THE HENRY
BILLED AS “THE GREATEST NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT”

Who’s a fan of modesty these days? Do you even want modesty when it comes to your local neighborhood restaurant and bar or do you want bravado—dare I say arrogance?  Well, The Henry, newcomers along trendy Robertson Boulevard, is billing itself as “the greatest neighborhood restaurant.”

That’s a bold statement. And judging from a first glance, the redo they did to the former Newsroom space is impressive and somewhat staggering as the interior is beautiful. The look of the place, including its outdoor patio is swank. It is quite the lovely location.

While I found the cocktail program to be far from “the greatest”, honestly, I would have been happy with average as the drinks disappointed. You’re better off ordering a simple libation like their Classic Boulevardier, which is solid, or stick to beer and wine, and here’s the best drinking tip I can offer, walk the 100 feet to nearby Bibo Ergo Sum—one of the best cocktail bars in the area let alone the block.

So, as you walk into The Henry and you’re immediately impressed with its inviting and welcoming look and vibe, make yourself comfortable, order a Boulevardier or glass of wine and take in the ambience before you indulge yourself.

If you’re feeling like you want to really treat yourself well, start with the Black Truffle Cheese Fondue served with warm salted soft pretzels. Oh my God! I can’t really describe it any better than that. This is obviously a sharable dish but everyone in your group will love it. And if they don’t, honestly, rethink that relationship.

If you want a healthy starter, go with the Spring Vegetable Crudités with crunchy, raw local vegetables with whipped tahini, and orange Aleppo pepper vinaigrette. Otherwise the Short Rib Potstickers with toasted sesame, mizuna, and ponzu is a good go-to, as is the White Truffle Parmesan Fries with truffle aioli if you want to keep things simple and savory.

Another menu winner is the Rotisserie French Dip with emmental cheese, horseradish aioli, and charred onion jus. Choose between turkey or prime rib. Um, yeah, go for the prime rib. Duh!

Favorite entrees of ours included the Black Truffle Risotto with crispy poached egg, kale, baby asparagus, and fried sunchoke. It is delicious!

Likewise, the Korean Prime Skirt Steak with double egg fried rice, snap pea, bok choy, picked shitake, mint, cilantro, and ginger is a crowd pleaser. It’s the fried rice that makes this dish standout so save yourself nearly $25 and order the $7 Spicy Double Egg Fried Rice side instead. You may even want to order one to go. It’s that good.

Another wonderful side item not to be overlooked is the Cauliflower” Polenta” as it’s just so damn pleasing.

And save room for dessert as they are pretty spot-on at The Henry. You can’t go wrong with the Peanut Butter Moelleux with dark chocolate cake, salted peanut, caramel, and peanut butter gelato, or the Chocolate & Banana Ganache with caramelized banana, candied walnut, and vanilla bean crémeux. Surprisingly, the Vegan Coconut & Pineapple Trifle with coconut mousse, roasted pineapple, sesame crumble, and lime sorbet was stellar. The only dessert that didn’t “wow” me was the Blueberry Hand Pie with lemon mascarpone and cornbread ice cream, which I was really excited about so go figure.

With locations in Phoenix and Dallas (opening very soon), The Henry gets it right with its hospitality and chic factor. The food is legit and you’ll be hard pressed not to have a good time. Relax. Indulge. Enjoy.

The Henry is located at 120 N. Robertson Blvd. Open daily for breakfast from 7am to 11am with weekend brunch from 9am to 3pm. Lunch is served from 11:30am to 3pm and dinner is from 4pm to close. Call 424-204-1595.

Story by: Jose Martinez

Photography Courtesy of: The Henry