Somewhere between the “Polynesian” cocktail of peligroso blanco tequila, pineapple gum syrup, lime juice, peychaud bitters, basil, cayenne that came garnished with crispy prosciutto, and the root beer boba that took on the aesthetic of caviar on top of the steak tartare—I was hooked with the intricacies of executive chef Jared Simons’ and bar manager Kyle Ackley’s new market-driven menu at Lexington Social House.
With more than 15 years of culinary experience, Simons is known for crafting inventive dishes (including his recipe for mac & cheese, which is also on the menu) for Los Angeles’ celebrity diners and local foodies. After previous time spent manning the kitchen at Bardot, Steven Arroyo’s Cobras & Matadors and his original solo venture, Violet, Simons has relaxed his approach and taken a more playful direction with his American cuisine, which lends itself to the social atmosphere of the Lexington Social House experience.
Simons’ Spring menu starts with selections like that steak tartare that is accompanied by pickled fennel, the aforementioned housemaid root beer boba and French fries.
Grilled delta asparagus arrives cloaked in a blanket of La Querica speck (smoked prociutto), topped with a fried egg.
Salad selections range from local beets accented with aged goat cheese, kumquat and pistachio; to little gem lettuce with the most perfectly surprising smoked blue cheese vinaigrette, grapes and toasted hazelnuts.
Main courses showcase Simons’ influence of his mother’s southern roots with Mary’s fried chicken: fried jidori chicken served with mashed potatoes, bacon-braised greens and mustard sauce.
Berkshire pork chop Saltimbocca: “Saltimbocca” is Italian for “jumps in the mouth,” which this dish does with its red eye gravy made from de-glazing the pork drippings with coffee. The grits that accompany the pork chop are sourced from South Carolina and hand-milled.
Braised boneless beef short ribs: This hearty dish comes with faro, spring onion, green cabbage slaw and horseradish.
More relaxed during the week, then hitting the nightclub vibe for the weekends, Lexington Social House offers a variety of experiences. It also features happy hour Tues.-Sat. from 6-8 and all day Sunday; in addition to a Sunday Supper series where Simons creates a weekly three-course prix fixe menu for $25 with a choice of two appetizers and mains, in addition to a dessert.
1718 Vine St., Hollywood, 323.461.1700. lexingtonsocialhouse.com