I was first introduced to Girasol last September. My sister's boyfriend wanted to celebrate her fellowship accomplishments and take her out to a nice dinner. A fan of Jonathan Gold, he selected a restaurant from the famed list. Willy and I joined because we'll take any excuse to dine out and try a new restaurant.
Willy and I came back for a second time and got to try some favorites on the menu as well as some new seasonal items that aren't quite yet available.
We started the meal with hamachi and octopus. I'm a huge fan of hamachi and will order it almost everywhere I go. This one is served with a gazpacho broth that has the perfect citrus notes. However, I think the octopus really stole the show. Super tender and juicy, the octopus features, "Eggplant Caponata, Cherry Tomato Flora Bella Farms Bitter Greens Toasted Lovage."
One of my favorite dishes of the night was the Chicken Confit (left). It has a bleu cheese dressing that I've never had with chicken surprisingly. The combination was heavenly and the chicken was cooked to perfection.
By far my favorite dish was the Braised Beef Cheek served with fig puree and bone marrow. I had never really been a bone marrow fan until a small restaurant named Bestia changed the game for me. This Beef Cheek was so beyond tender it basically fell apart at the touch of my fork. I sliced it with a butter knife.
“At Girasol, I want to integrate the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired throughout my career, and present a new dining experience for Los Angeles to enjoy. My goal is to showcase a true taste of California by using exceptional ingredients foraged from the Angeles National Forest.”
Executive Chef Justin Abram does an amazing job at celebrating the beauty of California cuisine. Definitely worth a try if you're trying to eat your way through Jonathan Gold's picks and/or want a nice dinner in the valley.
xo, jenny