Beverly Hills: Comfort Food at 208 Rodeo

 

The iconic 208 Rodeo restaurant has been serving up delicious food on Rodeo Drive since the 1990s. You can’t miss the restaurant just up the stairs on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive.  The patio is where everyone wants to dine- to people watch and to be seen.

Order up the calamari where the squid is still very tender and lightly fried.

 

And have that along with a cocktail. I went with the traditional daiquiri first.

 

We also nibbled on sesame shrimp. I’m not a fan of coconut in general but pretended to myself the toasted coconut was just bits of slivered almonds. The sauce is wonderful and it is much better than deep fried coconut shrimp since the shrimp stayed plump and succulent.

 

 

My friend was getting over a cold and I thought a spicy drink for her might help clear her sinuses. And it did! The Spicy M is basically a mango margarita.

Spicy M – Avion silver tequila, mango puree, jalepeno, lime

 

 

When something works, you don’t fix it. The seafood salad has been on the menu at 208 Rodeo for decades. We shared the entree as an appetizer salad for the three of us. It features scallops, shrimp and even a baby lobster tail. Some of the greens might change seasonally but it’s a mainstay and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I particularly loved this version with persimmon and pomegranate seeds.

 

We shared the filet mignon and bone marrow. It’s never too late to learn the art of bone luging. Once you scraped that baby clean, go ahead and down a shot of beer or liquor with that badass bone.

 

What could be a better combination than steak and mac and cheese? Well, let’s go surf and turf style and add lobster to the mac.

 

 

I didn’t want anything too sweet and server convinced me the El Guapo was a great drink. It’s definitely a tasty beverage that reminded me of a mezcal old fashioned. The spiciness of the ginger liqueur also kept it interesting.

El Guapo– Xicaru silver mezcal, Canton ginger liqueur, cherry, lemon

I was feeling like we needed veggies and so I’m glad we got the garlic greens. These were lightly roasted to retain maximum flavor.

 

In contrast to the creamy mac and cheese, we also had the penne arrabbiata with a spicy tomato sauce. This dish is great for vegetarians or someone who just wants a lighter meal.

 

We finished off the night with a couple of desserts chosen from a tray brought around the table. It can be overwhelming not to pick everything but a couple caught our eye including the interesting eclair cake with profiteroles.

 

I knew I wanted the cheesecake though. It’s a couple bites of a happy night.

208 Rodeo does a brisk lunch and happy hour but they are also open for breakfast. And it’s so romantic to have dinner under the stars especially on warm nights.

 

208 Rodeo

208 N Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210  —  (310) 275-2428

 

© The Minty  2016