Henrietta Review: A Casually Excellent Neighborhood Restaurant | Eater LA

"A casually excellent neighborhood restaurant-market in Echo Park, this spot pairs a welcoming posture with a winning menu of accessible modern Californian dishes, making it great for a casual date or low-key dinner. Start with the unusual persimmon and avocado salad with endive and red onion; the blend of sweet, bitter, sharp, and rich isn’t wholly intuitive but really works, with ingredients layered so you can scoop a little of each and buttermilk dressing smoothing the spikier edges. Distinctly unphotogenic ricotta dumplings—oblong beige lumps in a brownish broth—make up for their homeliness with comforting depth; the wrappers are pleasingly toothsome, and I’d accept the server’s recommendation to get grilled bread to sop up the broth. Striped bass arrives with crispy skin and equally crispy sunchoke shavings over a bed of green chile sauce; the char plays well with the hearty fish and the contrasting textures yield fun bites. The room feels warm and comfortable with a vintage bent—a stylish mishmash of posters and photos covers an alcove and plates look like your grandmother’s without the stains and chips—and evenings buzz with couples and friends or even a small company holiday dinner; it gets crowded but not chaotic. Beyond dinner, it doubles as a market with curated food gifts; owner Max Lesser is especially proud of the tea selection, including local Flowerhead and a few special jars from Bellocq Teas in Brooklyn, which you can also order as an after-dinner sip." - Ben Mesirow