Lesley BallaAlthough it feels as if he just debuted District in the heart of Hollywood, owner George Abou-Daoud is at at it again, bringing yet another bar-restaurant concept, Rosewood Tavern, to the scene this Friday, May 20th. But instead of Sunset Boulevard, where all of his other spots live (Delancey, Mission Cantina, The Bowery, Mercantile), he's planted the new steak-scotch-beer hall on Fairfax, just a stone's throw from Animal, The Golden State and The Dime.
As is usually the case, Abou-Daoud has created a space that feels like it could've been there forever, from the weathered brick accents to the yellowed vintage prints and magazine ads hanging on the walls. The place feels positively cavernous with a long communal table splitting the room, lots of banquette seating, high arched wood ceilings, and bottles stacked clear to the ceiling behind the bar. You'd never know it was once the Russian (mafia front?) restaurant, The Black Sea.
Credit: L. Balla
This is another bar-with-food crossover for Abou-Daoud, with a lot of meat on the menu–wood-grilled steaks and chops, all fairly reasonably priced ($20-$28)–plus English-influenced pubby standards like steak and ale pie, and a slow-roasted beef dip sandwich. You'll also find spiced chicken wings (“a nod to England's Indian food,” says Abou-Daoud), a few salads, and steakhouse sides like creamed spinach and asparagus with Hollandaise sauce.
The beer list is pretty extensive with 28 on tap alone, ranging from Stone's Smoked Porter to Eagle Rock Brewing's Solidarity, plus finds from NorCal's Eel River, Belgium and Germany. There's plenty of whiskey, with an emphasis on scotch, that will keep everyone tippling into the wee hours.
That's a lot to offer a block that already has Buffalo-style pig's ears (Animal), a fantastic burger and Scoops gelato (The Golden State), and a 24-hour deli (Canter's). Lucky locals. The tavern officially opens Friday, May 20, at 6 p.m.
Take a look around:
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