THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Birch

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Birch Restaurant Review:

Birch is home to chef Brendan Collins, and since he’s a man of warmth and kindness, the restaurant is named after his childhood memories of a copse of birch trees from his hometown in England. After working in other chefs’ kitchens, and his own at Waterloo & City in Culver City for five years, his talent now excels in Hollywood. If the décor is rather on the minimalist side --- with white walls, marble and unpolished metals --- the cuisine is elaborate. Based on his experiences and the Los Angeles culinary melting pot, the dishes combine different flavors that enhance each other. It is easy to see that upon reading the menu: summer corn and truffle; baby kale with pink lady apples, celery and Stilton; soft shell crab in tiger milk (dark rum, brandy, milk and sugar); sweetbreads with potato gnocchi, cauliflower and preserved lemon; and grilled lamb belly with peas, sugar snaps and foie gras butter. There are a few must-haves, such as the chicken liver mousse, wild king salmon cooked in birch (of course), and the pork shank accompanied by fermented coleslaw and a very tasty za’atar flatbread. Finish with the peanut butter spring roll and Collins’ version of “Eton Mess,” an English dessert of strawberries, meringue and Chantilly cream. If the food is delicate and delicious, it also looks elegant. The façade of the restaurant is a garage door that opens (when weather permits) to reveal the bar offering craft cocktails, two communal tables, blond woods, and green plants on the walls. Guests can catch a glimpse of the chefs cooking in the kitchen through a glass window. Al fresco seating is available on the outdoor patio in the back. There is a small wine list essentially composed of California and French labels.