Riordan's Tavern

Riordan's Tavern Restaurant Review:

The menu at Riordan's Tavern isn't overly ambitious, but neither is it shy. A carvery section offers a daily special, either lamb, beef or pork slow-roasted and served on bread from La Brea Bakery with house-made coleslaw and a fresh pickle. Leave that for lunch, and start your dinner with a respectable Caesar salad with ample anchovies, if less than sufficient garlic, or a generous portion of crab cakes. Meats though, are the thing to order here, from a six-ounce filet to a 22-ounce bone-in Prime porterhouse. Tender and well-aged, the meat rivals the offerings at local steakhouses. Fish ‘n’ chips and chicken are alternatives for those who eschew beef. The bar, which sits adjacent to an open kitchen, stocks a full range of spirits and also has half a dozen beers on tap, including Anchor Steam, Harp and Guinness, and showcases one winery per month, pouring several of its varietals by the glass. Linger over dessert in the clubby, masculine room with its dark wood, pressed-tin ceiling and pair of plasma monitors for sports programming. Cheesecake comes in a couple of flavors, while the specialty dessert is chocolate bread pudding. Wash it down with a cup of Chunky Monkey chocolate tea. Brunch features buckwheat pancakes, New York steak and eggs, and O’Riordan’s Irish coffee.