Besha RodellThis week we turn our reviewing eye to Flores, the New American restaurant that opened on Sawtelle in Little Osaka recently. You can hop on over to the food section and read the full review, or get a summary version below.
Chefs: The husband and wife team, Angela Hernandez and Rob Lawson, each have very strong resumes: both worked at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in New York before moving to L.A., after which she cooked at Bazaar and he at the Hotel Bel-Air.
Food: At Flores, they're serving very well executed small plates: pork cheek fritters; beets and nectarines; squid with purple potatoes, olives and lemon. There's not much to complain about, apart from the fact that it all seems very familiar, and perhaps a little too derivative. Chicken liver bruschette? Check. Kale salad? Check. It's enough to make it a fantastic option for the neighborhood, but since menus like this exist all over town, that keeps it from being a true destination.
Drinks: Flores focuses on wine, with a fairly short but eclectic, affordable and well-chosen list. There are also some interesting beers. There are no true cocktails, but they do serve stone fruit sangria and micheladas.
Decor: From the review: “The white-bricked and wooden-walled room is bathed in golden light, anchored by a semicircular marble chef's counter. Outside, a fire burns in what looks like an oversized birdcage in the middle of the patio. It's a good-looking restaurant.”
Takeaway: 2 stars (good). Flores is welcoming, friendly, attractive, and at times quite delicious. I'm hoping the chefs branch out a little over the coming months and begin to offer food that feels a little less familiar (either that or a little more focused). But they're already doing the food of the moment very well.
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