Exclusive: First look at Brian Malarkey’s Herringbone at Mondrian L.A.

Herringbone, the seafood-focused restaurant by celebrity chef Brian Malarkey, is slated to open at the Mondrian L.A. on Jan. 17. The restaurant is the second location of Malarkey’s reinterpreted surf-and-turf concept, and has replaced the hotel’s previous restaurant, Asia de Cuba.

The menu mimics that of its predecessor with a selection of raw oysters and fresh fish, wood-fired pizzas and surf-and-turf plates, but with some Los Angeles-inspired items added, such as the carne asada fries “SD in L.A.” Other new dishes include chicken fried uni and waffles, lamb agnolotti and lobster, Earl Grey-seared duck breast and roasted cauliflower steak.

“The vision behind our menu is about uncomplicated flavors done with great execution,” said chef de cuisine Anthony Sinsay. “I hate to waste anything so we use every bit of every vegetable and animal.”

Other menu highlights include a chicken liver mousse served with caviar, quince paste, brioche and compressed green apple with calvados gel, a baby beet salad with dehydrated horseradish, smokey almond puree and citrus and a wood-fired octopus with sweet potato, piquiollo pepper and a mojo verde made from carrot-top greens.

What once was an all-white dining room has been transformed by Schoos Design (Koi, Tao etc.) into an upscale but comfortable room that brings to mind the ultimate beach house. Fishing ropes hang from the chandeliers, made of exposed filaments. Bold artwork lines some of the walls with pictures of fish bones, cutlery and words such as “do you like...caviar?”

The dining tables are made of sleek white Carrara marble and raw oak bases. A large circular table in the middle of the dining room is made of the root of an acacia tree dipped in gold, while two large chairs at another large table are lined with salmon scales.

The bar area opens onto the patio, lined with plush plants, furniture and fireplaces. The centerpiece of the outdoor seating area is a high table made of refurbished lobster traps filled with inflated puffer fish.

The restaurant won’t be officially open for at least another week, but the kitchen has been providing food for room service for the last two months. The kitchen will also provide food to the pool area.

Herringbone will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. A DJ will spin Thursday through Saturday nights.

Want more exclusive first looks? Follow me on Twitter: @Jenn_Harris_

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