Farmshop Brentwood

Most of the restaurants I review, I do so because I love the food. I am reviewing Farmshop in Brentwood (Westside Los Angeles) because it is extraordinary in so many ways. It is the product of Jeff Cerciello, chef owner and culinary director of Bouchon. Several other restauranteurs are involved in Farmshop, all with impecable credentials. Jeff trained under Thomas Keller at French Laundry, and his food is reflective of his training. The food is straightforward, California inspired fare, from artisanally sourced ingredients. That means that you know where every egg, piece of meat, and vegetable came from. This must be important to some people, because it is a big deal at some very trendy restaurants.

The style of the restaurant is communal. When you enter you feel like you're walking into a big farmhouse, where everyone knows each other. There is a big communal table in the middle that seats about 20 people, then tables of twos and fours scattered around the perimeter. We sat at the communal table. The kitchen, which is not large, is visible from the dining room, so you can see the chefs at work. A beautiful display of baked goods is available for take out at the front of the restaurant. I bought a lemon yogurt muffin for $3 which was delicious. Light, moist and tangy. They are in the process of building an artisanal market adjacent to the restaurant. Here you can shop for fresh fruits, vegetables, local cheeses, breads, and specialty meats. This should be up and operating in a few months, and it will be interesting to see how they do.

FarmShop is located in the Brentwood Country Mart, a landmark boutique shopping center in Brentwood. If this type of market and restaurant can make it anywhere, this location is THE place to be. Here's the problem. Breakfast and lunch are fine, a rather typical menu for an upscale restaurant, small portions, with the food beautifully presented. It's dinner, which may be the problem, and I will talk about in a minute. I was there for brunch. My mom had coddled eggs (baked) toppe with mushrooms, fresh sliced smoked salmon on the side, and toasted brioche. I had a wheatberry salad with roasted pumpkin and pomegrantes and feta cheese. The plate looked gorgeous, but the portion was small and the meal just ok. Other meals that our community table ate included thick french toast with boysenberries and pistachio nuts, a frittata with tomatoes and roasted veggies on top, and a $20 omelette. (it included fresh crab). The highlight of this restaurant is the beauty of the plates they turn out. The food was good, not great, and with a French Laundry trained chef I was expecting great.

Dinner is altogether different than what most of us have experienced. Each night there is only one menu, and you eat what they give you. It's kind of like Chez Panisse in that respect. Don't ask for something different. You won't get it. If you don't like the menu, their attitude is that you should go there on another night when they have something you like. Dinners range from $46-$54 per person. Here's what they offered on a recent Sunday night.

avocado hummus with nigelle and flatbreads
roasted weiser farm parsnips with dates and marjoram
goat's milk feta with green olives

Herbed fried chicken, marinated farro, roasted pumpkin, toasted almonds and heirloom tomatoes with sumac and pomegrante

Cocoa meringues, dark chocolate mousse and spiced salted carmel.

$46.

Farmshop is definitely for foodies. It's for those that like to try new things, prepared in new ways. Definitely not for everyone.

Would this restaurant make it in San Diego? Not at this time. We're not ready for anything like this yet. By the time you have a drink, coffee, tax and tip, it's $75 per person. LA can definitely handle a restaurant like this. The name dropping at the communal table at lunch was unbelieveable. One person had just had dinner with Mayor Viallarigosa, another had spent an evening with Nancy Silverton learning how to make fresh burrata, and a third was a 12 year old boy who was discussing his trip to the Montreaux jazz festival in Switzerland. Then there was my mom and I. We just listened. So glad to have gone there, but I don't think I'll make it a habit.