When is a hip, new Venice restaurant from a Michelin-starred chef more than just a hip new Venice restaurant from a Michelin starred chef? When it's Charcoal Venice; that's when! Everything
in this new Venice eatery is cooked over an indoor live fire by Chef/Owner Josiah Citrin and Chef de Cuisine Joseph Johnson. Four house sauces accompany each meal and they are all extraordinary, including Chimichurri, Red Wine Chipotle BBQ, J.1.
Steak Sauce, and Herb Spiced Vinegar.
Order a drink from the beverage program, you must! The Chophouse Martini ($12) is vodka, smoke, and an olive and is perfect. We also loved
the Midnight Margarita with tequila, charcoal, and lime.($12)
For dinner we had the homemade Bread with Beurre de Baratte ($6.25). The bread is crusty and chewy and some of the
best I've tasted. In case you've never had Beurre de Baratte, it's the best butter in the world! It's churned butter, made in Normandy, with a deep yellow color. It's taste alone begs you to come back for more. It's nutty, salty, and I promise, you'll love
it!
Next we had the best Chopped Salad ($15.50) I've tasted in a very long time. Tomato, Havarti Cheese, big chunks of bacon, kalamanta olives, and jo-jo's vinaigrette come
together in an enormous salad that you won't soon forget. Prime New York Striploin ($45) was perfectly cooked to medium rare and rivals any steakhouse in the city. Broccolini with smoked fingerling potatoes, lemon Rosemary breadcrumbs, and chili-oil ($12.50) is
an unforgettable side dish. Of course we had to try the Steak Fries with homemade ketchup ($8) which were delicious too.
Never people to pass up dessert, we enjoyed the Peanut
Butter Crunch Cake ($12.50) which was layers of chocolate cake and a crunchy peanut butter bottom alongside vanilla ice cream. And best of all, we're walking distance which is good because we're hooked. As we were leaving I begged my husband to make another
reservation for my birthday in two weeks. "We'll see" he said, "We'll see." That usually means yes! Charcoal Venice 425 Washington Blvd. Venice (310) 751-6794 Hours: Bar: Sun-Thurs: 6p.m.- 11p.m. Fri: 6p.m.-Midnight Sat: 5:30-Midnight Dining Room:
Sun-Thurs: 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Fri: 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Sat: 5:30 p.m.-11p.m. Reservations essential.
Recommended Dishes: Cocktails, Bread, Chopped Salad, Striploin, Broccolini,
Steak Fries, Peanut Butter Crunch Cake.