Executive Chef Adam Steudle of Barlo Kitchen + Cocktails (1697 Pacific Ave., Venice, 90291; 424.214.1063) and the management at Hotel Erwin are making a strong case for the hippest hotel/kitchen in Los Angeles. Scattered with cool art and surfer vibe and built for fun, Hotel Erwin has an outdoor patio bar for a sip and bite before dinner (the truffle fries and K-town Pig Wings are a good start), Barlo Kitchen + Cocktails for breakfast and dinner, and even a rooftop patio for a breath of fresh air. The fun doesn’t stop there- Chef Steudle has a menu to match. Not afraid to push the envelope, he has concocted an imaginative menu that captures his personality but is also suitable for the mainstream hotel setting.
The main attraction- a whole roasted hog’s head. You heard me right. A few were a bit skittish at first, but not me. (I’m Chinese, what do you expect?) Chef Steudle admits there’s a bit of shock value to the dish, but who doesn’t love pork? Requiring an order 72 hours ahead of time, and prepared with love for 48 of them, the hog’s head is a spectacle up close. There might be a few naysayers, up until the first bite that is. For the less adventurous, he has a delicious goat leg, pork belly, and steak, but that almost seems tame in comparison. Either way you go, you have the perfect sides to match, such as the Truffled Macaroni and Cheese and Potato Confit. One thing everyone can agree on is dessert, preferably frozen with liquid nitrogen- try his LN2 bacon caramel popcorn and you’re set!
