The Bellwether

I absolutely loved The Bellwether. Parking was easy, as they have a lot in the back of the building, but if it fills up it seems it wouldn’t be an issue to find street parking. The service was excellent, and our server was full of great recommendations for our table. Keep in mind that this is a tapas-style restaurant, so every dish is meant to be shared. I imagine it would be best to come with a small group of people, anywhere between two and four, as the plates are carefully crafted for a group of this size. It’s recommended that each person orders two dishes to enjoy the best experience. Each dish is brought out as it’s ready. Some come out earlier, and some later, but ours came out steadily, and all seemingly at the perfect time. The noise and comfort level were great. I came to the Bellwether with my mom and brother for a family dinner. Honestly, I wanted to order everything, but that just isn’t possible in one sitting! I came for the French Fries (they have quite a reputation) and the Hamachi Tartare. I started off with a cocktail from their specialties. I have to say that’s the one thing that didn’t bring much excitement for the meal. Their classic cocktails are great, but the specials (or at least the one I had) were just okay. I was excited to see that they have infused alcohols, but I didn’t see the point when so much was already mixed in to the cocktails. The flavor didn’t come out the way I had hoped. Another thing is I think the presentation on some of the dishes could have been more thoughtful, but that doesn’t matter much because everything was so flavorful. The Bread and Butter were delicious, although the radishes felt a little random as an accompaniment. They were cut in chunks, and weren’t ideal for placing on bread. Maybe slices would have made more sense. The Hamachi Tartare, one of the reasons I came, was so wonderful. The presentation was lacking, and had me questioning my order, but it was packed with flavor. You have dried tomato chips to place the tartare on, and can top it off with micro herbs if you choose. It’s really a special dish. The French Fries were the best French Fries I’ve ever had. The only ones that come close to matching them are at Wurstkuche, and I didn’t think it was possible to top them. They’re accompanied with a House Hot Sauce and a Chive Crème Fraiche. Apparently, there’s a three-day process involved in making the fries, but I was too busy stuffing them in my mouth to hear any more than that! I will be back for the fries alone. Next up was the Vietnamese Braised Pork Short Ribs. It’s accompanied with Coriander Rice and Chili Sambal if you want to add a little heat. This dish is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. It’s a pound and a half, so make sure you’re very hungry or are with a group. The Meatballs, Brussels Sprouts, and our dessert, the Jameson Bread Pudding, were all very tasty. The Bellwether has a very well put together menu, and there are plenty more dishes to explore, so it’s safe to say I’ll be back. I heard they have a good traditional brunch, so I might even stop by for that at some point. The only real downside was that my family was too busy saying “yummm” and “mmm” and doing our food dances to have an actual conversation.

Wow! This chef is a brilliant man and his food is outstanding. Worth the price!! Went here not sure what to expect. Each item I ordered to try blew me away. Everything from the short rib to the cauliflower truly was an amazing dish. The wait staff here are good people. You will be glad you spent the extra money to come here. I know I am and I will be coming back here for sure!

Because of Dine LA, my wife and I decided to give this place a try. I must say it was amazing, the foods were superb. Their service was also great, our server was very polite. It was a small and cozy restaurant. The price for the Dine LA was $39 per person, from a selection of 8 dishes, you have to choose 3. For us, we got to try 6 of the 8 dishes. All the dishes we choose were great, the taste was excellent. I took some pictures of the dishes we had. The dessert wasn't included in the Dine LA menu.

I work locally to The Bellwether, so it's always a treat to have the opportunity to eat here. The food this time around was well portioned; the three of us who visited all had enough to eat. The waitress was amiable and attentive and the food tasted excellent. I'm happy to report I'll be calling again soon!

We had brunch at the Bellwether to get some girl time in after some rough weeks at work, finding jobs, etc. We had a wonderful time. I splurged on the bottle of champagne and 3 fruit mixes. We loved the fries but I have to say the eggs bene was just spectacular! Also - feel free to show up w/out a reservation. The places was fairly empty which was nice but also made me sad knowing there were people lined up outside other restaurants when they could have been here having a leisurely and delicious brunch.

The Bellwether is an interesting restaurant. It serves exceptional food at a premium price, but pairs it with a casual atmosphere. We went for a late dinner on a Friday night, and the place was packed. This is both a sign of the quality of the food and service, and a drawback because the restaurant is set up in such a way that it gets very loud. The menu is seasonal and changes regularly, though some dishes last awhile. We got scallop crudo, steak tartare, lamb sausage, and sunchoke coconut curry, and had 3 cocktails. With tip it came to right around $150. For a splurge where you want to try a well-prepared, eclectic variety of foods it's one of the best spots in the Valley. Each dish is meant to be shared, and comes in a decent enough portion that 2 people can eat heartily or 3-4 can sample widely. They also have a one hour happy hour that's small but outstanding in the quality and value. It's worth making it for a well cocktail and chicken sandwich for $5 each. Definitely give it a shot.

Interesting restaurant that doesn't quite know what it wants to be. All of the food we had at brunch was well above average, but when a restaurant where (waiter's words) all of the dishes are meant to be shared, offers things like a burger (not easily sharable)... It creates a confusing dining experience. Same with the full English breakfast. I suggest segmenting the menu so that it's easier to see sharable items. Other than that, the food was good.