Update 1:
With how delicious our meals were on our previous visits thanks to Chef-Owners Liz Johnson and Will Aghajanian, and Chefs Brittany Ha and Lee Pallerino, I couldn’t wait to return.
Burrata with Fried Artichoke and Fava Beans:
Just another fantastic, seemingly simple dish that belies its deliciousness and level of execution. The Fava Beans were plump and earthy and vegetal, then you got wonderful bits of Fried Artichoke mixed with Fresh Burrata Cheese, so creamy and cooling. There was some fantastic Extra Virgin Olive Oil used here, so fragrant and light. 
In a thoughtful touch (and to show the level of care), our server asked if we wanted some Bread with the dish. Yes, please! Out comes some piping hot, lightly toasted Bub and Grandma’s Country Bread. The freshly heated / toasted nature made all the difference (and the quality Bread itself of course). Perfect to eat with the creamy Burrata, Fava Beans and sop up the EVOO. 
Hotel Nacional (Champagne Rested Rum, Pineapple, Lime, Apricot, Velvet Falurnum, Bitters):
As excellent as before. Just a refreshing, tropical, easy sipping Cocktail to start the evening.
Insalata Verde:
It is always amazing to see their Insalata Verde. Notice how pristine every single Farmers Market Lettuce leaf is (see above)! 
It’s like this every time. It just shows the level of attention and care from Chef Liz Johnson and team.
Ricotta Ravioli with Spinach and Fiore Sardo:
Their new Housemade Pasta is delicious! I always enjoy a great Ravioli dish and here we have creamy Ricotta filling with this incredible Spinach preparation. It’s satisfying, mouth-watering and the plate disappeared in minutes.
Tagliarini with Asparagus, Basil, and Bottarga:
Another new Housemade Pasta dish for the season. The combination of Asparagus, fragrant Basil and beautifully briny Bottarga combined to make one of the tastiest Pasta dishes we’ve had in a long while. They are making some of our favorite Pasta dishes locally and they aren’t even a Pasta Specialist. Excellent. (@BradFord @ipsedixit @paranoidgarliclover @A5KOBE @chienrouge and all)
Dark Chocolate Tart with Milk Sorbet:
Pastry Chef Hannah Grubba continues to amaze. Ultra-rich, decadent Dark Chocolate, but it’s not overwhelming. Just a beautiful Cacao wave hits the palate in every bite. The Milk Sorbet is a great pairing to balance out the richness.
7th Visit:
Smoked Salmon Lavash with Cress:
I think this is even more incredible than the first time we tried it. A lovely Smoked Salmon is placed on Housemade Lavash Bread, so light and airy, it pairs well with the Housemade Labneh and the bright, Spring-like Watercress. The result is this confluence of flavors that is just an outstanding bite of textures and flavors combined into a stellar starter!
Horses Caesar:
Really one of the mainstays and definite “Must Try” dishes when you visit Horses. Chef Liz Johnson’s reimagining of the traditional Caesar Salad is just as good as our previous visits. I love the use of Endive and the Mimolette Cheese. The Toasted Breadcrumbs (instead of giant Croutons) just helps to add the crunchiness without it being cumbersome and it makes sure that every bite of the Horses Caesar has a satisfying crunch.
Hand Cut Steak Tartare:
Just as perfectly balanced as before! This might be one of my favorite Steak Tartare dishes in the city, easily.
Veal Sweetbreads with Frisee and Capers:
Crispy, creamy, very approachable for those that aren’t used to Sweetbreads, but also exceedingly satisfying.
Cornish Game Hen with Warm Dandelion Panzanella:
Still spot on, juicy, moist Cornish Game Hen, a nice preparation and huge! Enough for 2 people. 
Butcher’s Steak Grilled Over Vine Cuttings with Celeriac Dauphinois and Watercress:
There’s a wonderful beefiness in this dish still, and my favorite part might be the amazing Celeriac Dauphinois. It’s like Scalloped Potatoes, but elevated, and just satisfying.
Cheeseburger and Fries:
We took some friends here on this visit, and everyone at the table literally groaned when we each took a bite of Chef Liz Johnson and team’s Cheeseburger! Their house blend of American Wagyu Beef + Short Rib + Sirloin cooked to a perfect medium-rare, is crazy juicy, luscious, and perfectly seasoned! The Poppy Seed Bun and Raw White Onion just balance it out. One of the best Burgers in the city right now and worth every penny.
Pistachio Stracciatella Ice Cream with Mint:
It was inevitable, with the warming Summer months, here we have Pastry Chef Hannah making a new Housemade Ice Cream, Pistachio Stracciatella with Mint! So you got this nutty, chocolatey, minty bite of heaven! Yes! Do not miss this. (@ipsedixit @BradFord @Sgee @js76wisco and all!)
Sheep’s Milk Cheesecake with Poached Rhubarb:
One of the Horses classics, just an amazing Cheesecake, made with Sheep’s Milk, no less, showing Pastry Chef Hannah Grubba’s excellence. The Poached Rhubarb is such a great pairing.
Tiramisu:
At a certain point, you have to stop and wonder how this seemingly kick-back restaurant is churning out so many hits. It is nothing short of amazing. We haven’t had one Dessert (or dish) that we didn’t like. Here, we have what might be the greatest Tiramisu being served right now in the City of Angels. The Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder, Marzipan, the creaminess is all there, but then you get that crunch! Chef Hannah’s brilliant move to use Cocoa Nibs Brittle in the center of this. You get this textural surprise and it makes all the difference.
8th Visit:
Insalata Verde:
(New) Liz’s Long Island:
Ah yes, the Long Island Ice Tea. That “special” Cocktail from your college years that normally seems to be designed to get you as hammered as fast as possible. 
But not so here! Horses Bar Team have created Liz’s Long Island, a homage to Chef Liz Johnson and her favorite variation on this classic Cocktail. Here, there’s fresh Pineapple Juice, and a Housemade Pineapple Gum Syrup to really concentrate the fresh Pineapple Fruit. There are also a few other modifications and the end result is an absolutely delicious, light, summery Tropical Cocktail (instead of the hammer that is the standard Long Island Ice Tea).
Boudin Basque with Fried Hen’s Egg:
Taking a bite, I understand why this is Chef Liz Johnson’s recommended dish to get at Horses. Breaking into the perfectly Fried Egg (look at the color of that yolk!), the Boudin Blood Sausage is nothing like the usual minerally, iron-y versions found in many places. It’s unctuous, fatty, porky, and so delicious! It’s like a Breakfast Sausage Patty, and the Egg and seared crisp Potato bottom. It is breakfast on a plate.
Hotel Nacional (Champagne Rested Rum, Pineapple, Lime, Apricot, Velvet Falurnum, Bitters):
Pappardelle with Saffron and Speck:
First, the visuals are just gorgeous. You’re reminded of one of the beautiful aspects that Saffron imparts (color) with this new Pasta dish at Horses. Taking a bite:
Outstanding. So fragrant and herbal in a way that only Saffron can affect. The creaminess, the wonderful, toothsome Handmade Pappardelle, and then the porcine note of Speck running throughout. Just another satisfying comfort dish.
(New) Pork Chop Milanese with Haricots Vert Remoulade:
This was another wonderful new dish on the menu. Crunchy, deep fried Breaded Pork Chop that was like a Pork Schnitzel reveals a juicy, lush center. I actually loved their OG Grilled Pork Chop more, but this was nice. The Haricots Vert Remoulade was a nice creamy accompaniment to the Milanese.
(New) Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet with Lambrusco:
Another fantastic Dessert to end the evening, Pastry Chef Hannah’s new Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet (no dairy) yields the essence of Summer in a cup. Those Strawberries taste so amazing that you might think they are just Harry’s Berries Organic Gaviota Strawberries ground up. The Rhubarb is a brilliant addition, not only a classic pairing, but here, chilled in Sorbet form, it balances out the sweetness just enough. The Lambrusco poured over the Dessert just adds a fun fizzy element.
It was a relief and pure joy to see Horses continue to be as consistently great as our previous visits. Over the course of 8+ visits, what the kitchen staff is creating is just this approachable, fantastic, elevated comfort food that is executed on another level. It’s not just a dish with better ingredients. It’s something more.
What Chef-Owners Liz Johnson and Will Aghajanian and team are doing is something to be celebrated. Add in the front of the house management and friendly staff helmed by GM Terence Leavey, and you have this fun, warm, welcoming environment that makes the outstanding dishes even more enjoyable. There’s nothing quite like Horses in L.A.
Horses
7617 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
