Little Beast Menu

Little Beast Restaurant Review:

Chef Sean Lowenthal, who previously cooked at Château Marmont, and wife Deborah Schwartz-Lowenthal provide a warm welcome at their American bistro, its name derived from a term of endearment applied to their 10-year-old son. The place takes over the Craftsman cottage in Eagle Rock that previously housed Larkin’s. It's a charming little hideaway, with a simple, intimate dining room and woodsy patio strewn with overhead lighting. The market-driven menu features American themes with eclectic influences in starters like wild salmon tartare layered with guacamole and gyoza chips, and velvety duck liver mousse topped with onion marmalade, perfect for slathering on crostini. Entrées include risotto laced with vegetables --- perhaps fresh corn or roasted squash, depending on the season --- and pan-roasted scallops with cauliflower purée and salsa verde. A hanger steak, served with spinach, roasted mushrooms and garlic confit, is pleasantly chewy and nicely seasoned, while the Little Beast burger features charred red onions, heirloom tomatoes and Worcestershire aïoli. For dessert, there’s an intense Belgian chocolate pudding elevated with a pinch of sea salt, or crème fraîche cheesecake, served in a Mason jar with lemon-blueberry jam. Every wine on the list --- it's short but globally inspired and well-crafted --- is available by the glass.