Our search for "local", less than a 30-minute drive, eateries continued with dinner at Blair's Restaurant. We met up with a couple of friends that have recently returned to Los Angeles after spending some time in the Food Capital, New York City.
The restaurant sits on a fairly nondescript bit of road, easily missed if you're not looking for it. The interior feels small and intimate, as the facility is broken into three separate rooms; a bar and two smaller dining areas.
1. roasted beets -avocado/orange/blue & goat cheese/baby spinach and orange vinaigrette - Unless something really jumps up off the menu, we typically ask for recommendations. The waitress spouted off three items that sounded good so we went with them. Beet salad has never been a consideration until our dinner at 11 Madison Park. Ever since than, there continues to be a burning desire to always order it in hopes of recapturing that magic. Although nothing has since rivaled Chef Humm's version, this iteration was suitable. The sweetness of the beets was tempered by the spinach and offset by the goat cheese, which made for a well-balanced starter.
2. truffled mac and cheese - We've had some hit and miss experiences with mac and cheese. This version falls somewhere in the middle. The dish eminated a powerful truffle scent which overwhelmed any presense of cheese. The noodles were prepared al dente, which was nice, their shape felt a bit out of place. Perhaps its having been conditioned for so many years with the "elbow" version. Not bad, but not great.
3. Braised Colorado short ribs with soft sage polenta/breaded leeks - A well prepared entree. The ribs were braised and very tender. The polenta was creamy and did well to hold up to the dominating savoriness of the rib. The presense of the leeks was a welcomed relief to help offset the heaviness of the dish. Worth having again.
The service was attentive and unnoteworthy, which at a place like this, is a good thing. The meal was enjoyable and met expectations, but its presense was simply an excuse to catch up with some old friends.