It would have appeared that no amount of design could save the West Hollywood Hyatt and its restaurant appendage, Chi, but the newly rehabilitated Andaz West Hollywood feels like modernism coming to the rescue. The lobby is vigorously spare, elegant, and comfortably lit. Eliminating the concept of a front desk, hotel check-in is handled by a laptop-empowered host who offers a seat on the couch and a glass of wine to forward the process.
Like its forerunner, the restaurant is parked to the right of the entrance. The theme of the space is transparency. White walls and an open format defy the pre-renovation claustrophobia, and the ample space is bisected by a bar indicating the lounge. On the restaurant side, wine, water, and raw ingredients occupy glass-paneled refrigerators that run floor-to-ceiling along the wall. The kitchen seizes the adjacent space, in which chefs prepare your meal with the immediacy of proximity.
Like the gastropub movement that gripped ’07, the New American trend ripping across the country is more an update to style than substance. Designed for the picky eater, RH offers a market list of proteins (scallops, tuna, filet mignon) and vegetable accompaniments (spinach, artichoke hearts, enoki mushrooms). Each selection is accompanied by a sauce (ranging from pesto to chutney) and prepared in the manner of your choice (seared, stir-fry, tartar). For those with fewer inclinations, there is a list of entrees mobilized around the five flavors with the most menu appeal–foie, truffles, garlic, parmesan, and pancetta.
The meal began with a complimentary plate of market-fresh crudites including white carrots, beets, and tomatoes. Foregoing another appetizer, I proceeded to a main of yellow-fin tuna with tomato onion compote and shaved fennel. The tuna was flavorfully melting with tomato and onion, fresh, and perfectly seared. Not entirely dismissive of the market list, I ordered a side of spinach, enoki mushrooms, and asparagus cooked crisply.
Andaz West Hollywood is a real gem in a landscape of sluggish trends. The poise and hospitality of the staff should not go unnoted–the endurance of most businesses is determined by such–and at Andaz your experience is best in class.
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