by Melissa Alouf
Just as a good film tells you the overall story within the first scene, so too does the Drake’s Hollywood tell you about the restaurant experience to be had upon entering.
The crimson leather scalloped banquette booths that line the walls harken back to the early 1960’s of Las Vegas. Each seat looks and feels like a special spot. Unlike the current trend of large open rooms for seating, the Drake has managed to create a welcoming intimacy with its table arrangements. Live jazz plays on Sunday nights and the ambiance couldn’t be more perfect for it.
The large horseshoe shaped statement bar is reminiscent of a large craps table where everyone who saunters up, has a place or at least the bartender’s eye. One glance around the restaurant captivates with it’s stately unassuming suavity.
That lead is followed by alluring menu options of standard American fare such as choice American steaks and chops. Our choice of beef was the filet Scarlet served with a buffalo bleu cheese sauce and grilled shrimp. The sauce accented the fillet perfectly creating a prodigious surge of mouthwatering flavor. Served without sides it was filling but for those hungry enough, sides ranged from garlic spinach, potatoes; mashed or sweet and chef’s mushrooms.
One of the Drake’s most popular entrees is the Honey truffle Chicken. Two lightly fried breasts are drizzled with a honey truffle blend glaze which paired perfectly with the garlic spinach and mashed potatoes. It is a noble and graceful take of an American staple.
Dishes we look forward to trying are the pizza as well as the mac and cheese; each with options of buffalo chicken and herb ranch.
Entering the Drake with its attention to architectural details of a time past does not disappoint with the food experience it offers.
