There’s a new kid in town. Well, not really new, more inhabiting the old with a fresher, more modern approach. eat.on sunset (no caps), the latest restaurant concept from Joachim Splichal’s wildly successful Patina Group opened its doors where Pinot Hollywood once held court. Los Angeles has been very good to Splichal, whose empire is unsurpassed only by Wolfgang Puck, with six Patina restaurants in downtown L.A. alone (including Patina, Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse, Zucca, and Café Pinot).
Of course, this begs the question: Why close Pinot Hollywood? After all, it was as incredibly popular as ever with the studio crowd. As Assistant Director of Operations and Development Jonathan Rollo stated to me, “It was time.” They wanted to create a more sophisticated, contemporary, yet neighborhood place for the Hollywood area. Retaining the same structure and layout, the eaterie underwent decorative renovations, giving it a sleek, sensually hip minimalistic interior design in a W Hotel sort of way – with inviting couches in the waiting area and lounge.
Recruiting Executive Chef Gary Menes to create some wild and whimsical signature dishes, eat.on sunset takes a bold leap into the world of daring and vibrant culinary delights. Chef Menes began his career under the tutelage of Splichal and has since graced some of the top west coast restaurants including French Laundry, Melisse, Aubergine, and the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco. Originally hailing from Hawaii, tasting his first pizza as a child living in Italy paved the way for his creative gastronomic designs. Though the dishes find their origins steeped in Franco technique, they have a decidedly American twist to them.
We began with a cocktail off the never-ending menu of martinis, mojitos, and signature concoctions. I had Italian Ice, more like a Lemon Drop but with more bite, while my companion had a Raspberry libation dubbed Crave, which was basically a Raspberry Martini.
Our culinary adventure commenced with the soup of the day, a luscious Kobocha Squash Soup, reminiscent of pumpkin and rich enough to warm us on a chilly night. Next came a special appetizer of Seared Diver Scallops with caramelized 
cauliflower florets in a light Chardonnay beurre blanc, embellished with julienned Granny Smith apples (available on the luncheon menu as an entree). Mense reinvents Toad in the Hole, an age-old breakfast dish consisting usually of a slice of toast with a hole cut out of it in which an egg sits. At eat.on sunset, it’s a starter, prepared with a buttery brioche instead, a slice of Applewood-smoked bacon, and micro greens. Yummy. The lobster salad was near perfect, with just enough dressing to savor the taste of the lobster meat without overpowering it.
For our main dishes, we sampled the Oven-Roasted Colorado Lamb with ricotta gnocchi and red wine pearl onions, which is a hearty succulent dish, perfect for those winter nights; Beef Two Ways includes prime rib-eye “skirt steak” cooked over mesquite wood and white oak in addition to red wine-braised oxtail (yes, oxtail), with creamed spinach and potato galette (like a Napoleon but with fifteen layers of thinly sliced potatoes); All-day Baked Snake River Farms Pork Belly 
with sweet potato fondant, grilled marinated endive and sauce caisson (translated as “from its own juices”). All were delicious with our top vote going to the pork belly whose delectable ingredients meshed together in an ultimately satisfying, mouth-watering delicacy. We only wished Chef Menes would have given a little more greens with each entree. The creamed spinach was particularly tasty.
Comprised of west coast wines, mainly Californian (including Foxen), the wine list offers some quality choices by the glass also.
For dessert, we didn’t fare as well. A Bananas Foster Mousse Cake was bland to our palette while the Blood Orange Panna Cotta was overpowering. White Chocolate Rice Pudding and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte, along with gelatos and sorbets, are also available. We were told they were still tweaking the desserts and to expect some changes in the coming weeks. Amazingly, our favorite dessert was their special cheese offering, Sotto Cenere, a decidedly rich and creamy cheese from Veneto, Italy which our waiter, David, highly recommended. He couldn’t have been more right.
eat.on sunset only recently opened its doors and while there’s some fine-tuning to be accomplished by Chef Menes, he’s off to an impressive start. His menu is both innovative and imaginative. His enthusiasm for his creations is infectious. Excited to return and sample more of his cuisine, I look forward to making eat.on sunset my neighborhood hangout.
eat.on sunset, 1448 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, CA 90028 (323) 461-8800Lunch: Mon- Fri noon – 3 pm; Dinner: Mon – Sat. 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm; Closed on SundaysBest Bets: To Start: Toad in the Hole ($11.00), Lobster Salad (market price); Entrée: All-day baked Snake River Farms Pork Belly ($21.00) or Beef two ways ($27.00)
Motion picture/ television producer, Rona Edwards, also writes music reviews for the Folk Acoustic Music Exchange (FAME) on the net, feature articles for Produced By Magazine and co-wrote “I Liked It, Didn’t Love It. (Screenplay Development From The Inside Out)” for Lone Eagle Publishing, available at bookstores everywhere.
