Saint & Second is a beverage list with a restaurant attached — a very good restaurant, mind you. But in sheer heft, the beverage list far outweighs the menu.
The menu takes up a single printed page, and not even the whole page, since a box on the upper right corner offers six house cocktails “From the bar” with names like Out of the Shell (Dingle Gin, housemade pistachio syrup and a “whole egg”), Whiskey & Cola (Journeyman Last Feather rye whiskey and housemade cola syrup), and Cucumber Blossom (Luxardo Bitter Bianco and Crop Meyer lemon vodka).
The beverage list, by contrast, comes in a heavy leather folder, embossed with the restaurant’s logo, beginning with a table of contents, followed by 17 pages of liquid refreshment. There are sections dedicated to classic cocktails, a “mimosa tray” (a bottle plus three juices and fresh berries), seasonal cocktails, spirit-free drinks, whiskey flights, beers, a page of white wines, two of red wines, two pages of spirits, a page of Scotch whiskey, another of Irish whiskey, two of American whiskey, another of “other whiskies,” and finally non-alcoholic options, tea service, and coffee and espresso.
There’s even a page dedicated to explaining why the beverage is spelled “whisky” in Scotland, Canada and Japan, and “whiskey” everywhere else.
Saint & Second in Woodland Hills has an extensive wine list, along with whiskies and other spirits, and also many non-alcoholic options. (Photo by Merrill Shindler) Saint & Second in Woodland Hills offers a casually elegant upscale New American dining experience, says restaurant critic Merrill Shindler. It features a sprawling bar and a glass-fronted kitchen out of which tasty dishes endlessly emerge. (Photo by Merrill Shindler) Show Caption1 of 2Saint & Second in Woodland Hills has an extensive wine list, along with whiskies and other spirits, and also many non-alcoholic options. (Photo by Merrill Shindler) ExpandThere’s a less-demanding wine and beer list on the flipside of the paper menu, which is where you’ll find wines by the glass and draft beers. Pabst Blue Ribbon is not among them. No Budweiser, either. But you have a craving for a Pizza Port Mongo Double IPA, there it is, on tap.
The original Saint & Second is in Long Beach, named for the intersection of 2nd Street and St. Joseph Avenue in Belmont Shore. It’s the latest incarnation of The Hofman Group, which has given us Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que and the Hof’s Hut chain, both of which have built their reputation on being imminently family friendly.
Saint & Second is family friendly, too. But mostly, it’s a place for parents to go to bend an elbow, chew on a prime flat iron steak with duck fat fries. If you bring the kids, make sure they’re on their best behavior. This is not Chuck E. Cheese with duck liver pâté.
By the way, that duck liver pâté is found on a Saint & Second option called “The Board.” It follows the foodie trend toward sundry small tastes served on a … board. In this case, you have a choice of two items for $16, three for $19 and four for $22, drawn from the pâté, four cheeses (Humboldt Fog, Truffle Brie, Bandaged Aged Cheddar and Oregon Blue) and three charcuterie (salami, soppressata and prosciutto), served with housemade blackberry-fig compote, wholegrain mustard, caperberries and grilled sourdough. All of which go very well with, ahem, wine.
Related Articles
Cheap eats: 5 restaurants with great food in the San Fernando Valley Great Armenian food translates deliciously at this Burbank restaurant Classic diner cooking is a delight at this Canoga Park restaurant Hot dogs and hamburgers are legendary at this LA restaurant Seafood is a special treat at this Sherman Oaks restaurantThe kitchen is open to view through a glass window — a beehive of chefs, cooks and runners, moving nonstop to satisfy the needs of a very large restaurant, with not just a considerable interior, but a considerable exterior looking out on the manic shopping underway in this Village that’s not so much a village as a refuge from the traffic on Topanga Canyon Boulevard.
After finding parking (self and valet), I felt a sense of, what? Relief? Peace? Home? (An acquaintance, visiting Los Angeles for the first time, asked where to go to experience the life of the region. Without hesitation I said, “The malls.”)
As with most New American restaurants, the menu is a cornucopia of culinary influences, along with dishes that are hard to cubbyhole. What is one to make of the charred avocado hummus made from white beans topped with French feta cheese? Is it Middle Eastern? American vegetarian? Mediterranean?
What it is is uniquely good, though the charred avocado is a curious experience. (The jury is still out.)
How about the truffle fries, which are so much more than truffle fries, with the addition of a gruyere fondue and parmesan. These are fries on steroids. Even the normally straightforward roasted Mary’s chicken comes with a cherry mostarda and black garlic, along with amazing creamed cornbread. I admire the kitchen’s desire to push the edges.
I’m also soothed by the pleasure of finding Americana like Parker House rolls brushed with butter and salt. And a great “signature” burger of ground brisket and chuck with thick-sliced bacon, crispy onions, Cabot white cheddar and horseradish cream on a potato brioche — as good a burger as you’ll find in SoCal. It goes better with beer than with wine. But then, for me, beer is one of the essential food groups. Especially with duck fat fries.
Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.
Saint & Second
Rating: 3 stars Address: Westfield Village at Topanga, 6220 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills Information: 818-474-6220, www.saintandsecond.com Cuisine: Casually elegant upscale New American branch of the original in Belmont Shore, with a sprawling bar and a glass-fronted kitchen out of which tasty dishes endlessly emerge. When: Lunch and dinner, every day; brunch, Saturday and Sunday Details: Full bar; reservations essential Prices: About $60 per person On the menu: 10 Starters ($8-$23), 5 Raw Bar Dishes ($22-$26), 2 “Between Bread” Dishes ($19-$25), 5 Greens ($16-$20), 9 Mains ($26-$63) Credit cards: MC, V What the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Most excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California.), 2 (A good place to go for a meal. Worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood.) 1 (If you’re hungry, and it’s nearby, but don’t get stuck in traffic going.) 0 (Honestly, not worth writing about.)Related Articles
Cambodian American chefs are finding success and raising their culture’s profile. On their terms After 42 years Genghis Cohen is closing its original Los Angeles location The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in May Chick-fil-A’s Peach Milkshake turns sweet 16 this year Savannah Bananas will swing by Dunkin’ in Villa Park on Saturday, May 31 Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Upscale dining in Woodland Hills rises to a new level at this restaurant )
Also on site :