|
Home » Culinary Connection
Culinary Connection
A Place for All Seasons
By Kathy Highcove
Ramsey's Restaurant is both an exclusive and inclusive eatery. Ramsey's is located at the exclusive Toluca Lake Tennis Club, and yet co-owner Jay Sadofsky welcomes the community to his restaurant. He wants to share his gem with one and all:
"The club is private but the restaurant is public," says the amiable Sadofsky. "We want people to know that we have a great room for events, a wonderful chef, and a staff ready to skillfully serve your guests."
The exquisite setting implies a quality kitchen and a professionally trained chef. Ramsey's scores big on both counts. This past year Sadofsky refurbished the kitchen and hired an experienced Chef de Cuisine: Chef Jesse Genovese. Chef Jesse trained at the Cordon Bleu in London and has worked in Spain, Asia, and London in his culinary career. The Hawaiian born chef fashions menus that reflect a modern California culture: Spanish, Asian, European, fusion, or contemporary American cuisine.
Ramsey's features a large rustic, but elegant dining room for festive occasions that can accommodate groups of up to 140. The room has high ceilings, with dark wood beams and wrought iron chandeliers, reflecting the Mediterranean architectural style of the tennis club structures. An extensive bar is in an adjoining room, and tall dark paned glass doors lead out to a large patio where patrons can socialize. The ambiance is Southland style elegance - a type of dining room that might have been used by William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies for a large dinner party. Exclusive feel...And yet Ramsey's offers a setting that John or Joan Doe would find perfect for his/her next large event whether personal, business related, or entertainment oriented.
The end of the dining room can be sectioned off by sliding paneled doors for smaller groups who wish to meet in a more intimate space. Both rooms can be cleared of dining tables if a renter wants to hold a dance for his guests.
An 8-foot screen discreetly hidden in the ceiling descends in front of a high-definition projector. Ramsey's dining room will darken to roll film, or short previews, a wedding story, a power point compilation of childhood memories for a bar or bat mitzvah or perhaps a film for a retiree...
My companion and I came to Ramsey's to sample items from the banquet menu. We first tried several culinary creations fashioned by Chef Jesse that have proved popular with Ramsey's diners.
The Chef brought in chipotle and mint humus in combination with lightly steamed carrots and asparagus and triangles of pita bread. We devoured that dish in minutes as Chef Jesse prepared more goodies in his high tech kitchen. We soon sampled thin slices of seared ahi tuna with Mediterranean Salad: arugula, goat cheese, toasted almonds with a citrus vinagrette. Then we happily enjoyed eggplant stuffed with sweet piquillo peppers, feta cheese, toasted almonds, and chives. My favorite item was the Ahi Tuna Tar Tar: a combination of ahi, mango, and cucumber with chile aioli - sweet and tangy ingredients on a crispy wonton.
All the appetizers we sampled promised to appeal to a broad range of tastes. The combinations of spices, flavors, and textures might be a new experience for some patrons, but an enjoyable experience - a culinary adventure.
One menu choice was especially suited to the American palate. We tried thin slices of flank steak fanned out on a plate next to arugula salad with chimichurri sauce, and house cut French fries. This dish, popular with Ramsey's regulars, took the red meat 'n potatoes standard to a new level of perfection. The light textured twice-fried potatoes are a Ramsey's specialty introduced by Chef Jesse.
My companion much enjoyed Angus beef mini-burgers covered with caramelized onions, white cheddar, and lemon aioli all sealed into a brioche bun. That course alone would prove popular with a group of young appetites or folks who want appetizers that might double for a small meal.
Chef Jesse asked us to save room for his piece d'resistance: Fig and mascarpone tart made with mascarpone and goat cheese, topped with hazelnut gelato. The fruit complemented the intense sweetness of the cheese and cream. The hazelnut gelato topping was the delectable crowning touch. Delectable!
Many restaurants are beautiful places for lunch or dinner, prized by patrons for their exclusiveness. But Ramsey's at The Club is special for its inclusiveness. Whether you plan to host a tango night, an office party, a bar mitzvah, a retirement party, a 30th anniversary reunion, any type of gathering - Ramsey's is ready to help make your special event undeniably special.
Jay Sadofsky aptly describes the versatility of his inclusive/exclusive restaurant: "Ramsey's is a public space that feels private, elegant yet comfortable, chic yet accessible. Our motto: Ramsey's is a hidden gem, it will always be a gem, but it won't be hidden for long! Come and enjoy."
For more information on hours, menus, and features:
www.ramseysattheclub.com
6711 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles (323)851-6000
back to top
|
