CHARCOAL ALL SMOKE, NO FIRE.Byline: NATALIE HAUGHTON >FOOD EDITOR Enter Charcoal, a new restaurant on Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades. adjacent to the ArcLight Cinemas, and you'll be greeted by a handsome, polished wood decor with brown booths and wood tables surrounding a glitzy glitz Informal n. Ostentatious showiness; flashiness: "a garish barrage of show-biz glitz" Peter G. Davis. tr.v. square bar and a cozy fireplace. It seems like a sign of good things to come -- or not. The menu had some appealing but rather standard fare -- ranging from starters and salads, to sandwiches, steaks and chops -- but the food we ordered had its ups and downs ups and downs pl.n. Alternating periods of good and bad fortune or spirits. ups and downs Noun, pl alternating periods of good and bad luck or high and low spirits -- and some of it didn't deliver. A tasty pork tamale Tamale (təmä`lē), town (1984 pop. 136,828), capital of the Northern Region, N Ghana. It is a road junction and agricultural trade and education center. ($6) appetizer to start, topped with melted cheese and accompanied with a small amount of green sauce Green sauce is the name of several different sauces containing mainly herbs, namely the Italian salsa verde, the French sauce verte, and the German grüne Soße or Frankfurter Grie Soß (Frankfurt dialect). , was attractive and tasty. The good-size burrata cheese salad ($9), different from other restaurant renditions, came piled with the creamy snow-white cheese (somewhat disheveled) in the center of the plate drizzled with a little olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. and surrounded by a generous ring of cherry tomato halves dressed with a sprinkling of balsamic balsamic (bäl·sämˑ·ik), n a substance that can soften and reduce mucus. vinaigrette. Topped with a few sparse strips of fresh basil and freshly ground black pepper, it tasted a little blah. A request for balsamic vinegar to add some flavor pizazz turned up a small dish of balsamic vinaigrette, which didn't help much. A small portion of a half-size chopped salad ($9) with iceberg lettuce, avocado, bacon and crumbled blue cheese was dressed with a lackluster Dijon vinaigrette -- and the lettuce in larger pieces than expected -- was not very chopped at all. But it was the entrees that really missed the mark. A crab burger ($16) was dry, disappointing and fishy-tasting. Essentially a medium-size crab cake plopped on an untoasted Kaiser roll with hardly any mayo (it was supposed to be caper caper, common name for members of the Capparidaceae, a family of tropical plants found chiefly in the Old World and closely related to the family Cruciferae (mustard family). mayo), a piece of iceberg lettuce, a tomato and onion slice, it was a poor choice. However, the accompanying rich-colored sweet-potato fries, served lukewarm instead of piping hot as we would have preferred them, were delicious. Unfortunately, a "prime" hanger steak ($22) was not prime (a misnomer misnomer n. the wrong name. MISNOMER. The act of using a wrong name. 2. Misnomers, may be considered with regard to contracts, to devises and bequests, and to suits or actions. 3.-1. ) at all. Two pieces (medium rare) arrived with a texture so tough and chewy chew·y adj. chew·i·er, chew·i·est Needing much chewing: chewy candy. chew  i·ness n. that it was almost inedible. We wondered whether any
chef or cook ever sampled this.
The chocolate lava cake ($7) came beautifully presented with chocolate/fudge sauce, vanilla ice cream and a few fresh raspberries, and it tasted divine. It was the best item we had. The cookies, drizzled with chocolate, and ice cream dessert ($7) needs a makeover. Something was wrong with the cookies. They were so overbaked (very dark and crisp around the edges but not burned) and dried out that you couldn't get a fork through them. Some other complaints. The service was poor. Utensils had to be requested each time a course arrived. Noise and music levels were excessively high and obnoxious (it was difficult to carry on a conversation at the table). Add to that the periodic loud clang of silverware in the kitchen -- and it was enough to drive diners crazy. As we departed, it appeared that many diners were ordering drinks and sharing appetizers -- probably the way to go before or after catching a flick next door. It's all smoke -- and no fire -- at Charcoal, not a place we'll be rushing back to anytime soon. At its best: This noisy place is likely a good hang-out for a drink and appetizer before or after a movie if you're in the neighborhood. Could be better: Almost everything. Natalie Haughton (818) 713-3692; natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com CHARCOAL - One star >Details: 6372 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 465-8500. Open daily for lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner 4 to 11 p.m. >Cost: Starters $6 to $19, salads $8 to $16, sandwiches $14 to $16, entrees $15 to $26, steaks and chops $14 to $26, sides $4 to $6, desserts $7. >Noteworthy: Sweet-potato fries. Full bar. One-hour validated parking in lot in ArcLight center. Split plates $4. Corkage cork·age n. A charge exacted at a restaurant for every bottle of liquor served that was not bought on the premises. corkage Noun a charge made at a restaurant for serving wine bought elsewhere : First bottle complimentary; $20 second bottle. |
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