The Power of Flowers | Arden, West Hollywood, CA

Arden WeHo Sophie Gayot Jordane Andrieu Roman Rey Chavent

Jordane Andrieu, Sophie Gayot, Roman Rey Chavent | Photo © GAYOT

By Sophie Gayot

The Garden of Arden

West Hollywood, CA, January 2024

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• GAYOT’s Rating: 14/20
• Cuisine: California
• Open: Dinner Mon.-Wed. 6 p.m.-11 p.m., Thurs.-Sun. 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m., Brunch Sat.-Sun. 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Arden is on GAYOT’s:
– Best Los Angeles Restaurants for California Cuisine
– Best Los Angeles Restaurants with the Best Décor
– Best Los Angeles Craft Cocktail Bars
– Best Los Angeles Open Late Restaurants
– Best Los Angeles Sexy Restaurants
– Best West Hollywood Romantic Restaurants
– Best West Hollywood Brunch Restaurants.

Arden | 213-712-6567 | View Website
View map: 8289 Santa Monica Blvd. (N. Sweetzer Ave.) West Hollywood, CA 90046

Arden is a venture of French culinary entrepreneurs Jordane Andrieu and Roman Rey Chavent. When I see the restaurant literally overflowing with flowers, I cannot help thinking that the pair must truly love, and respect, women. For me, this botanical extravaganza is an homage to us ladies. If the flowers are artificial, it does not matter. What matters is the cascade of flowers hanging from the ceiling creating a fairy, bohemian and protective atmosphere — and we need it. Stepping into Arden, you will, without even thinking about it, escape the reality of life for a few hours, and that feels good.

Located in the heart of West Hollywood, Arden boasts a beautiful bar with emerald diamond tiles on its sides. It gets very busy because of its craft cocktails, and hopefully not too noisy so it does not cover the live music coming from the piano nearby. Let me not forget the crystal chandeliers vying with the flowers on the ceiling, and the tall vases that you can find when lingering in the gardens of Versailles.

Want to know where “Arden” comes from? Shakespeare’s Forest of Arden, a poetic haven depicted in “As You Like It.”

The Menu and Its Cuisines

Even if Andrieu and Rey Chavent are French, they have asked the chef to compose a menu that encompasses various cuisines. After craft cocktails, the dinner started with the now classic Yellowtail Crudo.

Then we moved to Italy, with Wagyu Beef Meatballs in a fennel pollen braised tomato sauce, a pizza, and Tagliatelle with a yuzu Parmigiano sauce topped with fresh black truffle.

Fish or meat? Why choose, as the two dishes brought to my table were both delicious. The Ōra King Salmon was paired with kohlrabi slaw, jalapeño and corn cream; while the Grass-Fed Half Lamb Rack was made so tasty with the saffron hummus, topped with black olives and feta.

See what I wrote earlier about the dishes being a mix of recipes and ingredients from around the world? With this thinking, the team has come up with a good concept that needs no revision. I praise and like this creativity, and I am sure you will too.

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The End…

Just for the tea set, you should have tea or herbal tea. It is so cute. The fairytale continues with the dessert cage. The sweets will fly away rapidly under the strike of your fork.

It was an enchanted evening.