(You can choose from seven different spreads for your flatbread)
Mohawk Bend (2141 West Sunset Boulevard) has been a destination I’ve been longing to visit ever since they opened last month. It seems to me that the current restaurant/bar focus is shifting from wine bars to beer establishments offering an extensive selection of unusual and international brews. While I’m not that beer-savvy, I’m enjoying this new trend as a great alternative to wine and cheese. (Upgraded bar food and the ambiance after the jump).
(This is my half of the fish & chips, and doesn’t truly display the beauty of the original platter. Mohawk Bend’s version of coleslaw is worth a try!)
This new generation of beer bars have upped the ante on the drink-side of things with an accompanying menu that has its roots in good old bar food but prepared with organic ingredients and unexpected flavor combinations. At Mohawk, we opted for herbed flatbread with mashed avocado and goat cheese spread ($6), but the Monterrey Squid (crips rice coated, flash fried, with squid ink aioli, $11) or fire roasted artichoke with two aiolis (red wine and meyer lemon & mint, $9) will be tried next time.
Our mains were the Fig and Burrata cheese salad (with arugula on a balsamic vinaigrette, $10) and the Fish and Chips (ipa-battered cod with horseradish slaw and french fries, $14). Everything was great from start to finish. The flatbread had just the right amount of crispiness and softness, the sauce of the salad is noteworthy because of it’s perfectly balanced flavor, and the cod of the fish & chips was juicy, not dry at all. Also, the portions were just right, not so huge that you felt overwhelmed.
(I liked the lamp design)
I opted for one of their three white wines (the Dancing Coyote Albarino), because I was intrigued by the fact that Mohawk doesn’t store bottles but stores its wines in a keg. They have a special arrangement with their wineries (all small productions in California), who fill the wines directly from their steel barrels into Mohawk’s kegs. Prices for a glass run $8 or $9, and mine was great. White wine can easily taste a bit generic, but this one had a very distinct, interesting taste. As far as beer goes, my friend had the Hangar 24 Orange Wheat, which was easy to drink with a nice, soft flavor.
I had a great evening there, it’s a perfect spot for a relaxed evening. The acoustics are good, no screaming necessary, and the dim lighting gives the space a nice intimacy.
(The mood lighting created a bit of a challenge to photograph but this gives you a little idea of the space)
