Images Property of LATFUSA
It seems that the new trend of restaurants in Hollywood is the “gastropub,” a cross between a French Brasserie and an English pub mixed with a tad of Hollywood flair. In the past couple of years, gastropubs have been popping up from the beach to downtown. The latest one to open is Jared Meisler and Sean MacPherson’s The Pikey on Sunset, which replaced the legendary Ye Coach & Horses that was practically falling apart. This duo of businessmen already proved themselves with Bar Lubitsch and Roger Room, two well-known preferred hang outs for Angelenos.
We heard that 29 year old Chef, Ralph Johnson was originally from London and had been the former executive chef at NYC’s The Spotted Pig. During the 5 years he lived in Manhattan, Chef Johnson was awarded the Michelin Star twice.
Located a block away from our office, we decided to try The Pikey for lunch. The Maitre’D, Halleluyah, and I must add, a very pleasant young chap, greeted us as at the door (No, I am not joking, that’s really his name). The Pikey is separated in two sections, the restaurant and the bar. As we made our way in, we could not help but notice the 2 huge skylights which allowed the luminosity to fill the room. Equally large, are the blackboard menus immediately below each of the skylights. The dining area offers a combination of green leather booths and café style tables which end with an open area onto the kitchen. The walls are adorned with huge frame mirrors and photographs of today’s true rock n’ rollers with tattooed knuckles.
On the right side of the pub is the bar area; very dark and very British. Separated by a small corridor, you will find the maharaja room with specially commissioned portraits, a bar, tables, etc… this room is reserved for special events. After taking a brief tour of the premises we returned to our table and had a lovely lunch, which for me consisted of the traditional fish and chips ($14) perfectly cooked; tender and crisp. While Pamela opted for the Grilled Mary’s Chicken ($16) with a side order of cheesy mashed potato ($5). The chicken was extremely zesty, spiced with salsa verde and shaved fennel. The mashed potatoes are indescribably delicious. For dessert we shared the unique Seasonal Fool ($8), a whipped meringue with crushed honeycomb and fresh strawberries and blueberries.
Everything was fantastic including the service. On the other hand, the wine list left something to be desired, but I am sure that in time this will be corrected. We will return for dinner. Read full review in the September issue of LATF: The Magazine.
By Michele Elyzabeth
