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Home » Culinary Connection

Culinary Connection

Henry's Hat
By Bruce Wildstein

Eat. Drink. Play. Three words you will find on the sign at Henry's Hat, a new neighborhood "pub" located next to Universal City. And those three verbs are exactly what the owners are aiming for at this new bar and restaurant. Walk into Henry's and one of the first things you notice is that it looks like it's been around a long time. The floors are bare concrete, there is an exposed brick wall behind the bar, and the tables and chairs have a well-worn used look. Yes, there's no fancy design going on here, and some "repurposing" of old furniture adds to the look. The atmosphere is that of an easygoing neighborhood type hangout, a place were you can drop in get better than average pub fare and watch a game with friends. Sure, burgers and pizzas are on the menu, but so is a more upscale Charcuterie Plate with a nice selection of Blue Cheese and Brie, plus Spicy Coppa and Fennel salamis and Spanish Chorizo, as just one example.

The main room is where you'll find the bar and customer seating. There are plenty of flat screen high-definition TVs scattered about so that sporting events can be viewed from just about anywhere. All ordering is done at the bar. That includes the food, which is later brought to your table by staff runners. Paper towels and silverware are placed on the table after you're seated. The runners, whose shirts read, "If Its Free Ask me," will bring your water, condiments, etc. The bar staff has shirts that read, "Pay Me," yes you pay them when you order.

In the spirit's department, you have plenty to keep you going at Henry's. Shots, beer, red, and white wine, and specialty cocktails are on hand. You could start with the recommended Luna Park Mojito, named after the owner's other restaurant, Luna Park. It's a nice breezy mix of rum, lime, sugar, and mint. Another popular drink is the Strawberry Basil Gimlet, with fresh strawberries, lime, vodka, and basil. Specialty beers and ales like Red Stripe and Allagash White Ale are available.

We began our meal with one their starters, the Mussels with Anderson Pale Ale. It arrives in a very large type of round metal cooking dish with a couple of dozen mussels in the shell. Bits of bacon, chiles, and shallots are in the broth. We thoroughly enjoyed them and a little bread for dipping adds a nice touch.

By this time, our entrées had arrived. We had the traditional Fish and Chips, plus Hanks All American Burger with beef from Meyer Ranch Natural Beef. The fish, which according to the menu is from Joe Jax Fish Shack in Puerto Vallarta, is a huge piece breaded and served over a good-sized order of fries. With a side of Tartar Sauce, it was very tasty and the fries were crisp. The Burger, one of six available, was on a big puffy Melrose Bakery bun with lettuce, onions, American cheese, pickles, and Henry's special sauce. Juicy, high quality meat and a good-sized patty helped made this a more upscale burger. And every good burger deserves a side, so we ordered not one but two: the Grilled Corn on The Cob with Chili Butter, and the Spicy Green and Yellow Wax Beans. The corn on the cob was really outstanding with great taste, grilled to perfection. The beans, not a typical order in a pub, were a large order with a spicy bite, and somehow addicting. Mac n Cheese, Longhorn Beef Chili, and Achiote Marinated Chicken are other entrees on the menu.

For dessert, we opted for the Peach Cobbler. This was really a great dessert, with high-quality peach pieces served warm topped with a vanilla bean ice cream. How could you go wrong? The Banana Split or Warm Chocolate Brownie are other dessert options.

Henry's Hat offers a come as you are, drop in after work atmosphere. It's a place were you can grab a beer, or have some upscale food that you won't find at most sports bars. There is also a separate room with a large video screen set up with Wii controllers for game playing. They also plan on having comedians during Monday Night Football.

So for a fun time with great food, put Henry's Hat on your short list of new places to try out. They are located at 3413 Cahuenga Blvd W near Universal City.
Telephone: (323) 512-2500

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