LAReview
Included In
You’ve only watched the teaser for that new stoner-buddy-action-horror-comedy, but you already know you’re going to love it. It stars all the celebrities who are both hot and funny, and your friends are already quoting the trailer. So you head to the theater on opening night, ready to write a Twitter thread on how this film is redefining the future of action-horror-comedies. But pretty early on, you realize all the good parts were in the trailer. By the middle, you’re bored. Idris Elba only takes his shirt off once. And what you knew had the potential to be a truly great film is actually just okay.
That’s the issue with Madera Kitchen: it’s a perfectly fine restaurant that should be a great one. This Hollywood spot has the makings of a neighborhood go-to, but the food itself is disappointing.
You walk into Madera through the patio, which basically won cute-restaurant Bingo. There are little fire pits dotted around, couches, exposed wood, plants, fairy lights, and a mysterious, beautiful couple playing lute covers of Top 40 songs in the corner. The last one isn’t true. But in the center of Hollywood, it’s hard to find a place that looks this good, and yet somehow doesn’t have crowds of people hoping to see a Kardashian.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
The pretty standard American menu also looks promising, with plenty of options for vegetarians/gluten-free friends/Mitch who is always doing a 30-day diet. As we were informed by very friendly servers, the chef uses only seasonal, local ingredients. The cocktails taste good, and most things on the menu are under $20. If you were only here to enjoy the patio, drink a cocktail, and peruse the menu for your reading pleasure, it would be ideal.
But the problem is that a lot of the dishes, particularly the mains, are disappointing. When you taste the over-salted fish, bite into the too-soft pasta, or notice that the bread looks like the same Safeway stuff in your kitchen, your dreams of using this place as a situational catch-all disappear.
What Madera is good for is drinks and some small plates before seeing a show or hitting the bars. But it’s not going to be our new neighborhood favorite. Even if that lute-playing couple were to appear.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Orbit Carrots
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Burrata
photo credit: Jakob Layman