ECLECTIC FINE FOODS & SPIRITS

I recently heard that the popular former Eclectic Cafe, which is in NoHo, (the hipster area of the Valley,) changed ownership, so I was curious to dine there once again.  I used to have lunch there when I was more of an actress than a writer, and this was the place to be seen! But the food is touted to be even better now, so I decided that I had to be the judge of that, to let you all know about.

Its new name is Eclectic Fine Foods & Spirits, which really reflects the menu a million times better than the word “cafe” did.  The new fare is of the ilk you find mainly in Beverly Hills.  (Not that that area is better than North Hollywood; it’s just more upscale.)  All the dishes taste like they’re made from superior ingredients.

A chef I respect, (from another eatery altogether,) recommended their dinner to me, so my posse and I decided to dine there last Friday night.  And, boy, was it delicious!  (And we chose the right night because a live music duo made the experience extra special.  More on them in a bit.)

I think by now you all know what a picky eater I am.  I can’t tell you how many times in my life I was miserable, sitting at a restaurant that had nothing I eat.  (Obviously, others chose those places, and I just didn’t want to make a fuss.)  Eclectic is the opposite of that!  Their menu features at least two dozen items I wanted to try!

First we chatted a bit with Don, the new owner, to learn about all the changes. Then he put us in the more-than-capable hands of Brian, perhaps my favorite waiter ever!  He immediately brought us the hearty pieces of complementary focaccia bread that all guests are treated to.  It was so yummy that we didn’t even need the olive oil that comes on the side.  Maybe that’s because, as Alice pointed-out, it was “just spiced enough on top.”

While we perused the big and beautiful menu, Alice and Carolyn got into some interesting cocktails.  Alice said her Strawberry Ginger Mojito had a fun “mojito kick” with “just the right amount of strawberry.”  (It must have–she had two of them!)  Carolyn deemed her Elderflower cocktail, (which she said is similar to a martini,) to be “very smooth.”

Now let’s get to my area of expertise–the food!  We began with the Margherita Pizza, that we all wanted to try.  We have four totally different tastes, so it’s a tribute to the pizza that we all really enjoyed it.  It’s crust and taste were more like a real pizza than the usual “boutique” ones, which was a fun surprise.

We had even more success with the starters we ordered. The absolute fave of all of us were the Portobello “Fries,” (which are not to be confused with the potato variety—all they have in common is the “fried” part.)  They’re strips of portobello mushrooms fried in panko breadcrumbs, and Alice said they’re “killer!”  She loved that they were “moist on the inside while crispy on the outside,” and “very flavorful.”  While she said they were “even better with the the garlic aioli that comes on the side,” I liked them on their own.  That way, they’re crisper, with their own unique flavor, which is absolutely delish!!!

I was also nuts for the Mac ‘N’ Cheese, (which is a dryer type than usual,) especially because of the well-done pancetta, which we ordered on the side because Jeanine is a vegetarian.  She loved that it was “crispy,” and Alice said it was “kind-of fun.”  I liked that it was of the baked variety rather than the liquid-y type.

If I lived near Eclectic, I’d go there a few times a week to have the mac dish, along with the Meatballs Marinara!  The serving is two giant balls, which are soooo delicious!  Putting those two “Small Plates” together makes one heck of a large one!

Alice and Carolyn shared the order of two very large Crab Cakes.  Between “OMG”s, I also made-out the words “amazing,” “delish,” light,” and “crispy” from them.

We all shared two salads, which were both a hit.  Jeanine’s favorite was the Grilled Pears and Arugula Salad, which featured smoked pistachios and ricotta.  She loved it, and especially the honey-balsamic dressing.  Carolyn said all the ingredients were a “beautiful blend,” while Alice lauded the fact that none of them overwhelmed the others.

The other three of us were more in love with the Roasted Beet, which is an actual salad with roasted beets, (as opposed to beets only, as most beet salads are,) and includes organic goat cheese and candied walnuts.  Alice spoke for all of us when she pointed-out that it’s the “perfect combo of sweet and salty.”  [Note: I’m craving all these Eclectic Fine Foods again while I’m writing this!]

Jeanine was done eating for the night, but we meat and seafood eaters kept going.  (The things we do for my readers!)

At Brian’s suggestion, I had the very flavorful, (and sizable,) Rib Eye Steak, which comes with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and a lovely combo of colorful veggies.  I really appreciate that the sides come with the entrees, as opposed to pretentious places that give you just the piece of meat or fish for the same price as Eclectic’s complete meal.  That’s a big savings, which we all need nowadays.

Alice went with the Fruits de la Mer, which included jumbo prawns, pan-seared king salmon, and ahi tuna, along with cous cous and a bunch of interesting vegetables.  She said  it was a “great seafood medley,” with “buttery salmon” that was “flaky but not dry,” and she especially enjoyed the “larger-textured, non-grainy” cous cous.

Carolyn chose the Fresh Grilled Wild King Salmon, which is a regular item there, but the preparation of it was from the special monthly menu.  It came with mascarpone risotto, which I really wish I hadn’t been too full to try!  My mouth waters just thinking about it!  She said the whole dish was “fabulous!,” with a “very rich taste.”

You would think that with all of that, we wouldn’t be able to try desserts this time, wouldn’t you?  But, of course, you would be wrong.  (We also took left-overs home, for the very purpose of trying desserts for you guys.  Okay, and mainly for us.)

Jeanine had to leave, so, since there were now three of us, we ordered three sweets, and, though we really all did savor the trio, we each had a different fave.  Mine was, surprisingly, the cheesecake because it was made of goat cheese, which is pretty unusual.  Carolyn lauded its “great texture,” while Alice said it was “perfectly dense,” and “packed with flavor.”  She herself favored the very creative special dessert of the month, which was “creamy and moist” Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cream Pie, (made with cream cheese,) with pretzel crust. And Carolyn chose the “very light and tasty” Creme Brûlée, which was really the perfect ending to the entire uber-satisfying meal.

A bonus was that on Friday nights, Eclectic has fabulous live music. The duo who entertained us all night was Rick Williams on sax and Robert Turner on piano.  They played everything, from some of my old hip-hop club favorites to a cool jazz version of the theme from MASH!  And made it all sound wonderful, while not being intrusive.

Even though the food and menu are definite improvements over the last incarnation of the eatery, I was happy to see that Eclectic has the same look it always did. During the day, the ambiance is light and airy, but at night, it’s dark and sultry.  It’s actually perfectly dark, which is good for two situations:  romantic dates, and bad-looking ones with whom you don’t want to be seen!  (But then, if you’re a guy, why are you spending so much money on them? That’s nice of you, at least.  It is great for girls, though–ask not-so-attractive blind dates to take you here!)  It was also interesting to see that the patio area was just as happening at dinner as it is at lunch.  And, of course, with that innovative cocktail list, the bar is the place to be, especially at Happy Hour.

Eclectic Fine Foods and Spirits definitely lives up to its name–the menu is, indeed, eclectic, and the food and spirits are fine!  You can’t go wrong with any menu items you choose there.  Just please leave some meatballs and mac ‘n cheese for me!

5156 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood  818-760-2233  www.theeclectic.com