Blue Velvet

Blue Velvet
The Flat
750 Garland St
LA 90017
213 239 0061

The Scene: Downtown very chic
Cuisine: California eclectic
Must Try: Hormone-free burger
Star Rating: 3
Best Dish: Lamb Shank Paperdelle


Smooth like velvet, the scene and atmosphere at this new eatery is a knock- out. Located at the old Holiday Inn which was previously in the midst of a “lock your doors and don’t get out of the car” neighborhood, the new incarnation is sleek and sassy, and designed by Tag Front. The friendly valets whisked our car away as we were escorted into a side door that revealed floor to ceiling windows with vistas out to an inviting pool, affording a view of downtown L.A.’s increasingly nifty skyline. Lustrous woods, walls of stacked river rocks and comfortable intimate seating immediately made us forget the schlep downtown.

Pretty young faces were omnipresent. We hotly anticipated great things, but alas the overall service was, albeit friendly, somewhat ill trained; but the food more than made up for it; Michael was more forgiving in that Blue Velvet has only been open six weeks at the time of our first visit; Scott had loftier expectations. That being said, Aliza, our waitperson, was gorgeous and sweet, and worth the drive alone for our women (and some of our men) readers.

Getting past the fact that we were unceremoniously dropped at a table by the host, that we had to ask for bread and other items several times and that the person delivering our food described Chef Kris Morningstar’s (Mason G) creations with the fanfare of a garden slug, we did adore several items on the menu. For example, The Duo of Pork, which is a crispy belly and braised shank, superbly seasoned with pork broth and udon noodles and priced at $24, was the highlight of the night for us both. The Lamb Shank Papardelle with rapini and olives at $17 for lunch was one of the most glorious dishes that we have tasted in a very long time, perfectly seasoned and cooked. Michael who is not a huge fan of lamb devoured this and it left him wanting more. The hormone free Velvet burger with bacon onion compote was delivered at a perfect medium rare without even having to ask and at $14, is a delight. Another dish worth experiencing is the slow-poached Ocean Trout ($26) with soft scrambled eggs, smoked Yukon gold potatoes and crème fraîche.

The desserts were a highlight, with particular note, the Blood Orange Soup, one of the most unusual desserts that we’ve savored of late, at $8, it is served with Vanilla Ice Cream, caramelized pineapple, mint leaves and candied macadamia nuts.

When Michael returned from the restroom, he announced that Scott should really see the incredibly designed unisex bathroom; our new lady friend seated next to us nailed us when she said, “Now that’s just so gay”!