Michele StuevenShirley Brasserie in the heart of The Hollywood Roosevelt, celebrating a combination of French and Californian cuisine with a focus on sustainability, has introduced a comforting Sunday supper to the menu.
Aussie Chef de Cuisine Craig Hopson, who has a pedigree in Michelin-starred restaurants including Guy Savoy and Lucas Carton in Paris as well as Le Cirque in New York, has added an earthy French $55 prix fixe menu available only on Sundays.
Three generous courses start with the Shirley Salad, a mix of shaved vegetables including watermelon radishes, cucumbers and herbs tinged with tarragon in a herbes de Provence vinaigrette. The main course is the Pot-au-Feu (pot on fire), considered the national dish of France, which combines boiled boneless short rib and bone marrow and seasonal root vegetables. Steaming clear hot consomme is poured over the meat and vegetables tableside, and served alongside grilled sourdough, flaked salt and grainy mustard. Be sure to ask for some horseradish on the side.
This isn’t your grandmother’s tired Tafelspitz from Alsace. The flavor of each vegetable, including the braised leeks and celery, comes through with its own personality. For dessert, there’s an apple galette served with rum and raisin ice cream.
Shirley salad (Michele Stueven)
Hopson was trained in the art of French cuisine at renowned institutions across Australia, Geneva and Paris, and also was mentored by the legendary Alain Senderens, who taught him the intricate techniques of nouvelle cuisine. He earned two stars from the Michelin Guide at Picholine in New York and also served as executive chef at renowned Le Cirque in New York City, where Hopson opened its outposts in India, the Dominican Republic, and the Holland America cruise lines.
The open-air kitchen features a wood-fire grill and oven for Shirley’s rotisserie chicken, and 32-ounce prime rib and juicy salmon and a classic steak tartare is made to order tableside. There also are plenty of European-inspired classics like escargot, niçoise salad, French onion soup, steamed mussels and profiteroles for dessert.
To complement the new restaurant, the Hollywood Roosevelt’s historic lobby has rolled out a new menu with items including cheese and charcuterie boards, pâtés and seafood dishes from the raw bar at Shirley Brasserie. In April, the brasserie will introduce a rotating dinner series with chefs from around the world as well as some familiar local faces.
Sunday Supper is from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., every Sunday, and offerings change seasonally. The restaurant’s full a la carte menu, which features signature dishes like beef oxtail Bourguignon, lobster pasta and cassoulet de Toulouse, also is available on Sundays. The brasserie will shut down on Sunday, March 10, for special Academy Award festivities.
Courtesy Shirley Brasserie
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