AMMO

03/26/09

Fresh delicious food and great service

by maddylocks at Citysearch

This is normally a lunchtime spot for me, but I came here for dinner the other night and was really impressed. I tried the pickle plate, which ended up being an incredible variety of unique pickled vegetables, from carrots to cauliflower! We also tried the crispy pork belly with beans, the risotto with peas and asparagus, and the salmon with beets and potatoes. All very simple but fantastic.

The desserts are really good too. They've got some pretty interesting ice creams on their dessert menu. I tried a scoop of the watermelon and white chocolate sorbet. Sounds weird, but it's great!

I guess I always assumed lunch and dinner here would be the same... but I didn't realize the dinner was so much better! I'll definitely be back.

• Pros: great menu, friendly service
• Cons: What are the drawbacks?

03/22/09

Mediocre at Best

by PsAndQs at Citysearch

I had lunch here yesterday and was bored to death by it. I had a ham & cheese panini with a salad that was overwhelmed by radicchio. The panini was cold and the cheese wasn't melted. It was edible, but I could have gotten the same thing anywhere for half the price.

• Pros: cloth napkins
• Cons: boring, uninspired cuisine

02/25/09

My favorite L.A. restaurant

by greenoaks at Citysearch

This is my favorite restaurant in L.A. I eat here for the high quality of the food and the friendly, low-key atmostphere. The food is fresh, the flavors distinct, the dishes creative without being pretentious. I have loved almost every dish I've tried, from the unusual pickle plate (always a little different each time I've had it) to the refreshing salads and the delicious, tender, succulent pork and lamb main or pasta courses which are so flavorful and satisfying. I frequently order one of the fish entrees and have always been happy with them. I always order a terrific bottle of wine which the helpful manager selects from their great wine list. The waiters are always friendly, and once you've been there a few times, they greet you by name, which I really appreciate. Although I am from one of the 'burbs, I make a point of coming to Ammo at least once a month. The chef, Julia Wolfson, is so creative; I always look forward to her new dishes, which she adds fairly regularly to the menu, so each visit holds a little surprise for the repeat diner.

• Pros: Consistently exceptional food, friendly, low-key atmosphere
• Cons: None

02/19/09

Gone Downhill

by TastyLikes at Citysearch

Definitely gone downhill. I'd heard so, but just got to experience it first-hand. Food is now kind of average. My partner's fish was barely edible.

Service has dipped below average: our waitress had a particularly sullen predisposition and either hid in the kitchen, or sat at the bar, leaving the busboy to respond to whatever requests we had during the course of the meal. Appeared only to open the bottles of wine.

All in all, Ammo has become just an average eatery in LA, albeit somewhat overpriced. It was pretty empty, so I suppose, we were not the only ones who have noticed the downward slide.

• Pros: I still kind of like the ambience.
• Cons: But the food and particularly the service, spoil it.

10/23/08

Fabulous Fresh Food Find

by kveldulf at Citysearch

This is a great place for unpretentious but elegant food, fine wine and excellent friendly service. Everything from the amuse bouche to the deserts is creative, fresh and, best of all, delicious. Try the pickle plate, the pork belly, the ravioli, the latest salad! Benni will help you with just the right wine to enjoy and add to the zest of your menu selection. Chef Julia Wolfson has brought new life and a bright light touch to Ammo - mangia!

10/16/08

It's back to basics at this no-frills Hollywood foodie find.

by Mar Yvette at Citysearch

You wouldn't know from the surrounding stretch of nondescript storefronts and post-production studios, but this Highland Avenue spot turns out some of the finest (and most refined) feasts in Los Angeles. Beyond the faded sign and enclosed sidewalk patio, the space--set with blonde wood tables, distressed leather chairs and shiny concrete floor--is simple, if not stark, yet calm even when it's full. Nearby industry types (of the blue jeans and polo shirt variety) file in for lunch, but as night falls, a steady stream of far-flung foodies, seasoned couples and a few yuppies here and there begins to filter in--that's when the leather booths beneath sienna-hued lights cast a warmth to the space not obvious in the light of day. Executive chef/owner Amy Sweeney is once again in charge of the kitchen after a brief but lauded run by chef Julia Wolfson. The New American cuisine still focuses on seasonal, organic ingredient but with a more simple, acessible approach. Starters include a seasonal soup of the day while "middle" options include pasta and pizza like the must-try cured salmon with creme fraiche. Main courses range from fresh seafood selections to the signature turkey meatloaf, a fall-apart smothered in a tomato-based sauce. As for dessert, take note: It's not merely a post-prandial afterthought here. From the DIY sundaes to the rice pudding with lemon gelee, the tastebud explosion is well worth the calories.

09/21/08

could definitely do better

by montyclift at Citysearch

Very nice what they've done with the space...elegant yet simple with lots of stylish wood and warmth and a cozy bar. Wish I could say the same for the rest of the restaurant. Everything else left us wanting more--more attention, more selection, more flavor! Limited wine by the glass selection (no merlot??), we were offered bread when we first sat down and that would pretty much be the last time we were treated to that extravagance. Add to that ,the water glass that never got refilled--I'm sorry, it might be a pet peeve of mine but it is as sure an indication of customer service as any when you have a water glass that stays bone dry for a good portion of your meal. And a waitress that never even bothered to check up on us. Simply put, no attention to detail.

For starters, we ordered the grilled octopus and what arrived was an impressive collection of string beans covering burnt, chewy baby octopus. Let's just say everyone commented on how "good" the beans were. When the attention focuses on the garnish, you know you're in trouble. Their more casual selections are called "middles", of which a good amount were pizzas. We ordered two of these to try and both had me yearning for California Pizza Kitchen. The Prosciutto San Daniel pizza was basically just a mound of arugula spread over flat bread and topped with prosciutto, with nothing tying it all together. The baby artichoke pizza was definitely better but again lacking in taste. Could someone please give this chef some garlic or onions or cheese or even tomato sauce? I am not trying to be sarcastic here--they were no better, and maybe worse, than those flat breads you get at Quizno's. Thank God, we fared better with the entree. The duck breast was fine (though small) and set upon a tasty lentil mix.

Overall, I think they are well meaning but there are just too many other restaurants in this price range that serve much tastier food, have better selections and have better service

• Pros: ambiance
• Cons: food for price, limited selection

09/02/08

YUMMY!!!

by winey1 at Citysearch

I hadn't been to Ammo in years although I only live a few blocks away, due to the fact that last time I was there it was not so great. I read a review in the Times a few weeks ago praising it so I thought why not give it another try? I"M SO GLAD I DID!!! I went last Saturday night and I loved everything about it. The ambience was great, the service was attentive, the food was to die for and the wine list was interesting. Our waiter was not only very knowledgable about the menu but made great suggestions as well. I love to try different wines from all over the world so I thought I would try a white they had on the list from Slovenia. The sommelier came over to tell us a little bit about the wine and he also was so knowledgable and friendly. The pasta was heavenly, the Sea Trout was sublime and the ice cream sandwiches for desert were decadent!!! Definitely will make it a neighborhood fav!!!!

• Pros: Great everything from the food to the wine to the music!!

08/18/08

Fresh ingredients, friendly staff, great music!

by deppy at Citysearch

I've been going to Ammo for years and had become a fanatic about their turkey meatloaf. It's yummy comfort food at its best! However on my most recent visit to Ammo, I was informed by our waitress that they were no longer serving the meatloaf at dinner! I didn't know what to order! After taking a look at the menu though, I realized that there were a ton of delicious sounding options.

So I ventured out of my comfort zone and ordered the heirloom tomato salad and the braised pork shoulder. The tomatoes were delicious and perfectly in-season. I'd heard that Ammo is know for their seasonal and local ingredients, and this was proof of that. The server told us that the tomatoes are grown just down the street in Ammo's garden! The burrata cheese served with the tomatoes was out of this world delicious. The braised pork was so tender that it practically melted in my mouth!

My date had ordered the baby lettuces salad that had an amazingly light yogurt and tahini dressing. She followed that up with the tasmanian sea trout...the previous reviewer is right....it's money!

The wine list is quite large, with a lot of wines that I was not familiar with. So we asked the waitress for a recommendation...we explained that we'd probably only get a glass each so she brought out a half bottle of chablis which was delicious.

After such an amazing meal, we couldn't leave without dessert even though we had a show to get to. So we ordered the bittersweet chocolate torte. It was dark and rich with the perfect balance of salty and sweet.

All in all, our experience was very good. The staff was all very friendly and unpretentious...I must have asked a million questions about the food and wine and she answered them all patiently. The music is great too....the playlists are all put together by the manager, a friendly Austrian guy, who excitedly told us all about one of the songs we asked about.

I can't wait to go back to try the hanger steak:)

• Pros: service, food, music, vibe
• Cons: none

08/15/08

excellent all around...

by thePROrager at Citysearch

great food, excellent service, fantastic wine, cozy setting.

we'll be going back really soon!!

Try the sea trout, tis money!

• Pros: the fish, they're all great.
• Cons: none