Anne HamnerSorra is about to become your new favorite rooftop restaurant this summer, not only for the views, but more importantly for the Angeleno-inspired dishes. Nestled in the heart of Hollywood on top of a bougie apartment complex, Sorra provides an almost 360-degree view of L.A. that spans from the Griffith Observatory to the Santa Monica beaches. Because of its location, most of the Friday night crowd consists of millennials enjoying a glass (or bottle) of wine and bites before hitting the town.
Halibut sashimi (Anne Hamner)
The Instagram-worthy views will keep you staring out into the endless landscape, but the food and drinks are what will keep you coming back. Mostly mezcal- and tequila-inspired cocktails, these refreshing fruit forward beverages are sure to cool you down on a summer day. They go perfectly with some of the rich dishes as a palette cleanser. Try the Salsa Smash (tequila, mango, cilantro, lemon) or the Sorra Cocktail (gin, Aperol, Averna, orange bitters, cava) if you’re looking to balance the rest of the meal.
“I’m just trying to do L.A, and make food that I would want to eat,” says chef Brandon Kida about his inspiration for the new rooftop oasis.
Kida’s dishes are far from simple. Best known for his other local hotspot Hinoki and the Bird, he expresses all elements of salt, fat, heat and acid within every dish prepared.
Hanger steak (Anne Hamner)
Incorporating elements of his Japanese heritage among Mexican-style cuisine, Kida creates personal dishes like in his stand out miso mole paired with suckling pig bao buns and his nori aioli that pairs as a perfect base on his avocado tostada.
The former L’Orangerie chef likes to call it “Angeleno food” because each dish encompasses the many flavors he grew up around. Every course complements a unique element of cooking such as the fatty hangar steak with garlic miso cooked rare with a hint of salt or the halibut sashimi surrounded by agua chile and burnt tortilla oil. Edible flowers grace almost every dish and lend a flash of color to the beautiful aesthetic.
Fried chicken, Chile arbol and local honey (Anne Hamner)
“The best part about growing up in LA is the you grow up with a taste of everything. I hope my dishes do just that,” says Kida.
Sorra, 1550 N. El Centro Ave., Hollywood; (323) 978-7377, sorrahollywood.com
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