outside which was nice, but the inside of the restaurant has a nice, dim, romantic feel as well. In terms of service, it was a bit hit and miss, as we had to keep reminding our server to bring certain things (e.g. more salad, more wine, etc.) whereas the rest of our group sitting at other tables didn't have this problem with their servers.
Overall, 3.5 stars. I'd return for Sunday dinner depending on what the price fix courses are for that week, and am curious to try their seafood options on the regular menu.
After the review in the LA Times, we met there at 9 on a Friday night. Right outside we're met by Mark Gold, the owner and chef, a genuinely amiable guy. We're early, so we sit at the bar for a few enjoying some expertly-mixed drinks (Jack and Coke and a Grey Goose vodka martini). They seat us early, and the feast begins. we order the oysters, the potato soup, the crushed potatoes and the legendary chicken.
The oysters come first, and taste of the sea. Mark Gold comes up and shoots one with us, then brings us two more gratis. The potato soup is thick and creamy, almost cheese-like - delicious! The chicken is as good as its rep - savory and flavorful, but the star are those potatoes...mashed potatoes are easy to make and good anywhere you get them...these were on another level - so flavorful I had to close my eyes to take it all in. And when combined with a bite of the roast chicken...words fail me.
Yes, the atmosphere is a minimalist, but who cares when you have such incredible food and a staff that is attentive but not cloying. The portions are modest, but we both left stuffed (the date tart is extraordinary - expertly home-made and tastes like it...we almost had to lick the plate! And washed down with two small but perfect capuccinoes...). I for one appreciate a place that doesn't equate good eating with quantity.
We ate well - the bill came to just over $100 for two people plus cocktails and one glass of red wine -- but it was worth every single mouthful. Here's one place that lives up to the hype. We will go back, hopefully to try the much-vaunted Sunday prix-fixe. A delightful find!
The decor needs really help and it is very crowded.The design of the restaurant is just not very good!The service was great and so was the food! the overall experience was very satisfying and we will be back for sure to try some other interesting food items ,nice addition to our "hood"...
We ate at Eva last night and had a wonderful meal! Eva is the perfect mix of simplicity, elegance and a kick ass, ever-changing menu!
The staff is attentive, the service is excellent and the menu is eclectic, refreshing and obviously prepared with a love of food. This is ship with a creative mind at the helm. From the innovative drinks (yes-full bar) to the refreshingly original menu, this is a great place!
We started with mushrooms... no, not that kind! If you like fungi, order them... Amazing!
We had the restaurant's take on linguine vongole which was prepared with udon noodles in place of pasta... Great!
We had Buratta ravioli. I am a sucker for anything prepared with Buratta, so I loved it.
We finished the meal with pumpkin cupcakes... now that's a cupcake (see my Nickel Diner review)!!!
The wine choices were nice as well.
Bottom line: GO!
Read my full review for the details -- but we went for the Sunday dinner and it was even better than our first visit.
Amazing meal, again! Chopped salad was perfect, beef, mac n cheese, too much to list and coupled with excellent wine choices. (Oh and another not-at-all-boring chicken thrown in there for my love -- and he loved this preparation just like the last time)
So I suggested more salads with my last review (and the chopped salad was right on the mark) so in case the Eva team is reading these I'll suggest more dessert -- the fig tart was figtabulous, but we want more. MORE MORE of everything on the menu :)
Oh yah, and what felt like at least an $80 meal (WITH wine, remember) was only $35. We let a huge tip, it was just too good to be true and the service again was just wonderful.
This is a new favorite... already going back later in the week and got the reservation in for Sunday bc there is no way that is not going to end up sold out on a steady basis. Cheers, maybe we'll see you there!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/3/2009
Finally got to try this place last night and while we were excited from all of the five-star reviews… Read more »
This was a Mjahh experience.
Staff and owner Mark is plainly wonderful people.
The food lacks in quality of preparation. We tried the Wagu beef special, at $20 a ounce it should have been shockingly good, it would good and would have been very satisfying at Dennys, but Dennys would have charged $20 for the entire meal.. (we had 10 onces you do the math)
The food was brought cold to the table.
Im writing this as somebody who eats out virtually every night, and am not distracted by a $100 a plate bill. problem is I know exactly what to expect when buying a top menu item, EvaRestaurant is well intentioned, but simply not able to deliver the experience one would demand at the price they charge.
Conclusion, stay away from the top items and go with the stables on the menu, I expect the restaurant to change dramatically over the next 3-4 months as the owners figure the operation out. The people are the best part and also why im stopping by again in 3 months. hopefully for a much updated experience. Keep a eye on this place, if Mark can dial it in, it WILL become HOT.
OMFG! This restaurant JUST opened and it's amazing! The hospitality of the staff is 5 stars alone! Mike K. and I went for the opening event and were blown away. We we served ample appetizers, wine, and cocktails. Their signature drink is made with muddled date, ginger, rosemary, and rum. It was refreshing and the flavors were light and not overpowering. Definitely worth a try.
Appetizers we tried were:
- Veal croquettes with raisin (the contrast between savory and sweet was perfect)
- Chorizo with melon
- Tomato with burrata, basil and fried garlic (it's like caprese but 1000 times more flavorful!)
- Lemon cake with candied rosemary and port reduction (a dense but yummy cake)
- Burrata filled ravioli with corn milk and summer truffle
- Poached cod on potato chip (the poached cod is amazing!)
- A non creamy scalloped potato topped with tomato compote
The food and drinks were free flowing and delicious. We even got to talk to Mark, the chef/owner. He ordered us a sampler plate and gave us a sneak peak of the menu! (Apparently the staff hadn't even seen it yet!) I will definitely be back to experience the rest of the menu!
Plus every Sunday, they'll be hosting a special dinner party where a chef's choice menu is served family style. For around 35 bucks, including wine, I'll be sure to make it to a Sunday dinner very soon.
I'm down with small plates, but the portions on some of these dishes were irritatingly meager (burrata ravioli, the oysters, the cheese plate). Does EVA stand for eating very anemically? The end result was unintentional speed-dining. We got through 5 plates and were out the door in 40 minutes, and without trying.
The service was clumsy and forgetful.
There is no wine list right now. Or so we were told by our waiter, after we distinctly heard the owner both discuss the existence of and then produce a wine list to another table. Which was then relocated (?). Weird. Is there a prohibition lair downstairs?
A guy nearby waited 15 minutes for a cup of coffee he ordered twice. I waited 10 minutes for the refill of water that I requested (and was enthusiastically promised) twice. Glitches like these are avoidable. These are service basics, the pacifiers you stuff in the diner's mouth to keep them from crying and feeling otherwise neglected. Especially when the waitstaff/table ratio is 2:1. It ain't like the place was swamped.
I would try it again in a year, just to give it the benefit of the doubt. They have several kinks to work out.
Don't take a lumberjack here. We immediately went elsewhere upon leaving to eat, yes, another (smallish-but-necessary) meal. Now that's a first. And don't get on my shit about small plates. I have eaten in many a small plate restaurant, have ordered as many plates (5), and have not found myself brainstorming while settling the check, "Now where do I want to go eat the REST of my dinner? Norm's? Do I just want a big dessert? In-N-Out? The Waffle?"
And last but not least--there's the whole issue of taking over the space formerly occupied by hallowed and first-rate Hatfield's. Something tells me that's going to be a hard shadow to get out from under. Atleast do a massive decor and lighting overhaul. Perhaps if people aren't in a place that looks strikingly similar to Hatfield's, they won't *anticipate* H caliber food...
Oy.
We went before a book signing, so we came early. There was nobody there except for us, which eliminates any noise issues.
The food was just awesome. Very pretty food and tasty. No American portions here (Thank God!). The right amount since this place cooks delicious rich foods in perfect portions.
The meal ended well with a great cup of coffee and dessert (almond risotto something). They use La Mill, which we love. I could not have asked for anything more.
I really wanted to like this place. I've always been afraid of new restaurants, because of how it's never set up properly, but I decided to give this a try for my birthday.
The decor was very minimal, but nice, the service however, was spectacular. Mark was great, the service was amazing - that is the only reason it's getting a two star as opposed to one.
now, the food. I had the wild yellowtail, and my bf had the young chicken. The chicken, was severely overcooked. It felt like the chicken was butchered before it was cooked - so some pieces were cooked properly, whereas others weren't (especially the breast, which is already dry in itself!) My bf described the whole dish as 'it's like I went on a buffet line and just put a bunch of stuff on my plate!' The components were very individualized, which also means they didn't really belong TOGETHER. They were all individual components on a dish and if any one of them was missing, it would not have mattered.
My yellow tail was cooked beautifully, but seasoned horribly. I had grains of salt on top of my fish and I had to literally spit some of the fish out because I had bitten into a huge chunk of salt. I hated to think that, because the fish smelt so wonderful. The components didn't really make much sense, yes, the ingredients all sounded great on paper, but they just didn't mesh well together. Again, if you took out any one of them, the dish would still be the same, and maybe it's just what I like, but I like it when the dish just comes together. It was so salty that I am still drinking water even though it's 1AM and I had dinner 4 hours ago!
I'll definitely give it another shot, but not for another couple of months.
Oh, it's not pricey though, so that's the bonus and why the 2 stars was given!
sunday supper is the way to go. i don't use the word delightful often, but it really suits this place. it feels like you're going to someone's house for dinner, that is, someone who's a damn good cook and keeps your glass filled.
our menu last night included:
an addictive chopped salad, crispy whitefish meuneire, perfect chicken "coq au vin", prime beef, potato/onion pave, mac & cheese, (i'm seriously salivating as i write this) and a fig tart. with wine included, $35 is too good to be true. but in this economy it's actually perfect :)
the menu is well thought out, with fresh ingredients from the farmer's market. the owner/chef mark is very excited to tell you about the menu and share how your particular meal came about.
our group of 7 was comfortably seated in the patio in back. we had seconds and thirds of everything, including the fig tarte, which a couple friends felt compelled to twitter about.
this will definitely be a regular place for us. and many others.
Since she's in my neighborhood, I decided to give Eva a try.
My friend and I sat on the front patio -- so far, the layout/decor is similar to the original Hatfields (think a cozy, but airy home). I found the hostess to be a tad cold for such ambiance, however our waitress exuded warmth and we soon felt very comfortable.
The wine list is very good -- lots of French Burgundy, for those of you who tire of fruit forward California whites. At the time of our visit, all were offered by the glass; I chose a Chablis which paired nicely with my courses. It is worth noting that our waitress suggested the same thing after I described what I wanted -- she obviously knows her wine.
My friend and I decided to share the ravioli with summer truffle and burrata. There were two fairly large ravioli in a delectable foamy sauce and liberally showered with shaved truffle. The burrata was pillowy and melt in your mouth. So far, everything was off to a comforting start.
For mains, my friend had the cod; I, the young chicken. Now, I am not one to order chicken usually -- it often appears lackluster. But Eva's version promised smoked pears, a crispy potato gratin, among other taste treats. Again, our waitress described the dish so vividly, I felt confident that she/ Eva's staff know (and love) the menu. Kudos to the management for that.
My friend enjoyed her dish but I honestly didn't taste it -- I was far too interested in my own...
I must say that as far as fowl goes, this was a five star chook, The texture of the flesh alone placed it above all others. The outer layer was crisped -- as though the flesh had been caramelized/slowly pan fried -- leaving the remaining meat, tender and juicy. Quite honestly, the texture was phenomenal, unlike any I've had. And the meat was infused with subtle autumnal spices which tasted heavenly with the berry coulis on the plate. The gratin was shaved potato (wafer thin), creating a crackly texture on the outside, while keeping the soft interior. And the rich smoked pears topped it all off.
For dessert, we opted for a wee truffle. I loved the fact that it was not heavy on sugar -- rather, the natural flavors of the coconut and date shone through. Throughout the meal, Eva's staff stopped by to ask how we were. This added to the homey feeling of the place.
RE: size and price. I must agree the portions could be considered small for your average American (especially most men out there), but the flavor and execution were "big". However, if enough patrons cry "too small", it is wise to re-evaluate.
Judging by reviews here, it seems Eva's concept needs some fleshing out. Comfort food requires bigger servings. And haute, bolder creations. However, since the size and prices are roughly the same as say, Cobras and Matadors, Eva lends itself to tapas style dining -- ordering a few dishes to share if you have a big appetite. It would be great to have a variation of this theme in the neighborhood. If this is the angle for Eva, it could use a few more appetizers or sides (creative vegetable dishes, perhaps) to accompany the very reasonably priced (but outstanding) mains.
Overall, for being only two weeks old, Eva exceeded expectations. The talented chef obviously knows (and loves) his craft -- the attention to detail on the daily changing menu proves that, and the staff are polished and friendly. I can't wait to see what the chef does with fall produce and game over the next few months.
Just had lunch there this week. The menu is set you pick what you want from a limited menu. I had a salad and a chicken dish with melon at the end. It was all really fantastic. The presentation was A+, as was the service. I can imagine this would be a great place to take a date.
