Green Street Tavern Restaurant Review: Green Street Tavern is gradually being discovered---so much so that the original 30-seat restaurant has been more than doubled in size. With a backlit bar, curvilinear wood beams and ornate stenciling, the place has a chic but homey Moroccan-esque vibe. A block from Old Pasadena’s main drag, this modern-day tavern has a loyal local clientele, and chef-owner Armen Hakobyan offers them an ambitious, intriguing menu that changes seasonally. One might begin with an arugula-roasted beet salad with goat cheese beignets that resemble croquettes, or a duck confit quesadilla. Among the most successful entrées are a trio of New Zealand lamb chops with fennel-goat cheese polenta, and a quartet of sea scallops, each sitting on a pedestal of corn custard. Gnocchi, with some color imparted from a hot pan, make a terrific appetizer, entrée or side dish, enhanced with wild mushrooms, grilled asparagus and truffles. The wine list has evolved into a global affair, with some incredibly skinny markups on top California labels. A recommended finale is the croissant bread pudding with white chocolate and blueberries. At lunch, area businesspeople tuck into salads, pastas, a duck panino, or multi-cultural burgers (e.g. a Spanish version with piquillo peppers, chorizo, manchego and paprika aïoli).
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