The Rusty Monk Serves Belgian Pub Fare in Whittier

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Uptown Whittier got a nice addition when The Rusty Monk opened it doors to the public on August 1, serving a solid lineup of draft beers, European wines and seasonal cooking from chef Merrisa Nava (Nick & Stef's). The pub was founded by Kyle Koestner, who also owns the adjacent FENIX 5-4, a juice bar and vegan deli. Throw in the upcoming Portsmouth and it looks like this area is starting to get a line up of compelling concepts.

The menu features a true gastropub bill of fare, with things like schnitzel, chicken pot pie, fresh fish, fish & frites, house-made sausages, moules frites and more. There's also house-made Bavarian pretzels, as well as a meat-and-cheese platter that will go great with the Belgian-heavy craft beer menu. The wine list, curated by Shauna Bryan and Michael Tacconi, leans toward European varietals, a departure from most wine lists available in this part of town, with offerings like Sancerre, Vouvray, and Gewurtztraminer instead of the usual Cabernet and Pinot.

It's great to see this kind of neighborhood-friendly pub in Whittier and so far the response has been pretty positive from locals, though some early Yelpers complained of slow service on opening night, which is pretty useless information.

Current hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 4:45 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Sunday from 2 to 9 p.m.
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