Michele StuevenBobby Montes is as obsessed with films as he is with food, so when he opened his first restaurant a few months ago on a funky stretch of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, he named it after one of his favorite characters, Sloane Peterson from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Everything on the unpretentious menu at Sloane’s Valley Village is a wink and a nod to his favorite movies, and it caters to the nearby studios that made them.
Located in the former Russian Dacha space and next door to the historic, frozen-in-time Valentine Recording Studios, Sloane’s feels like a neighborhood joint you’d find in 1960s Laurel Canyon, with an affordable and approachable menu. Charming and rustic, the restaurant’s indoor/outdoor entry is draped with a large bougainvillea, paired with delicate hanging plants, mismatched chairs and handcrafted benches lining white stone walls. You can hear Joni Mitchell singing in the background.
Inside Sloane's; Credit: Michele Stueven
The World-Famous Sloane’s Cheeseburger comes in single, double and triple configurations with a long list of add-ons such as fried egg, crispy pork belly, chili and split and grilled bratwurst. Tacos come in masala shrimp, BBQ pork belly, chicken Philly and fried cauliflower, and if you’re feeling a little Steve Martin or Chevy Chase, get the Three Amigos for a choice of three.
There’s also a massive kale and quinoa salad with seared salmon, mixed with blue cheese and toasted hazelnuts for healthier appetites — it’s enough for two. Lots of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, such as Japanese curry fries and the cauliflower burger, round out the menu.
World Famous Sloane's Cheeseburger and seasoned fries; Credit: Michele Stueven
Sloane's is just licensed for beer and wine, but Montes has compiled a creative mix of the two for his Ocean’s 11 cocktails, such as the Miss Daisy, made with chopped ginger, lime juice, sparkling wine and mint. And as Brad Pitt whispered to George Clooney in the film, you’ll also need a Boesky, Jim Brown, Leon Spinks, Ella Fitzgerald and Two Jethros — made with chopped muddled strawberries, lemon and sparkling wine. If you’re just going for beer and wine on the cozy patio, there’s cheese and charcuterie and chef Eugene Nazarchuk’s delectable gluten-free deep-fried pickles.
Sloane’s is comfortably on the fringe of the upcoming NoHo West, the massive mixed-use project that will include housing, office space, shopping, movie theaters and restaurants; it took over the former Laurel Plaza shopping center. Sloane's has a warm and welcoming neighborhood vibe, with Montes visiting from table to table.
Breakfast burrito; Credit: Michele Stueven
There's a bottomless mimosa brunch on the weekends and all-day-breakfast every day, which includes Montes’ pride and joy, a beast of a breakfast burrito. It’s stuffed with your choice of pork belly or bratwurst, hash browns, American and cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and two oozy eggs over medium served with habanero maple syrup. Pair that with a Barney Flats oatmeal stout float.
To quote Sloane Peterson, “Sooner or later, everybody goes kazoo.”
Sloane’s Valley Village, 5338 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Valley Village; (818) 509-5828, sloanesrestaurant.com.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.