There just wasn’t any spark to the menu at Spark Woodfire Grill, but still we liked the place which we sampled during DineLA Restaurant Week–which alas ends Friday, Oct. 23.
It’s an inviting, cozy, neighborhood eatery with lots of charm and a see through glass enclosed kitchen but unfortunately our measl disappointed. Granted it was our first visit, and we only tried the price fixed DineLA $26 menu offerings. Which in my case was “crispy artichokes hearts” which were indeed crispy but so over-breaded I couldn’t find the green veggie inside. Richard had the Ribolita Soup which was edible but not very exciting. For entrees I had the “citrus glazed Pacific whitefish”, which was just okay. He had “Roasted Porchetta” which left him flat. For dessert we had chocolate cake with raspberries and chocolate mousse, which was okay, I had a mango sorbet which was way too sweet. Price $28 each for triple courses. We brought our own wine this time, a big, buttery Chardonnay from BV that was dreamy and paid the $8 corkage (reasonable these days). I think they could lose the TV over the bar as it doesn’t fit the ambiance. Since the place has gotten some good reviews I figure we either were there on an off night or just didn’t make the right choices. Tomorrow we’re going back to Michael Mina’s XIV, for the $44 DineLA dinner menu. We loved the place and can’t get enough and figure we’d take advantage of the reduced prices.
going back to Michael Mina’s XIV while DineLA Restaurant Week is still ongoing and the 3-course meal is only $44 a person. We won’t be bringing our own wine this time since they charge a whopping $35 corkage. Spark Woodfire Grill, 11801 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, www.sparkwoodfiregrill.com. You really shouldn’t miss out on the last days of DineLA Restaurant Week with prices nearly half the normal going rate. Check it out at www.dineLA.com/RestaurantWeek.
