Dinner at RH restaurant has been one of the best all-around dining experiences I’ve had in quite a while. It’s not just the sleek surroundings of the restaurant, the attentive staff or even the food writer’s dream of an open kitchen. It’s mostly about the straightforward, yet sumptuous market-driven cooking of French-trained Chef Sebastien Archambault.
Having grown up in the 70′s, I also loved the fact that I was dining at the “Riot Hyatt” (RH), the center for all rock ‘n’ roll badness way back when. One of the best-known stories of the infamous hotel was when (as Wikipedia notes): “Led Zeppelin rented as many as six floors of the hotel in the mid-to-late 1970s for the band members and entourage. Drummer John Bonham was reported to have driven a motorcycle along the hallways”.
If you’ve seen the film “Almost Famous”, you’ll remember the hotel scene where Penny Lane takes William to meet with the band. Director Cameron Crowe did a wonderful job replicating the hotel’s free-spirited fun of the era, and even though I never got to actually stay at the “Riot Hyatt”, a few years ago I did come very close.
In 2004, my husband Peter rented out the legendary Whisky-a-GoGo club for my 40th birthday party. He knew that as a kid, I used to sneak out to see bands like “X” and “Motley Crue”, so it was a real treat to play guitar on the same stage.
For this milestone birthday celebration, we flew in my younger brother Greg and his band from Scotland, and just for fun… we treated them to a night at the Hyatt.
The Whisky is just up the street from the hotel, so after our gig we loaded up the band equipment, then dropped off Greg and his mates at the legendary flophouse. The hotel was renovated in January 2009 and is now called the Andaz West Hollywood.
The food at RH Restaurant is more “French Brasserie” than “Sunset Strip Room Service”, but take one bite of Chef Archambault’s “RH” Burger and you’ll feel like a self-indulgent, spoiled celebrity. The Black Angus beef is topped with a piece of perfectly seared foie gras, morel mushrooms, and it comes with a side of TRIPLE-fried french fries with fresh truffle shavings (not just truffle oil).
The RH Burger is absolutely my favorite burger and fries combination EVER. On top of that, the rest of the meal was excellent as well.
What we ate:
Market fresh veggies arrived at our table first.
Pata Negra Ham-Bellota (aged 36 months) w/ Tomato and Garlic Crostini. (Pan con tomate – Pa amb tomaquet) $25
Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine with Kumquat Confit $18
Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine with Kumquat Confit (close up)
Morels and Green Spring Onion Tart w/ Parsley Oil $18
The RH Burger: Black Angus Beef, Foie Gras and Morels $26 (includes fries)
Truffled Triple Fried French Fries (included with burger). Extra side $7
Green Vegetable Risotto Arborio with Peas, Zucchini, Asparagus and Fava Beans $20
12 Hour Cooked Boneless Suckling Pork with Roasted Apricot and Rosemary Jus $25
Side Dishes: Glazed Rainbow Carrots and Cauliflower Gratin $7 each
Warm Chocolate Cake w/ Little John’s English Toffee Caramel $8
Executive Chef Sebastien Archambault
RH from Sunset Strip
Shrimp & Bread Appetizers at the Bar. The day of our reservation, I learned that the RH bar was the start of the Sunset Strip’s first-ever “Twitter Crawl”, so Peter and I went early to check it out!
Left: Mojito, Martini, Vodka
Top Right: Looking in from the bar into the restaurant before dinner
Bottom Right: Looking out the RH bar window, Vincent Chace and his “boys”.
Seriously, one of the SWEETEST chefs in town! Chef Sebastien Archambault was kind enough to give me a private tour of the kitchen.
Touring the Open Kitchen
RH at Andaz West Hollywood
8401 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(323) 785-6090 Website
Dining Date: 7/1/09 with Peter, Julian & Wendy
Check out Twitter Tuesdays!
Posted on Twitter 7/28/09
“RH restaurant announces Twitter Tuesdays. Get one complimentary dinner when dining with 2 or more people if you are following us @andazweho ”
Mentioned Above:
My brother Greg’s band (in 2004) playing at my 40th birthday
Greg’s current band His personal website
“Riot Hyatt” clip from “Almost Famous” (scene starts at 1 minute in)
“Almost Famous” on IMDB
“Almost Famous” DVD
The first Sunset Strip Twitter Crawl
All my RH photos on Flickr
With my brother Greg, on another legendary L.A. stage
Los Angeles’ hotel restaurant scene makes me proud. Love that you can find good food (and great people cooking it) just about anywhere!
No joke. LA is just consistent through and through. Is there a more beautiful sight than a big Spanish ham leg on a stand? No, not really.
Great recap of your 40th birthday celebration, Jo. You definitely did it in style. I spent the day working in a brewery as a brewer for the day. In it’s own way, a thrill for me. Peter really came through for you – that must have been a dream.
Almost Famous is one of my favorite rock movies. The scene when the plane is going down (when the guitarist makes his “announcement”) is one of the best pieces of comedy writing in motion picture history.
Love that movie! Of course I thought I was Penny Lane growing up… but was just another local groupie chick!
Hey sis! We definitely have to go there next time I’m over, the food looks fantastic – I’m in the mood just now for The RH Burger.
Regarding the gig, as HUGE Led Zeppelin & Doors fans, we really appreciated what it meant to come to L.A. to play at The Whisky-a-GoGo and then to stay at the Hyatt… great times.
I’ll hopefully get to do it again sometime soon.
Love ya,
Gx
You’ll be headlining on your own there soon! x
Love the Riot Hyatt aka Andaz — friends coming to stay there in September. Great write up as usual! The fries and the 12 hour pork got my taste buds in an uproar! Sounds amazing. And I love that you thought you were Penny Lane as a kid. Makes sense to me. Long live rock and roll!
Let’s plan a “Twitter Tuesdays” visit!
Count us in!!!
Never had a burger with Foie Gras and Morels before, looks and sounds delicious, not to mention the Truffled Triple Fried French Fries, Yum! What a dinner??
I remember when every one was so excited about your big birthday party.
I Love it when you include some of your life stories in your posts make me want to read more.
Afaf, Thank you!
Sounds like an excellent meal! That burger with foie gras and morels must be incredible!
The kind of burger the guys at Animal would put together!
I didn’t have enough gumption to order the monster burger, nor speak to the chef that day (tho the dining room was completely quiet). Always leave it up to you to be instantly acquainted with a beautiful kitchen and its chef.
Well, it’s such a pleasure (and treat) when a chef is proud to show off his kitchen! : )
Wow, thanks for letting us know about Twitter Tuesdays! One complimentary dinner at RH – I’m down any Tuesday!
How fun, and those fries… but it is that leg of pork that has totally got my attention! What a great story too
I’m going to be in your area some time later this month, maybe you can help direct me to THE place I should eat! It looks to me like you are the one in the know!