Craft
(310) 279-4180
10100 Constellation Blvd
Century City,
CA
90067
34.0586
-118.4155
Neighborhoods: West LA, Century City
What People Are Saying About Craft
The Editor
Tara Lis
Citysearch
The Scene
In the shadow of Century City's skyscraping behemoths, this stylish corporate-lite enclave is fashioned with a nod to the see-and-be-seen scene. Track-lit-style filament bulbs dangle over banquettes and mostly exposed booths inside while stark wooden cabanas punctuate the patio. Power dining here means sweater-set agents with their alpha girlfriends, workaholics wielding mini-laptops and young execs breaking in their expense accounts. Sharply dressed servers are well versed in the menu, but often too busy to devote much time to questions.
The Food
Known for hosting the wildly popular "Top Chef" food show, Tom Colicchio has created an la carte menu dominated by heavy dishes and high price points--for the calories and money, the restaurant needs more consistency, lest he pack up his own knives. On the positive side, skillet-cooked duck egg with gizzard confit is truly transcendental, simmering in veal stock. Copper-potted braised rabbit is also a high point, bathing in a lovely savory reduction. Both the earthy pioppini mushrooms and the rich cavalo nero gratin sides satisfy, if not satiate. Lighter first courses are uniformly disappointing. Too salty sardines are only further hampered by salmon roe, and bland beet salad is unimaginatively presented, topped with a weak gorgonzola closer in consistency to cottage cheese. And for more than $50, the dry-aged steak surprisingly lacks even a trace of flavor.
Hits: The wine list features some great picks, with about 20 by the glass, and many surprisingly under $10. The crowd can be fun to watch, particularly when celebrities are in attendance.
Misses: Wine and food service are good but hurried; it doesn't help when the sommelier is swarmed and servers are constantly glancing over their shoulders while trying to give advice. It's also the little stuff: bread plates absent (or not removed for first courses), lack of serving spoons and red wine a few degrees t
User Reviews
zreviewz
June 24, 2009
All I can say about the location is: Century City? If you find cold, steel, sterile office buildings romantic, than Craft is the place for you. If you like the sight of overworked attorneys and deserted night time streets that are eerily devoid of any human beings, you will love this place. If you are nouveau riche, trying very hard, and have not dined in that many truly great restaurants, then Craft is your new home away from home. I was taken to Craft for my birthday and have never had a worse dining experience in my life. We had a reservation but we were forced to wait for almost an hour. After ordering a drink that never came and after receiving a dried up wrinkly prune of a meat appetizer, I asked if I could speak to the manager. He flat out told me that he would do absolutely nothing about the situation. He refused to try to rectify any of the large number of problems that were occurring and said "Why don't you just sit down and enjoy your meal?" What was there to enjoy: Bad service and worse food? This place needs to get over itself.
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cpprbull
June 24, 2009
Service was great (about 4-5 severs), but what I and my 3 friends ordered lacked in flavor (salt/pepper even?). Porterhouse, chicken, scallops...great cuts of meat, cooked just right, but NO flavor. Same for the sides (and $29 for 3 scallops??). Overpriced--except for the drinks, especially the Ginger Martini ($8). Would go again for drinks but not dinner.
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agalstia
March 17, 2009
I have been fortunate enough to eat at the majority of the nicest restaurants in L.A. and have to say that Craft is definitely one of the best! The decor is pretty modern, and the service is very professional. From the appetizers to the dessert, all of the dishes we ordered were excellent! There are not that many restaurants out there that you can say the same thing about. For entrees, we ordered the tuna sashimi and the frisee salad which were smaller portions, but still very tasty. For entrees, we got the beef short ribs which was out of this world! Also, we got the suzuki fish, which had an incredibly crispy skin and amazing flavors. As for dessert, we ordered the peanut butter cup, vanilla parfait, as well as the glazed donuts. They were all outrageously delicious! I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are a foodie and truly enjoy high-quality food, service, and ambiance.
read full reviewThe Details on Craft
Look Good:
Because of the proximity to all the office buildings, dress here is somewhat more upscale than most Hollywood restaurants. That said, you'll still be fine in designer jeans and a well tailored shirt.
Parking:
Valet is available for $8, located on Constellation just east of Avenue of the Stars. You can get free parking for three hours (with validation) after 5pm in the lot directly beneath the restaurant. The entrance is located on the south side of Constellation in the middle of the block--bear in mind that it's cavernous, and finding the restaurant from the lot can be somewhat confusing.
What to Drink:
The wine list is expertly chosen, and the suave sommelier is the perfect guide through it--bear in mind that he's usually just as pressed for time as the wait staff. Corkage is $35 per bottle with no limit, but call ahead to verify it's not on the restaurant's list. There's also a full bar.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Special Occasion Dining, Celeb Hangout, People Watching, Business Dining, Family Style Dining, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene
Cuisine:
Notable Chef:
Tom Colicchio
