Petite Taqueria’s New Brunch Show: A MUST-Go

(Gerry Furth-Sides)  Petite Taqueria, a trifecta of topnotch atmosphere, food & cocktails, was all the more of a fun surprise because we arrived happily expecting to be eating tacos at a street stand.  Instead,  we stepped into a circular series of inviting levels anchored by a buzzing huge bar downstairs, with a glimpse of enticing patio light at the top. te Taqueria / Ainoko

 

This fashionable, hip h.wood GROUP “night spot” turned day oasis in midst of La Cienega’s bustling, sun-glazed restaurant row is an anomaly of the time.  “OMG”. A Kardashian “regular” has a drink named after her. Yet Petite Taqueria effortlessly boasts all the neighborhood charm and genuine welcome of any eatery in the history of this legendary street.

There is not one hostess creating a party here — it is the entire staff.  They happily lead you through the non-stop visuals enfolding you from the full-blown wall of paintings at the entrance.   Time stops at the front door. Hours pass in a flash.  They are somehow professional and social at the same time.

 

The food?  We wanted every single dish of a menu so straightforward yet whimsical.  Each exceptional course turns out beyond expectation – floating on the plate-light, satisfyingly rich, filled with layered flavors.

Matt Seigel (who we’ve written about before) created the cocktail program that stars a full lineup of tequilas and mezcals.   Spirits expert, Jean-Paul, is happy to prepare cocktails to your taste complete with a background story to make a drink taste even better.

We had to ask who created this remarkable feast. And we were not surprised to learn it is Chef Jeffrey Arrieta, the one and same who worked wonders of the same sort with Chef Ray Garcia at FIG in the Fairmont Miramar, Santa Monica.

We had to ask “how he does it.”  His thoughtful answer: “There are a lot of variables that go into planning a menu. I often think, ‘What do people like to eat?’ ‘What do I like to eat?’ ‘Does it fit my audience?’ Those all play into the food I create.

“But the most important thing to me is when I am writing a menu is, ‘ memory.’  I like to cook food that I remember or food that I crave days, weeks, and even years later. A lot of the brunch items are dishes I remember eating and learning how to cook, whether its the pork belly and grits that take me back to my line cook days at Fig Restaurant in Santa Monica or the steak and eggs that remind me of working at LACMA Museum.

“I try to find a way where I can recreate the memory, and those types of food memories, and bring it to life so that you can recapture my intentions. All of the food I create is based of a memory or a smell or even a time that I can relate back to easily. It’s much like when you hear a song that reminds of you an exact time and place, or who you were with when you heard the song.”

The culinary program is under the direction of h.wood’s Culinary Director Maynard Llera, known as “a master of palate-pleasing dishes with bold palate and visual appeal.”  He works with h.wood’s food and drink specialist Adam Koral.  John-Carlos Kuramoto helped plan the menu divided into Seafood, Botanas, Ensaladas, Tacos, Sides.   As if there is not enough to love, the sides can be mixed and matched for the guest in the group with a light appetite to make up a meal.

A fuller description than the one on the menu is superfluous.  My mouth waters just remembering our meal.

 

The popular h.wood Group hospitality team that has so far specialized in trendy night spots is behind the upscale taqueria. As one writer put it best, “Mostly, Petite Taqueria just wants to feed you well.”  And they succeed.

The full bar and a half is whole other story starring “mezcal Mondays.” Matt Seigel’s cocktail program features a full lineup of tequilas and mezcals.

 

We learned that Built, Inc. redesigned the former STK and Bagatelle space on La Cienega to be lush and informal at the same time.  The cool and “real cool” oasis in the hot sun of mid-town feels like a Mexican resort complete with tinted windows and skylight, lots of plants twined through the room and multi-level, intimate bar areas.  On closer inspection, the bars are sleek marble, the chairs velvet and each table has a candle.  We can’t wait to go back

Petite Taqueria / Ainoko 755 N. La Cienega, West Hollywood, (310) 855.7223.