LA is full of places flaunting guest-lists and velvet ropes, so when you find a place that has a neighborhood feel, you gravitate towards it. Unfortunately, so do all the hipsters and scenesters. That’s the only downside, however, of The Village Idiot.
Located in the heart of the Melrose shopping district, The Village Idiot is the brainchild of a trio of experienced restaurateurs, and the menu is replete with odes to British pubs, with a section on “pies” such as steak and potato, and veggie. There’s a two legs, four legs and no legs section— with my favorites being the Pub Burger (four legs, moo!) and the fish and chips (no legs, getting the idea?).
The fish and chips is traditionally English, battered and fried, and unlike a lot of the products from an English chippie, the batter remains crisp and never gets soggy. The chips are thick and stand up well to ketchup and more importantly, vinegar, which is served with the dish.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. On the starters section of the menu, the absolute superstar is the Ale Steamed Mussels. Steamed in Bass Ale and served with garlic ‘mops’ which are really just golf-ball sized croutons. They are perfect for sharing but don’t be surprised if your friends casually slap your hand away from the last remaining mop.
It’s a little known fact that The Village Idiot also has once of the most extensive Bourbon menus in the city, so don’t be afraid to ask one of the bartenders for advice. My personal favorite, the Old Rip Van Winkle, a nice spicy treat, perfect on the rocks.
Reminiscent of a New York warehouse restaurant with exposed brick, wooden beams and an open air kitchen, it is perfect for people watching from one of the generously sized booths that line the massive floor to ceiling windows. This open air feel, however, can sometimes work against the location. It’s such a popular spot at night, and they don’t take reservations. As a result, the bar is often three to four deep, with bar patrons literally backing into couples eating dinner. I don’t know about you, but a stranger’s rear end in my face is not my idea of a good time.
So, to combat the, ahem, traffic, there are a number of things you can do. First, get there early enough to scope a seat at the bar. You’re guaranteed to make friends, either from those reaching past you to order, or from the fabulous group of bartenders, almost all of whom have been there since the beginning almost two years ago. Second, put your name on the list with the doorman for a spot in a booth. Hint: For dinner, they only seat completed parties, so text, call, or drag your friends into making sure they arrive on time, allowing you to score a prized booth spot, perfect for whiling away the night.
One last hint to make your trip worthwhile: There is a relatively reasonable valet, but park one block north, or south and take advantage of street parking. Wait! Forget I said that… I need a spot when I drop by.
The Village Idiot. 7383 Melrose Avenue. Los Angeles, CA. 323-655-3331
this place is cool…feels un LA, which is kind of cool
great write up. from the first time I went in there I said “if I owned a bar, this is what I would want it to be.” and glad to here that the fish and chips gets the Brit seal of approval – I’ve had them several times and loved!
the one thing you didn’t mention is their wine list which is actually pretty good. I nice, well-rounded, eclectic mix of wines by the glass from all over the world – commendable.
What a cool name for a restaurant! I can’t wait to try this out when I get to L.A. Thanks for this write-up. btw, I’ve given your blog the “One Lovely Blog” award (http://ow.ly/gHse). Keep up the great work!