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The Hollywood Roosevelt has always been the ne plus ultra of Los Angeles for me. Long before I lived in L.A., I spent enough time on work trips at the poolside bar that, for a brief, glorious spell, they recognized me as a regular. In my daydreams of moving to the West Coast, I happily assumed that I’d spend a lot of time at my favorite local haunt. A few years into my L.A. life, I can report: I was right!
RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles
That said, though I’m often to be found at the Tropicana outside or in the plush lobby, I had yet to make it to any of the restaurants that have lived and died on the ground floor. In retrospect, I was clearly waiting for Gable. This isn’t just a Hollywood steakhouse; it’s something weirder, more interesting, and definitely more potent than what one might expect.
To start: This is one of the most exciting cocktail programs in L.A. A tahini-washed manhattan or a cocktail that playfully riffs on pad thai without coming across as a blended Thai meal for those unable to chew: These drinks are genuine shockers in the best way, the kind that get passed around from diner to diner because, “You have to try this!” Some are more successful than others. The Mr. Fahrenheit (Oaxacan gin, mezcal, fermented cantaloupe, bell pepper, and saffron) is a savory sensation, while the Shoots & Ladders (mezcal, Oaxacan rum, charred corn, chilis, and tea) is sweeter than expected. Some may find that a plus!
The appetizers are equally compelling, starting with the Castelvetrano olive tapenade and whipped goat cheese served with radicchio leaves. The beef tartare (with smoked bone marrow aioli!) and tuna crudo, meanwhile, offer a cool and savory intro to the heavier main courses.
The mains are where my dining companion and I took a tumble from the heights of the cocktail menu. Dining in the middle of a brutal heat wave, we wavered on what to order, ultimately starting with the perfect, shareable Catalina pizza, dripping with garlic, creme fraiche and little neck clams. But while her seared scallops were impeccably prepared, the sauce was far richer than what we’d already been consuming. And my hanger steak was the perfect shade of medium-rare pink, but the sauce choron felt a little underwhelming for the cut. But the broccoli-cheddar pomme dauphine on the side was a perfect combination of potato and comfort soup flavor; as I said, the sides are often the most interesting.
But I’ve learned that mains are hard for an establishment catering to the general consumer (as one imagines the diners at a hotel restaurant will be), because taste palates are too often pretty fixed. The real fun and experimentation usually come with the starters and the desserts, and neither one failed us at Gable.
For dessert, unable to choose between the chevre basque cheesecake or the banoffe tart (both recommended by our impeccable server, Bryce), we opted for decadence and had both. That was one of the best decisions either of us made that week. The banoffe tart tastes like a pie version of banana pudding, aka a great example of the perfect dessert. And though I typically read “Basque cheesecake” and keep reading because a burnt top does not a dessert make, this one was made with goat cheese. What a difference goat cheese makes! It slices under the fork with the ease and silkiness of a great slab of cheese on a charcuterie platter, making the bites as sensorially enjoyable as they were tasty. And a raspberry lavender compote is the metaphorical cherry on top.
Namesake and former Roosevelt tenant Clark Gable was once the king of Hollywood; the title might go to another Gable soon if they maintain this level of technique and experimentation.
Gable Restaurant is located in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel at 7000 Hollywood Blvd. It's open Tuesday through Thursday, 5pm–9:30pm; Saturday and Sunday, 5pm–10pm. For more information and to make a reservation, click here.