Rush Street Part Deux

So, I wrote about Rush Street a month or so ago. For a quick refresher, it's this uber yummy Gastro Pub in Culver City with amazing food and awesome menu items. I follow them on Twitter, and they often have cool deals and prizes for us loyal customers. I received a $30 gift card from them, and so I headed down there with Melissa to right by them.

Of course, on a Friday night, with a Lakers Game (We WON BTW!) Rush Street was a big huge crowd of wait. Reservations could have helped in this instance. So, while we waited for our table, we went over to the Culver Hotel for drinks.

I had never been to the Culver Hotel, but I've walked past it at least 20 times. It's that weird triangle shaped hotel on the corner by the movie theater. You know the one.

They have a small hotel bar, with pretty ridiculously expensive drinks, but I figured one couldn't hurt. Melissa and I both got a Caipirinha, which were really delicious, despite the $12 price tag.

When we mozied on over back to Rush Street our table was ready and we got a nice spot outside under a heat lamp.

Last time I really enjoyed their hummus, so Melissa and I split it. I also learned something pretty cool. Rush Street changes their menu with the seasons, so the stuff they use is always in season, and ripe and fresh and tasting as best as possible. Last time the hummus was eggplant, and this time it was Sun-Dried tomato.

For dinner, I chose the nightly special of a Prime Strip Steak, with the most amazing mashed potatoes I've probably ever had, and broccolini, drizzled with an amazing peppercorn sauce.

The steak was cooked to a nice medium rare, a nice warm pink center, and tender beyond belief. Melissa, being probably the most indecisive person ever, couldn't pick between her safe standard Turkey Burger, or pretty much anything else, and went with the burger. I had a bite, it was insanely nummy, so I think her pick was warranted. BTW, their pickles are house made and marinated in GINGER! They are sweet and spicy, and unlike anything you have probably ever had. I also maybe tasted some cardamon but I wasn't sure. Be sure to try them if you go.

She also upgraded her shoestring fries to the uber amazing truffle fries with asiago cheese. Try these for sure if you're any kind of french fry connoisseur.

She was very happy with her choices.

As was I.


The night ended without dessert, although I'm sure both of us secretly wanted to devour everything on the menu.

So thank you Rush Street, AGAIN, for an amazingly awesome meal, and just all around foodie experience. I heart you!

Rush Street

I have about a million things to blog, and I'm home relaxing after a particularly long day at the dentist, getting a cleaning and a chipped veneer fixed, so I figured, no time like the present.

Last weekend while I was in LA, I met up with Chaz, a Foodie friend of mine for dinner. Chaz is such a foodie, he was actually in a commercial where he IS the food. (Insert Shameless Promotion here.) He hasn't been in the blog yet just because we haven't really hung out in forever, so we had to make up for it by going to somewhere super awesome. Plus he read my blog about the crazy Chinese restaurant and figured this would be a nice change of pace.


We had reservations at 6:45, at Rush Street in Culver City, a new Gastropub, which basically means a bar that serves "fancy food". If you want to, you can follow them on Twitter, they offer really awesome deals and discounts, plus lots of food porn twitpics to gander at.


They have a great beer list, with tons of awesome stuff I'd never even heard of. I'm not the hugest beer drinker, so I just got a Corona, but Chaz opted for the Old Speckle Hen. Here he is showing you the lovely cascade.


Chaz started off with the Tataki Nachos.


Wonton "Chips" topped with Asian Cabbage Slaw, Avocado and Seared Ahi. I am allergic to most seafoods and usually just stay clear, but Chaz seemed to enjoy these very much.


I decided to start with their Eggplant Hummus.

It was a much smaller portion of any hummus I've ever gotten, but it was so unbelievably insane and tasty, it didn't even matter. It came topped with a sweet pomegranate molasses and toasted pine nuts. The hummus itself was smooth and creamy, with a surprising spiciness, yet the interesting combination of the molasses calmed it a bit and made it very enjoyable. The "pita chips" it came with were flash fried, so they were crispy on the outside with enough firmness for dipping, yet soft in the middle. An instant favorite and worth the trip alone.

For our meals, Chaz went with the Lamb Shank, served on top a bed of cous cous.


I got a little bite, and the meat was fall off the bone tender, juicy, and very flavorful.


I have an affinity for fancy burgers, so I decided to try their Dry Aged Burger, cooked medium, served with the cutest shoestring fries and topped with Applewood smoked bacon, arugula, cheddar, shoestring onions and confire sauce. Usually I get all bratty and special order the hell out of it, but I figured what the hell this time and got it as is. Very Good!

On the side were these house made pickles that we're too sour, or briny, but just enough to give it some kick. They reminded me a lot of the juniper marinated onions at Absinthe.

Being the gluttons we are, Chaz and I decided to check out the dessert menu, and then order the Red Velvet Cake off of it.

It's got White and Dark Chocolate Ganache in between layers of the freaking thickest cake I think I've ever had. It was decadent and sinful and we didn't finish it at all, but oh man was it good.

For all of you out there in Southern California, make sure you follow these guys on Twitter. Right now if you can find Patrick, one of their oldest bussers (hes the guy with the cute white mustache) and take a picture of him, then twitpic it, they will send you a $30 giftcard! Seeing as my meal was $38, that's a pretty sweet deal.