Highland Park: Dinner at Sonny’s Hideaway

I recently checked out Sonny’s Hideaway for dinner. I had previously been for drinks and put it as part of a Highland Park bar crawl a few months ago. I’ve been dying to go back ever since I read the words, “bone marrow hash.”

We started out with a couple of drinks. I opted for the Crystal Plumage, a lovely aromatic gin cocktail that reminded me of a Martinez (gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino, bitters). The Crystal Plumage had a bit of a kick to it since it uses a navy strength gin as the base.

Crystal Plumage – navy strength gin, rhubarb, rosa vermouth, grapefruit oil

We shared the falafel fries which were good. The falafel was slightly crumbly which made it difficult to actually eat it like fries. But I didn’t mind having to use my fork and knife. I liked the sauce that accompanied the falafel.

I can’t resist octopus and squid and love any preparation of stuffed squid. I was eager to see how Sonny’s would do theirs. The squid also came with a couple of baby octopus. The endive helped keep the dish light.

When I saw cold fried chicken on the menu, I knew I had to have it. I loved the raw purslane sprinkled on the dish which brought a brightness to the chicken. Since it’s cold, it’s not crispy but the good thing about cold fried chicken is it’s still tasty.

We debated getting the bone marrow hash on its own but when I saw it came with the short ribs, it was like killing two birds with one stone. The ribs were oh-so-tender and the hash disappeared quickly. I wouldn’t mind order more hash next time.

Whenever I’m in the company of dessert fans, I play martyr and agree to something sweet. We decided on the peanut butter mousse which fit the bill. I normally like banana with chocolate and peanut butter but the plantains had been smoked which left an odd note to the dish. A more adventurous dessert eater might like it but I tend to stray towards the traditional cake realm.

I hope Sonny’s opens for lunch and more importantly, brunch soon. Highland Park needs lovely cocktails during the daylight hours.

Sonny’s Hideaway

5137 York Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90042  –  (323) 255-2000

© The Minty  2014