New Restaurant Opening: Fig & Olive Spices Up West Hollywood

Fig & Olive Restaurant

Fig & Olive, the restaurant chain with four New York locations, has finally journeyed west and descended on Melrose Place (yes, that Melrose Place). I had the pleasure of attending last week's launch party, and it's doors formally opened to diners over the weekend.

Featuring riviera and coastal cuisine from the south of France, Italy, and Spain, the restaurant is the brainchild of founder and owner Laurent Halasz and Executive Chef Pascal Lorange. Aptly named and decorated (the interior designs features walls studded with glistening bottles of olive oil), the restaurant will present diners with an extra virgin olive oil tasting with their meal.

Halasz even goes so far as to pronounce olive oil the restaurant's "core ingredient, which we use in place of butter in our dishes."

The restaurant itself is an airy and impressive space with high ceilings, muted colors, and natural embellishments like mounted dried herbs (I spotted some rosemary and lavender) and the aforementioned olive oil.

At the opening party, we sampled champagne and cocktails, my favorite being the Fig & Olive Dirty Martini (I always like my martinis extra dirty).

We also tasted a variety of appetizers and desserts, including orcchiette with pesto, ricotta stuffed cherry tomatoes, proscuitto crostinis with romesco and microgreens, parmesan risotto, and veal smothered with a fig-honey sauce.

Dessert selections included madeline cookies served in paper cones, sorbet with fresh fruit, and my favorite--chocolate pot de creme.

The party was a lively and packed affair with a DJ, a fashion show by Fendi, Lamborghini car displays, and appearances by celebrities, including restaurateurs and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump and her husband. Alas, Jiggy, her teacup Pomeranian with an enviable wardrobe, did not appear to be in attendance.

Based on the opening, I'd say that this restaurant is going to be a major hit.


Fig & Olive
8490 Melrose Place
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310 360 9100
www.figandolive.com

8490 Melrose Place
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310 360 9100
melroseplace@figandolive.com