The Gourmet Detective
Madera Kitchen
by Michele Elyzabeth & Pamela Price
Pamela and I love to play the “Gourmet Detectives.” It is
our immense pleasure to go around trying new places in and
around Los Angeles. After weeks of wanting to schedule a
visit to Madera Kitchen, we finally made a reservation at
the new restaurant which took residence at the corner of
Franklin and Cahuenga Boulevard in the heart of
Hollywood.
Owners Milton Sznaider, (also owner of the Solar de Cahuenga
Café, next door) and Loyal Pennings have done an outstanding
job of giving new life to the space, formerly known as
Wonderland Night Club. They have transformed, updated and
upgraded to what is now Madera Kitchen. “Madera” means
“wood” in Spanish and they have used plenty of it. The décor
is modern, yet warm, comfortable and inviting.
As we entered the restaurant, we found ourselves in a very
large patio which is split up into three areas. There are
two separate dining areas on either side of the entry way.
Both sides adorned with wooden French garden chairs and
wooden tables, as well as a wooden banquette which was well
crafted. The floor is made of cement and the ceiling is
illuminated by hanging glass jars which have a country feel.
To the far right-hand corner is an intimate lounge area with
a majestic olive tree that dominates the center. There is a
grand fire place and peek-a-boo access to the inside bar,
which is perfect for Happy Hour, while waiting for your
table, or even a late night drink. If you prefer to sit
inside the main dining room, no problem, they can
accommodate guests from two to 10 people or more on one of
the wooden or communal Zinc-aluminum tables. An impressive
canary yellow banquet wraps across the back wall made up of
wooden barrels. On the opposite side of the room is a
remarkable work of art, the Spanish tile bar stands proud
ready to serve its patrons. But my favorite room at Madera
Kitchen is the private dining room, also known as the wine
room. Open for private parties, it seats up to 20 people.
Above the long table is a chandelier, and on one side of the
room are barrels cleverly used as a wall divider, cut open
to display bottles of wine and glasses.
After the mini tour of the restaurant given to us by
Russell, our server and part-time manager, we were ready to
eat. It was beautiful outside so the open patio seemed like
the place to be. While looking at the menu, I thought that
the banquet we were sitting on could really use cushions.
Something the owners should think about. Taking the lead,
Russell suggested some cocktails and we went for it.
They have an extensive cocktail menu, with delicious drinks
perfect for the spring and summertime. Michele favored the
“Word Up,” a drink with a real tequila punch made with Don
Julio Blanco, lime, Serrano chile and Green Chartreuse. I
tend to like lighter gimlets, so the refreshing “Green
Dolphin” hit the spot. It is Grey Goose mixed with
Hendricks, lemon, basil and cucumber.
On the wine list, they offer Barrel wines, as well as by the
bottle and glass. During our tasting, we preferred the
bottled Malbec.
Looking over the menu, it’s split up into five parts:
Meat/Cheese/Breads, Shared Plates, Pasta, Flatbreads and the
Entrees. Russell raved about the Orbit Carrots ($11) and the
Brussels sprouts ($14), so naturally we had to indulge. The
shared plates are definitely the strong point of Madera’s
menu. Both were equally delicious. The soft carrots are
sautéed with toasted pumpkin seeds and spicy honey, which is
not at all overwhelming. The plate is perfectly matched with
Humboldt fog, a type of goat milk cheese, which just melts
in your mouth.
The Brussels sprouts have a scrumptious crispy coat to them,
paired with romesco sauce, crispy pecorino, and a balsamic
reduction. You just keep coming back for more.
Still on the green side, their Endive Salad ($12) is a good
appetizer or shared choice with baby arugula, candied
pistachios, blood orange and buttermilk blue cheese.
When it comes to the entrées, this is where Madera is
lacking. The spice factor for a few of their main dishes is
slightly off-kilter. Mario Gomez, who is currently
over-seeing the menu could benefit from simply cooking for a
universal taste bud. He recommended their daily Pan Seared
Market Fish, which on that night was Mahi Mahi ($25). At
first bite, the salt was very prevalent. So much so that it
masked any other flavors. We did however enjoy the dish’s
broccolini, rainbow baby carrots, beurre blanc sauce and
fava bean puree.
Although we were told the Barbeque Baby Ribs ($22) served
with fries and kale/red cabbage slaw is a popular choice,
they may not be for everyone. Four stars for spicy should be
added next to its name on the menu, just in case you can’t
handle chili pepper. The ribs were pleasingly tender, but
the sauce will immediately set fire to your tongue. We’ll
leave this one for those who enjoy hot and spicy.
If you’re sharing your main dish, go for the Flatbreads.
They have a nice selection, from Burrata to Wild Mushroom.
Mario insisted we taste the Oxtail Flatbread ($15) with
smoked mozzarella, arugula, asparagus and truffle oil. It’s
not too heavy and the combination of the greens and braised
oxtail is very appetizing.
To top off our Madera experience, we tried two desserts.
Mario often changes the sweets selections. On this
particular evening he was serving a chocolate leche cake
with a berry sauce and small donut globes a-la-mode
sprinkled with confection powder.
With some menu alterations, Madera Kitchen has the potential
to be a wonderful dining spot in Hollywood. Even though it
was not perfect, the service was outstanding and we may have
visited on an ‘off-night.’ The décor and ambience is already
first-rate.
Russell told us that they are open for Sunday Brunch,
something we will have to try.
To make your reservation for Dinner, Happy Hour or Brunch,
visit: www.maderakitchen.com
Address: 1835 Cahuenga Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028
Tel: 213.261.3687
Hours: Tues – Wed: 5:30pm to 11pm
Thur – Fri: 5:30pm to 12am Sat: 6pm to 12am
Sun: 11am to 10pm
Happy Hour: Tue – Fri: 5:30 to 8pm