Hatfield's

Back around mid-June 2006, I was driving by Beverly Blvd., and I noticed that the location where Hatfield’s is located looked busy. Oh, they must have opened by now. I need to try that place ... In fact, the restaurant opened about two weeks earlier.

Quinn & Karen Hatfield decided to move from San Francisco, where they were working at Cortez Restaurant, down to Los Angeles, where Karen grew up. The restaurant is pretty small, 40 seats, not 400. That’s by design. Most of the tables are for two covers than for four.

When I had dinner at Hatfield’s for the first time, the servers were fine & knowledgeable when I was asking questions & inviting recommendations. Karen Hatfield, hostess/pastry chef, was quite helpful in the dessert selections, obviously. I sensed an intimacy and a familiarity with a small restaurant, without compromising on professionalism. Even after a couple of months later when I was dining at Hatfield’s with a friend, I felt like I've stumbled upon this wonderfully well-kept secret, which I don't mind. Delicious food, professional & personable staff, a small & very relaxing place where you can have a real conversation. As a result, Hatfield’s became one of my regular go-to restaurants in LA. I made it a point to visit the place and see what changes Quinn made in the menu or what new dessert Karen created. When one of my friends come into Los Angeles, I recommend Hatfield’s as one place to try, especially for Karen’s desserts.

Here are some courses from one of the chef’s tasting menu:

Over the past three years at Hatfield’s, a few things have changed. Repairs & renovations on the building. Constant changes to the menu. Karen’s hair is not blonde lately, and Quinn’s hair is not around lately (last time I checked). But the biggest change of all: Hatfield’s closed its doors at the original Beverly Blvd. location on Sat. 8 Aug. 2009.

This is not the end of Hatfield’s Restaurant permanently, due to the realities of this economy. As Quinn might describe it, this is the end of stage 1 of a long culinary “Tour de France.” Rather, Hatfield’s is moving to its new location on Melrose Ave., former site of Red Pearl Kitchen, Meson G & Citrus. Their new neighbors across the street will be Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza & Mozza 2Go. Several blocks east on Melrose is Providence Restaurant. And a couple blocks away on Highland, north of Melrose, is Susan Feniger’s Street.

They hope to open later in the fall of 2009. I wish them well. Los Angeles bureaucracy can be notorious.

Hatfield’s

original location (ended 8 Aug. 2009)

7458 Beverly Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

new location (starting in the fall of 2009)

6703 Melrose Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90038

(323) 935-2977

http://www.hatfieldsrestaurant.com

@twohatfields (Twitter)

Providence

It all started on a Thursday night back in April 2006 inside a building on the northwest corner of Melrose Avenue and Cole Avenue, across the street from a twenty-four hour car wash in Los Angeles, California.

I read the review in the Los Angeles Times and I heard many great things about chef Michael Cimarusti, since he left Water Grill, the seafood restaurant located in downtown Los Angeles, to start this highly-anticipated restaurant at the original location of chef Joachim Splichal’s Patina.

Once I entered and got settled down at my table, I ordered the nine-course tasting menu. Yes, the courses kept coming, right through the cheese course and the dessert courses. After the meal, I got a tour of the kitchen and was introduced to Michael Cimarusti. I remember him saying to me,

“We’ve been waiting for you.”

As a member of one of the food discussion websites (eGullet), I made comments about wanting to eat at Providence. Apparently, those posts were noticed. And that four-hour dinner was amazing.

From that evening on, for the past three-plus years, I continue to dine at Providence, to the point that I would be considered a regular. To illustrate that point, I recall having dinner one night at the bar, which I usually do once every two weeks or so. I decided to have the halibut. A few minutes later, chef Michael walks out of the kitchen into the bar area, stands right in front of me and says, “Halibut? You’re not having halibut! You’re having bouillabaisse!,” and then storms back into the kitchen. I was chatting and joking with the bartender how it doesn’t matter now what I order, the chef will probably overrule me. By the way, the bouillabaisse that I had was a new addition on the menu and it was excellent.

Along with Michael, I’ve gotten to know the Providence staff, including maitre d’ Donato Poto, pastry chef Adrian Vasquez, sommelier Drew Langley, mixologist Zahra Bates, and other staff members like Martin, Bobby, Hwang, Randy, Matthew, Krisi, Diane, Ray, Armando, Sam, and Tristan, as well as many Providence alumni, like Paul, Vincenzo, Yu Min, Jared, Nadav, and Peter, among others. And of course, a few culinary notables ...

What else is there to say? Providence is my favorite restaurant in Los Angeles.




Providence
5955 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170
http://www.providenceLA.com