All photos by Karin E. Baker for The LA Beat
Bottlefish is the vision of two guys who’ve made a real impact on Los Angeles (and thus international) dining: its co-owners, Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax, started California Pizza Kitchen back in 1985.
Before California Pizza Kitchen, California-style pizza was an uncommon, upscale offering found only at food temples like Chez Panisse and Spago. CPK brought that style to the masses. Rosenfield and Flax sold their interest in the pizza chain years ago, later deciding they wanted to create a new eatery, this one focused on sustainable fish and seafood.
During an intimate press lunch with Rosenfield and Flax in September, I was able to savor the Brentwood eatery’s new lunch offerings on its expansive patio featuring a lush green wall covered in succulents. It was worth the drive across town.
Creamy lobster bisque, richly laden with the hand-chopped crustacean, was decadence in a bowl. I also savored the yuzu salmon poke, featuring very fresh salmon, avocado, macadamias, edamame and seafood salad atop a bed of black forbidden rice.
Also noteworthy were the succulent lobster roll and the small plates, including spicy tuna on crispy forbidden black rice with avocado and sriracha aioli; lightly fried popcorn shrimp with togarashi aioli, grilled lime, and chives; and spicy tuna nestled in crispy wonton taco shells, then topped with sriracha aioli and pureed avocado.
I was struck by the freshness of the fish and produce. Flax told me, “Serving healthy food is important to us, but we wanted this to be a place with delicious food that happens to be healthy, rather than a health-food restaurant.”
Desserts include lemon cream pie in a graham cracker crust, and warm chocolate-chip cookies served with Sweet Rose Creamery vanilla ice cream.
If you’d prefer dinner at Bottlefish, their new Monday Night Date Night special is a must. Staring at 5 p.m., a couple can enjoy three courses and wine for $99. Starter choices include jumbo shrimp cocktail, smoked trout dip and spicy tuna tacos. For your entree, choose from ginger salmon, grilled jumbo shrimp on saffron rice, and seared scallops, followed by one of the aforementioned desserts.
Lunch is now served at Bottlefish Mondays through Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Open daily, Bottlefish is located at 11677 San Vicente Blvd. The phone number is 310.9545. Restaurant website
