Somerville

Somerville is a exquisite American restaurant that blends contemporary cuisine with the rich roots of the black experience in Los Angeles, California

There are some restaurants that are worth the hype, fanfare and praise. When I first heard of Somerville’s opening, I was incredibly intrigued. The fact that it was part of Issa Rae’s restaurant portfolio was a plus. But, more interesting to me, was the awareness of the location, the intention of the space and – of course, the food.

However, I was not the only person in Los Angeles who was interested. When I checked Open Table in December for my intended date in January, Somerville was booked solid until March. But, calling the restaurant directly yielded me a table, the following week, for the perfect time.

When Matt and I arrived for our reservation, I was – quite literally – floored. There was a line for reservations waiting to be seated – and a line for walk ins. I was in awe.

And when I walked in, I understood why.

Somerville is absolutely, without a doubt, one of the most gorgeous, lush and beautiful spaces I’ve had the pleasure of dining in.

As Matt and I were led to our table, I felt transported. In the blink of an eye, I could easily feel that I was in Harlem in New York. Maybe, dining at Clay Harlem once again.  But, instead of getting a flight – I just drove.

What I love about dining with Matt is his attention to details. Being a college art teacher, he immediately noticed the care of the wood details, the different designs of the lighting fixtures and the rich tones of the space.

Personally, I loved the live music stage and near perfect acoustic sound design of the space.

It was everything I wanted it to be – and more.

As we had only an hour to dine before our reservation at Sam First for jazz, we got to it.

To start, we both ordered cocktails. Upon first sip, A LOVE SUPREME (Haku Vodka, Midori, Cointreau, Lemon) was a crisp waking up of the senses.

When Matt ordered us the FRIED CHICKEN & CAVIAR SLIDERS (Buttermilk Brined Chicken, Honey Mustard, B&B Pickle, Petrossian Caviar, Creme Fraiche), I immediately said “Yes, Please, More, Thank you.”

When the dish arrived, Matt took a small bite of the chicken and immediately …..  said I wouldn’t like it.

In fact, he jokingly said that I would hate it so much, that I should donate mine to his plate.

Matt was actually right. I didn’t just like it – I absolutely loved it.

The caviar was the perfect touch of elevated luxury, with the creme fraiche giving the slider the smooth creamy texture it needed. The B&B pickle was – quite simply – brilliant. The star of the show was the chicken – of course. But, I cannot understate how brilliantly put together the slider presented in the mouth.

It was absolutely *chef’s kiss*.

In discussion with our server, Dennis, about the top entrees of the menu, he actually highlighted the special of the evening. His description sold me – as if I needed any convincing.

But, when my PACIFIC STRIPPED SEA BASS (Squash, lemon coconut curry) arrived, it was beyond my expectations.

The seared perfection of the sea bass combined with the layered sweet spice of the lemon coconut curry made me annoyed that I would never be able to match that flavor at home.

Together, Matt and I shared the BRUSSELS SPROUTS (Sweet Soy, Crispy Rice). The sweet soy brought out the delicious char of the vegetable in a way that made me want to continue eating them – even after being full.

Dennis tried to tempt us with ordering oysters and champagne for dessert. However, we simply did not have enough time, due to our reservation for jazz at Sam First.

On our way out, I was wistful as I listened to Curtis Crump Jr. (sax), Jon Davis (drums) Dominique Sanders (bass) and Sam Hirsh (piano) cultivate auditory magic.

It felt incredible to find a solid space for jazz AND dinner in Los Angeles. Plus, with parking in the back? I will definitely be back.

Truly, dinner at Somerville was a beautiful experience of celebrating the culture and history of black voices and spaces and revel in the simple magic of Los Angeles.

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