When you’ve got a hankering for rooftop fabulousness and world class bites; get in your car and head over to The London. Do not pass go or collect $200. Valet park, get in the elevator and push the button for the rooftop bar, Boxwood.
Boxwood on the Roof
1020N. San Vincente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
http://www.thelondonwesthollywood.com/
Even though my recent dinner at Boxwood on the Roof was haunted by fog that would not burn off, I was kept warm and cozy by heat lamps and the incredible company of my fellow diners. I can only imagine how gorgeous it would be on a clear night! Executive Chef Anthony Keene sent us a number of tasty morsels from his new menu that is largely New American with some fun street food inspiration.
- Cocktail List
- Behind Blue Eyes
- June Menu
The cocktail list is inspired by English rockers such as The Who. Their coordinating cocktail, “Behind Blue Eyes”, a concoction of fresh blueberry, mint, lime, and vodka. My favorite was the unlikely “Rebel Rebel,” a margarita with a float of Pinot Noir wine on top.
For starters, we tried street food inspired options: Shaken Fruits and Tacos. The shaken fruit was inspired by fruit carts and topped with a similar lime juice and chili salt seasoning. I liked the fresh and light option of the fruit. This would be even better on a hot summer day! The tacos were made with oxtail barbacoa and cotija, served with a side of lime and salsas. They did justice to their street food relatives.
- Shaken Fruit
- Oxtail Tacos
- Burrata with Grilled Peaches
Then came another of my favorite foods…Burrata Cheese served with grilled peaches, tomato, radish, and seasoned with za’atar. Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice mix that commonly contains oregano, thyme, and savory. I love burrata and this dish is another hot summer day pick!
The next dish we tried was the Glazed Lamb Ribs which were very tasty. Grab a napkin and sink your teeth into these. Next up was the Crab Toast. Small but crab with green papaya. I would easily order this little morsel again…and again! The Roasted Spring Beets with goat cheese fritters and yogurt dressing were a noteable bite.
- Glazed Lamb Ribs
- Crab Toast
- Roasted Spring Beets
For my main course I had the Salmon, which was cooked to perfection and served with a tangy Meyer lemon puree, picholine olives, and Ras el hanout; a North African spice mix. This dish is something I would eat every day if I could, light but flavorful!
After the salmon, I tried the Pork Porterhouse. It was thick cut pork chop topped with whole grain mustard sauce and a crispy big ear salad. The pork was juicy and perfectly cooked, but the mustard sauce was a tad salty for my tastes.
I was almost stuffed to the gills at this point, but dessert was on the horizon! You must try the Mille Crepes, a hundred layer crepe cake with strawberries and cream. This dish was both delicate and decadent, easily a new favorite dessert!
I also tried the Cherry Tart with piloncillo sugar and Mexican vanilla bean ice cream. My other favorite was the pudding. The English-inspired pudding was a Sticky Toffee Pudding served with a side of stout ale ice cream. The flavors in this were the perfect marriage of spicy and sweet. Last up were the Lemon Meringue Eclairs: a zesty and sweet confection that the lemon lovers will adore.
- Cherry Tart
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Lemon Meringue Eclairs
Boxwood is open seven days a week and offers fun specials such as Tuesday “rosé all Day” where you can receive a glass of rosé for tagging the London on social media and Sunday jazz brunch on the rooftop. The hotel does offer valet parking which I recommend as the surrounding neighborhood has a lot of restricted parking.