Eva Restaurant

*Post by Angela.

I've talked about my coupon addiction at length before. What I didn't mention was the fact that, after I purchase a coupon and put it in my purse, I often forget about it until just before it expires. That was the case with our Living Social coupon to Eva Restaurant on the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Vista Street. After a fantastic experience, I can't believe we waited so long.

We were quickly seated inside the cozy, all-white dining area, and greeted by our server, Patrick, who was a complete joy - friendly and helpful. The server uniform of choice is a sleeveless button-down sweater vest,  a casual departure from the norm. As we dined, we observed chef/owner Mark Gold wander around the room, smilingly checking in with diners. And when the hostess spotted us taking snaps of our food, she patted me on the shoulder and proclaimed, "Oh! I love foodies!" Clearly, other than serving delicious food made with the highest quality ingredients, the goal of Eva Restaurant's staff is to make its patrons feel as comfortable and welcome as possible, and they definitely succeeded.

First to the table was this gorgeous beet salad, with hazelnuts and a citrus glaze (below). This was a really busy plate, but everything worked together really well.

Next up was my personal favorite, an organic egg with charred broccolini (below). I've never had broccolini charred before, but now it's the only way I want it - I loved how the preparation played off the natural bitterness of the vegetable, and it was perfect against the richness of the egg yolk and creamy sauce.

Mark surprised me by ordering the Japanese swordfish "carbonara," an artistically rendered plate with turnips, apples, and an artichoke garnish (below). This was a really elegant dish that let the beauty of the ingredients shine.

I opted for the lobster bolognese with udon noodles (below), an incredibly indulgent dish, yet lighter than your classic meat-based bolognese. And I loved the variety of textures in the dish, which combined velvety sauce with silken noodles and a bit of crunch from bits of carrot and some sort of nut (hazelnut, perhaps? The kitchen seems fixated on them).

For dessert, Mark ordered the "chocolate decadence," a flourless chocolate cake topped with fresh whipped cream and served with a side of candied hazelnuts (below). The chocolate was complimented by a subtle taste of sour cherry, though the sweet and sour flavors were never too overwhelming.

Thinking back to our favorite part of our meal at Gjelina, I ordered the butterscotch pudding, which came drizzled with caramel and topped with hazelnuts (below). While I don't think it quite unseated the pot-de-creme of the Venice establishment as my favorite dessert in recent memory, Eva's offering was really, really delicious, and we scraped up every last bit.

We were happy to be able to use our coupon, but Eva offers a pretty good deal anyway - three courses for just $39 a person (a couple of items, like the organic egg dish, have varying upcharges). For such a lovely, well-executed meal, wonderful service, and a welcoming atmosphere, it was a steal. Even without the coupon, Eva is a place to which we'll for sure be returning, the quintessential neighborhood restaurant.  

Comments

[Marie]

I've been curious about Eva for a while, but I hear conflicting reports, then forget about it, then am drawn back again after a positive review! I should investigate first hand. Thanks for the reminder!

[Angela]

Marie-

I've actually had the same experience (reading both positive and negative reviews), and one of the only reasons we made it a point to go was because we had a coupon. I'm so glad we went. The service and atmosphere alone are almost enough to recommend it, but the food we had that night was also really delicious and well-executed (and so, so pretty!).