 This venture from chef Mark Peel (Campanile) is named for the La Brea Tar Pits. Once you've passed the black door evocative of a club rather than a restaurant, you discover a space elegantly decorated in a 1940s style, with a long bar on the left, tables in the middle and booths on the right, separated by ironwork. The upscale specialty cocktails bear psychedelic names such as Death at Midnight, Daisy de Martinique and The Prude's Demise. Chef Peel has composed a short menu with his modern version of what he likes to call “classic American dishes from the 1940's.” Expect to find radish, cucumber and onion salad with a cucumber yogurt dressing, white bean and pecorino salad with black cabbage or black bean minestrone for appetizers. You may also borrow the steak tartare or the crab cakes from the bar menu. Do not bypass ordering the perfect black cod, accompanied by sautéed mushrooms. You will find escargots with gnocchi and, of course, a garlic, parsley and butter sauce. In the meat department, the meatballs are made of wild boar and served on spätzle and tomato ragù, while the braised pork cheeks and ears top orecchiette, braised beet greens and dandelion greens. More straightforward is the chicken, simply herb-roasted and paired with mashed potatoes and mustard sauce. Finish with the cherries jubilee (bitter almond ice cream, cherry compote, candied pistachios) or the chocolate caramel tart. The wine list is short and quite selective with some 25 unusual wines from around the world, all priced at $38 a bottle. Let us mention that the menu is also reasonably priced, ranging from $8 to $19, a great value for this venue with a supper club feel.
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The Tar Pit Restaurant is one of our 2012
| Top 10 LA Lounge Restaurants
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Go behind the scenes of The Tar Pit restaurant! Watch our exclusive video interview with chef Mark Peel.
Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area. Also, check out our picks for the Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S.
