It’s a typical date night with my hubby: we want to try something new and are scouring Yelp for guidance. That’s how we discovered Fundamental LA, a hidden gem just down the street from our place.

It’s a new hip Westwood restaurant that recently opened its doors. I know what you’re thinking – hip? in Westwood? I know, trust me. It’s literally one of the spots you’d never imagine to find on Westwood Blvd, and it’s practically invisible. You’d drive right if you didn’t know it existed (heck, we drove passed it while actually looking for it).

We’ve been twice now, it’s that good. Fundamental serves small plates, so they recommend ordering 2-3 plates per person, which is right up my alley. I’ll take any excuse to try more items on the menu.

Tips:

1. Sit at the bar. This way you can overlook the chefs preparing your meal. It’s so fun to see your order being prepared right in front of you.
2. Ask questions about the menu. They use interesting ingredients (like magnolia flower petals in the steak dish), so don’t be shy to inquire about what you’re eating!
3. Save room for dessert. The churros are the bomb.

Negative notes:

1. The carrot risotto was our favorite dish by far the first time we visited. On the second visit however, it tasted watered down. Server said the recipe hadn’t changed, but I know something was off.
2. The egg served with the gnocchi was a tad undercooked in my opinion. Sure some would disagree, but I don’t like when any part of the egg white is clear.

What we ordered:

Carrot Risotto
with carrot butter, mind, manchego, and shaved baby carrot

Gnocchi alla Romana
with sous-vide egg, edamame, and pickled shallot

Prime hanger steak
with king trumpet mushroom, broccoli, and sprinkled with Magnolia flower petals

Our steak being prepared right in front of our eyes!

Vanilla Cream Soda

Churros with salted butterscotch sauce

For obvious reasons, we’ll be back for another visit to this restaurant very soon!