Restaurateurs Brad and Linda Johnson, Director of Operations David Borrego, and Executive Chef Govind Armstrong have officially opened Willie Jane (1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 90291; 310.392.2425), a seasonal restaurant that pays homage to the Lowcountry, coastal cuisine of the Southern states. Named for Brad Johnson’s oldest living relative, his 100-year-old aunt Willie Jane, the restaurant features large dishes meant for sharing, an eclectic décor resembling a Southern home, and a Chef’s Garden that services the kitchen and surrounding community.
Armstrong’s menu is rooted in seasonal California cooking, though takes the bulk of its inspiration from traditional Lowcountry Southern cuisine. As he developed the dishes, Armstrong referenced many of Willie Jane’s own tried-and-true recipes and updated them for a new audience. California Quail is paired with cornmeal dumplings and greens; collard green pecan pesto is drizzled over Cast Iron Chicken and Cornbread Panzanella; and Rainbow Trout is plated with peanut and black eyed pea-hummus and a Brussels sprouts slaw.
The large plates include West Coast Shellfish over Creamy Stone Ground Grits; Whole Curried Oxtail with Grilled Plantains and Charred Curry Leaves; and Crisp Pork Belly, Griddled Cauliflower and Smoked Clam Vinaigrette. You can also make a meal out of a selection of sides like Brown Butter Turnips—with their greens topped with beef bacon and a Medjool date mostarda—or Shaved Green and White Asparagus tossed with bottarga and chopped egg.
To complement the menu, Bar Manager Phuong Tran creates a revolving cocktail program that is also blends classic and modern. Two highlights are The Coal Miner’s Daughter (bourbon, macerated ginger, lavender honey, and lemon juice) and their take on the Old Fashioned (Sazerac, and Vieux Carré).
Willie Jane’s design, by Rae Scarton, captures the feeling of French Colonial style, with a modern, approachable twist. After passing through the dual veranda entryway, you are greeted with walls papered in periwinkle blue and light green damask, lined with antique white wainscoting. Reflective of the personal nature of this project, several family photographs from the Johnson and Armstrong families hang throughout the space. Scarton utilizes other home-spun details throughout the space like mason jars filled with a collection of antique buttons inspired by her mother and a collection of handwritten correspondence between a man and woman who lived in Venice in the 1940s both serve to solidify the heritage of the space.
After walking through the restaurant bar area that has communal and booth seating, you can choose a more intimate environment on one of the two covered outdoor patios lined with hanging plants, antique wall sconces, and vintage shutters. On the other side of the building, a Chef’s Garden, managed by Home Grown Edible Landscapes, is being installed and the products of the garden will be showcased on Willie Jane’s food and cocktail menus. As a unique offering, many plots within the Chef’s Garden will be available for nearby restaurants and residents to rent so they can plant, foster, and harvest their own fruits and vegetables.
Dinner is Tuesday-Thursday, 6-10 pm and Friday & Saturday from 6-11 pm, They will begin serving brunch in May.
Photo: Nicolas Marques/Photekt
