Church Key Ryan Ososky THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Church Key

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Church Key

8730 Sunset Blvd. (Alta Loma Rd.)
West Hollywood, CA 90069
424-249-3700
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Chef Ryan Ososky expresses his creativity at this New American bistro with Asian flair in West Hollywood.
Openings: Dinner Tues.-Sun., Brunch Sat.-Sun.

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THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Church Key, West Hollywood, CA


THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Church Key Restaurant Review:


Chef Ryan Ososky at The Church Key pushes the boundaries of modern American cuisine --- a very good thing, as it's how and why gastronomy evolves. We feel that this place is more than a restaurant; rather, it’s a dining concept in itself. The "wahoo" effect starts as you enter the large, airy and vibrant space. Décor is eclectic, with some industrial hints due to the height of the ceiling, its texture and the white brick walls. But comfort is rendered by the variety of chairs and tables, the fireplace dividing the lounge from the dining room, the wall of bottles at the bar, the china and silverware, cushions, frames and drapes. Every 20-30 minutes, rolling "dim sum" carts emerge to present small (but substantial) plates. Pace yourself so you don’t fill up on empanadas or savory pastry "pinwheels" and have no appetite for the regular menu, or vice versa. Of course, that may be quite difficult when faced with temptations like fried mac & cheese. (To make this challenge a little easier, there's the option of taking home orders of the must-have popcorn and brown butter brioche donuts.) On the regular menu, nearly every dish has a twist, starting with the daring yellowtail sashimi. Instead of the usual suspects like soy sauce, it's accompanied by brown butter, along with oro blanco and Thai basil. Hazelnuts provide textural contrast but are too much, in our opinion. Meanwhile, Eastern influences appear in the steak tartare, which is reimagined with Asian pear, portobello and a dose of dashi, plus tapioca chips standing in for french fries. From the entrées, the spring lamb pappardelle with English pea salsa verde is wonderfully evocative of the season. After enjoying this elevated "Beef & Broccoli" with Chinese black bean vinaigrette, you may not be able to go back to your standard takeout version. Other standouts include the tapioca crusted tai snapper and the seared diver scallops with spaghetti squash, sunchoke espuma and black truffle vinaigrette. For dessert, we recommend the simple yet elegant blood orange panna cotta with citrus and raspberries, finished with lemongrass broth. There’s a short wine list that leans towards California selections. If you imbibe, be sure to try the exceptional cocktails from Rob Floyd, a.k.a. the "Liquid Chef." Finally, make note of signature nights such as Tuesday's fried chicken dinner, Wine & Dine Wednesdays, tequila nights on Thursdays and Dinner & a Movie Night on Sundays.