Waterloo and City Faces the Music, Turns Out, It's Mostly Good

Carolos Tomazos and Chef Brendan Collins debuted their Westside gastropub just over a month ago and the critics and diners have pounced on the place like hungry stray cats. There was that whole Thierry Perez question -- first he was in, then he was out. Shortly thereafter Eater caught wind of some normal sounding (read: permit) delays. Though they planned to open in April, they actually started serving in May. SIV at the LA Times has taken a quick peek at the place and mostly loves it, but we're still holding our breaths for Mr. Gold's review in LA Weekly. Also forthcoming is the word from LAmag, but Brad Johnson has already crowned Waterloo and City one of the LA's best new restaurants in Angeleno. With the location on a beat-up stretch of Washington Boulevard and high profile chef and design, it was only a matter of days before the online comments started rolling in. Tomazos and Collins aren't new to the business, so can they face the music?

The Virbs Early Bird News: "OK, a lot of places make their own charcuterie. But the terrines, pates and cured meats here are the real thing — gutsy and irresistible. Check out the pigs' trotters and sweetbreads with salsa verde or the luxurious chicken liver and foie gras mousse, both, like everything here, served up in generous portions. Order the charcuterie individually or in platters from commoner to king." [LA Times]

The Good Service News: "I was sort of (grudgingly) preparing myself mentally for a long, slow and aggravating evening of service woes. Man was I ever fooled (and relieved) and impressed with how well they did, despite the place being an absolute zoo. Kudos to their entire staff." [Chowhound]

The Scrumptious Bread News: "Oh shoot, I forgot to mention THE BREAD! They have a warm, fresh-baked, completely scrumptious baguette that I think is cooked with garlic? Crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. It was the best thing I had there!" [Yelp]

The Pizza Basically Sucks News: "The pizza crust is my greatest misgiving - IF SOMEONE FROM W & S IS READING THIS PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE FIX THE PIZZA CRUST. YOU HAVE A HUGE KITCHEN AND LOTS OF TALENT, YOU HAVE GREAT INVENTIVE TOPPINGS BUT YOU ARE PUTTING THOSE GREAT PLAYERS ON AN AWFUL STAGE. YOUR CRUST COULD, AND SHOULD, ROCK BUT IT IS BLAND TO TASTE, HAS NO DEPTH AND LITTLE, OR NO, CRUNCH." [Chowhound]

The Happy Happy Hour News: "Amazing place! First of all their happy hour is outstanding..... The drinks are delicious! well, so is the food. The service is great, everyone is so nice and helpful. The selection of beer and wine is PERFECTION, very unique and thoughtful. I love the menu, so many options. Everything I have ever eaten there has been delicious..." [Yelp]

The Creepy Neighborhood Comment: "Menu looks good. Can't quite figure out the targets. Makes me wonder just how serious they are about food and calls into question their general taste. Not really a good call for a part of town that has been trying to play down it's gang problem. I hope they re-think this. As a neighbor, I find it downright creepy." [Eater
Comments]

The Prices Are Reasonable: "And the prices? Let's just say they are incredibly modest for the quality of the fare. The plates are not exactly small either. If the kitchen and staff can keep up the pace, I don't think there's any question but that Collins and Tomazos have a hit in Waterloo & City. I can't think of anything quite like it in all of Los Angeles." [LA Times]

Oh Wait, The Prices Aren't Reasonable: "Everything was a bit pricier than I usually like for casual dining. Starters consist of $12 Manchester quail, $10 pint of shrimp and $12 Maine scallops. Salads are about $9-$11, pizzas $12-$14 and pastas were available in half or full portions. Main dishes range from the Piedmontese beef burger ($16) to the Piedmontese flat iron ($25)... I went for the half portion of the lobster risotto ($14) with peas and carrots... I was a little bummed about how small my portion was for $14 but then again this did have lobster in it. The risotto was a bit al dente but I really enjoyed the creaminess of the dish. And everything tasted so fresh." [Caroline on Crack]

The Dessert News: "I went with a small group for dessert and we literally ordered one of everything. The Sticky Toffee Pudding was OUTSTANDING!" [UrbanSpoon]
— Daniela Galarza