He's Crafty
Craft's new recession-friendly bar menu
Craft chef de cuisine Matt Accarrino understands that recession dining doesn't have to mean skimping on quality or whimsy. After all, penny-pinching Century City agents and lawyers can't live on Baja Fresh alone. Luckily for them (and us), there's now Craftbar--no, not the offshoot of NYC's Craft. It's the restaurant's new menu with nothing priced over $9.
This is bar food fit for the shadows of the CAA Death Star: sliders filled with creamy lobster salad and bacon (pictured); plump short rib steamed buns with a tangy ginger dipping sauce; lamb belly (the new pork belly) with Chiogga beets and cool sumac-scented yogurt; and jars of silky Jidori chicken liver mousse. We're fond of the homemade pastas--spicy spaghetti puttanesca with slivers of local abalone or braised pork-filled "pyramids"--because, even in small portions, they're completely soul-satisfying. For dessert, pastry chef Catherine Schimenti's sugared donut holes are a dream, and she's a whiz with ice cream parfaits. Nutella lovers should not leave without tasting the homemade hazelnut spread and grilled bread.
Order one or two dishes for a light snack or several for a heartier meal; throw in a refreshing Elderflower Collins, and you can still get out for less than $50. Crafty, indeed.
Craftbar at Craft, 10100 Constellation Ave., Century City; 310-279-4180 or craftrestaurant.com
