ONE SUNSET | dinner

Yes, yes, it's true. Meant to write about this one eons ago. But it's still on the mind, so I thought I'd finally get around to it.

The better part of a month ago, a group of friends and I decided to take advantage of a foodie tradition in Fire City known as Restaurant Week. It's a misnomer, really, as this year's Restaurant Week (which historically lasts a fortnight) actually lasted an entire month. God bless the recession and desperate chefs citywide!

Restaurant Week features some of the best eateries in the city offering prix fixe menus at reduced prices for those who like to scale up when masticating but don't like to part with their hard-earned. Well, I am among that number. So I made a schedule of places to go and things to eat, detailed by cuisine and price, with the intent to eat out at least twice per week for the entire month-long affair.

Alas. Not even this foodie could spare the cash. Luckily, ONE SUNSET was one of the first stops on my still-uncompleted schedule (which, for the record, will remain unfinished indefinitely), so we did make it there, at least. Funny story, though--we didn't do the Restaurant Week menu. Realising upon arrival that we could upgrade for a mere $10 (bringing the meal-sans-drinks total to $45) to the Chef's Tasting Menu, we did that. And boy, what a treat.

From the sweet potato fries to the mac & cheese to the beet salad to the Angus beef sliders (yeah, I didn't eat those--but I did get my own salmon slider, compliments of the chef) to the mushroom flatbread to the fabulous desserts (creme brulee, blueberry bread pudding & red velvet cupcakes!) everything was great. Our server was kind and knowledgeable--and obviously good at her job, seeing as she upgraded us against our intentions--and the ambiance was classy without being pretentious. Perhaps that's because we went on a Thursday night instead of the high-volume Friday or Saturday scenester's dining time. But we were the better for it. Good food was elevated to great thanks to the entire atmosphere of the place. I've already recommended the joint to several friends, none of whom have left hungry or disgruntled, so I say one point to ONE SUNSET. You're not too shabby at all.

the place: 8730 W Sunset Blvd 90069 - (310) 657-0111
the taste: American with a mock-Asian twist.
in five: 3.5/5 (for the fusion factor--you can't score a four if you serve Asian fusion, sorry)

dine out: http://www.onelittlewest12.com/sunset/