New York entrepreneur Chodorow, who owns Asia de Cuba and China Grill, among others, is no dummy. His solution: Bring in a chef whose name has resonance in L.A. And while you're at it, bring back the name of the chef's signature restaurant as well.
A consulting chef who lives 3,000 miles away could be a recipe for disaster, but Richard has found an extremely capable chef to execute the menu. Remi Lauvand was executive sous chef under Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque and executive chef at Montrachet, both in New York. Most recently, he was chef at Miro at Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara. Here, under his direction, the kitchen is executing the menu with grace and formidable skill. But that's not the only change at Social's restaurant.
Reflecting the scene
Citrus at Social now has its own entrance on Sunset Boulevard. Instead of dark and romantic nooks framed by canvas curtains, the room has been opened up and decorated in sunny citrus colors. The pillars are mirrored now, the better to reflect the scene and the original Hollywood Athletic Club's stunning frescoed ceiling discovered during renovations. A rug warms the room and slipper chairs and banquettes are upholstered in mint -- or is that pale lime? -- green satin.
Without the private crannies, the dining room seems more elegant and spacious, with plenty of room between the tables. In fact, this may be the most glamorous room in all of L.A. at the moment.
The food makes just as grand an entrance. Richard's training in pastry and his wonderful eye mean his dishes are flat-out gorgeous. He also loves a visual pun. A tin of beluga is set before you, the lid slightly askew, the better to show off the glistening dark gray caviar. But it isn't beluga at all (and a printer's typo means the tin reads "begula"): It's actually Israeli couscous dyed with squid ink with lobster and a soft-poached egg tucked beneath the layer of faux caviar. Nothing in the appetizer's description would lead you to expect this. It also happens to be delicious.
At the very top of the succinct, one-page menu is a list of appetizers designed for sharing. This includes Richard's chicken "faux gras," a small crock of silky blond chicken liver mousse topped with a layer of emerald gelee to spread on thick slabs of toast. It's a terrific way to start a meal. Another is the onion tart, either plain or with smoked salmon and creme fraiche. Both feature a gossamer-light pastry crust blanketed in soft, sweet caramelized onions. Or an order of the warm gougeres tucked under a napkin, perfect with a glass of Champagne.
