I'm not really what you would call a foodie. I mean, I love food, I like trying new things and going to new places, but I'm really not going to jump into the belly of the hype beast by fighting with industry folks for precious entry into the hottest new restaurant or go that far out of my way to try a new place unless it specifically calls to me. I rarely even go anywhere that requires a reservation, knowing that by the time the date rolls around, I'm likely to be in a completely different mindset-if I'm looking for a home-y atmosphere on a given night and I'm supposed to be headed to a Philippe Starck place with modern decor and filled with pretentious pretenders for days, I'm just not going to make it.
I made an exception for Eveleigh, where West Hollywood meets the Sunset Strip, though. It's been around long enough that I expected the scenesters had moved on and I had seen enough photos of the airy space and charming decor to know that this was right up my alley. While the service was sincerely lacking (fifteen minutes for our first round of drinks, no napkins supplied until food arrived and we asked, sticking us in a table where we were so close we might as well been sitting in the group next door's laps when there were other options), everything else was just about perfect. It had a charming touch of farmhouse decor (a nod perhaps to the menu's rotation based on Farmer's Market selections), the roll back roof meant alfresco dining, and the food was delicious. My roasted Jidori chicken was well worth the half hour cook time, combining the earthy nuttiness of almonds and olives with the sweetness of golden raisins and coming with a chickpea cake that gave the best falafel I've ever had a run for its money. The cocktails were also amazing-my Waterloo Sunset, a mixture of rhubarb infused gin, Campari, watermelon, sage, and lemon juice, was one of the best I'd had. As in, my life. I'll be back, either for a meal that affirms how enjoyable the simple things in life can be, or for drinks that are anything but simple but refreshing all the same.
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