Freddy Smalls in West LA Wins Over SIV

Although SIV was initially hesitant to try Freddy Smalls, the restaurant surprises her with its thoughtful design, elevated pub fare, and better beverages:

Once we were seated, though, Freddy Smalls won me and my guests over with its energy and verve. Service is friendly and the small menu offers much more than clichéd gastropub fare. Nothing runs on autopilot. You get the sense that the kitchen and wait staff care about creating a haven on this generally uninspired stretch of Pico Boulevard.

... cooking is much more polished than you'd expect in such a place, less about heroic quantities and nose-to-tail eating than about sparkling fresh produce, seductive flavors and graceful plating. The place has a nice lineup of craft beers and a staff that knows its suds, plus a short list of wines.

SIV continues on to rave about the Brussels sprouts, claiming that they "are among the best in town," but her favorite plate "may be the chicken panzanella, a slow-roasted bird presented with crayon-bright carrots and very green peas, along with ricotta and sprigs of mint." Perhaps one of the greatest compliments, Sher concludes with, "Freddy Smalls is the complete package ..." [LAT]

The Elsewhere: Eat: LA does Red Medicine, Gastronomy hits Sunny Spot, Immaculate Infatuation also visits Red Medicine, kevinEats at Mo-Chica, and Midtown Lunch tries the newly opened Hannosuke.

Foursquare

Freddy Smalls

11520 Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064 310 479 3000 Visit Website