Head west from Studio City’s much-loved sushi row, and you’ll find yourself in the land of eclectic dining, with everything from the California Cuisine of Granville and Laurel Tavern, to the Chinese cooking of Shanghai Rose, the tandoori curries of Flavor of India and, of course, the fabled corned beef and pastrami of Art’s Deli (“Where every sandwich is a work of art”).
Directly across the street from Art’s, concealed down a driveway running north of Ventura, there’s a doorway into what can be, depending on when you open it, an entrance into an alternative reality — a Middle Eastern restaurant right out of Central Casting.
Olive & Grill is unexpected on just about every level. The sign on Ventura is small, unobtrusive — though the onion domes on the building are as curious as could be. Even when you walk down the driveway, the entrance proper is simple and minimal — a white door with the word “Welcome,” and the restaurant’s name overhead.
But step inside and you’re in a garden space, with lots of greenery, a shaded ceiling that’s essentially open to the sky, and a world of plush booths in which to lose yourself. Unlike the near frantic place of Art’s across the street, where studio execs gobble matzoh balls in between cutting deals, Olive & Grill is sedate. Or at least it is during the day, when it’s a lot less busy than it is at night. During the day, there aren’t belly dancers, and I’ve never seen anyone smoking a hookah. Those are nighttime diversions.
As are some of the seriously eccentric house cocktails. The one that stands out to me, for obvious reasons, is The Yerevan, named for the capital of Armenia. It’s described as, “A cognac based black Manhattan with a split base of a banana infused Amaro and Carpano Antica sweet vermouth. With a dehydrated banana chip for good measure.” It’s a distant cousin of a classic Manhattan, which is made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, butters and a cherry garnish….
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