For its 90th birthday, The Culver Hotel (9400 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; 310.558.9400) got a monumental makeover and now the hotel is unveiling the last piece of its remake: an entirely new dining program offering something for everyone. The abundance of tasty food begins with The Culver Hotel’s Daily Brunch. Every day of the week from 7 -11 am (until 3 pm on Saturday & Sundays), nosh on items like Steak & Eggs, Bistro Omelet, French Toast made with thick-cut artisanal bread stuffed with rich cream cheese and topped with a tart-and-sweet strawberry Grand Marnier syrup, Eggs Benedict that can be ordered with the traditional Canadian bacon, thinly sliced smoked salmon or crab cakes along with poached eggs and hollandaise on an English muffin. Sundays are also have Live Jazz from 11 am-2 pm, and an exclusive Sunday brunch special offering coffee, tea, juice, breads, pastries, and your choice of entrée for $26, or all that plus Bottomless Mimosas for only $35.
Two unique brunch items serve as a tribute to the hotel’s vibrant history: The John Wayne (named for the screen legend who, the story goes, won The Culver Hotel from Charlie Chaplin in a poker game) is a roasted potatoes, ham, cheese, tomato sauce, fried eggs and a corn tortilla, served up in a skillet. The Breakfast Culver Burger is made of a thick Kobe beef patty topped with a fried egg, charred onion and peppers, a zesty black pepper sauce and Huntsman cheese (a combo of creamy double Gloucester and tangy Stilton).
After brunch, The Culver Hotel switches over to an all-day menu including salads, sandwiches, shareable plates and high-end entrees available until the kitchen closes. The menu from Chef Samuel Vasquez includes a Bacon Cheeseburger, Red Organic Quinoa Salad with grilled asparagus, cherry tomatoes, mushroom, avocado, cucumber and basil-lime vinaigrette, and the Farro and Kale Salad with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, watermelon radish, fried shallots and crunchy roasted pepitas. The house-made Salmon Burger comes on a whole-grain bun and features toppings such as balsamic-caramelized onions, sun-dried tomato confit, dill aioli and creamy avocado. The Turkey Club replaces sliced turkey with a grilled house-made turkey patty with bacon, tomato, avocado, lettuce and date compote. Under pastas and entrees, you will find Bucatini al Frutti di Mare, a mix of mussels, clams and prawns on pasta with a spicy tomato sauce, Maine Scallops on a bed of saffron-infused Israeli couscous, Chilean Sea Bass with seasonal vegetables, charred kale, and a spicy broth, and Short Ribs with veggies, a potato cake, au jus glaze and horseradish cream in a sizzling iron skillet.
If you head to the hotel at 7:30 pm, you will enjoy live Jazz in the Grand Lobby. Order up some Shared Plates like the Trio Tempura Veggies with Meyer lemon aioli, the Fisherman’s Fritto with crispy-fried shrimp and calamari in a spicy tomato sauce, Culver Sliders Duo of a beef patty with crimini mushroom sauce and lamb patty with guajillo chiles and tzatziki, and the Crawfish & Lobster Dip, a cheesy, garlicky concoction served with warm, house-baked pita bread.
As for desserts, get a buzz with the Affogato, vanilla gelato “drowned” in espresso with a garnish of chocolate-covered coffee beans. Or give into your cravings with the Chocolate Bliss, a molten dark-chocolate cake topped with caramel and dark chocolate, seasonal berries and gelato. They also have Dessert Mini Bites instead for an assortment of sweet treats in one-bite sizes.
The Culver’s Happy Hour is every day, 4-7 pm, with $5 beer and wine, cocktails from the new speakeasy-inspired list are $7, and an assortment of appetizers are $5 and $6.
Photo Credit: Kelley Rich
