Experience Modern-Casual Dining with Granville WeHo

Airy and open floor plan makes dining at Granville WeHo a treat (Photo:Ruksana Hussain)

All of the comfort, none of the guilt is the motto at Granville and they put that to full effect at their West Hollywood location for sure. Sunday brunch at their Beverly Blvd. venue is a comfy cool affair at your own pace. The large space, airy ambience and open floor plan provide a great vibe for relaxation and a fun time with family and friends. At noon, they were already filling up with neighborhood regulars and first timers (like me) alike dining on some of their globally inspired menu. 

Village mimosa and black cherry craft soda were the drinks du jour (Photo:Ruksana Hussain)

Here’s what we opted for: Black cherry craft soda and village mimosa, followed by the village burger and spicy chicken plate, and ending with their banana bruleé brownie. And that was after a lot of deliberation because their menu card will want you eyeing something from every category that they have. There is certainly a mix of offerings and surely something for everyone. I was especially impressed with their variety in sides – most places offer sides almost as an afterthought and here they had at least ten options with provisions for vegetarians and vegans too! ​Not only is the service here impeccable but also the food. If the minimal yet classy décor doesn’t already impress, pretty much anything heading out of the kitchen does too. I think I ogled with envy at every plate heading out for service, and was curious to see a wide range in favorites from what was being ordered. Granville definitely garners a crowd that likes the myriad menu items available and knows how to keep that clientele heading back. 

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(Photo:Ruksana Hussain)

Some of the menu items I would have loved to try include the eggs in a nest and hotcakes from their brunch, poblano quinoa and branzino from the larger menu, and the lickety split from the desserts (now you know I will be heading back). Our drinks were fresh made - the mimosa had fresh orange juice and the craft soda was delish. I love trying the signature burger or sandwich where available as a sort of standard measure of the food anywhere. So the village burger with brioche bun and non-gmo grass fed beef was great. The winner for me was the arugula with the onion, tomato and aioli on the burger as well as the thick cut fries. The departure from the usual lettuce leaf was nice. I just think burgers should always be served with thick cut fries so not having to ask separately for that was a plus in my book.

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Now the peri peri chicken was a surprise. Its listed as the spicy chicken plate though I wouldn’t call it spicy so much as just a tad bit of a kick really. I am from India – spicy takes on a whole other meaning in our cuisine. But that’s not to say the dish wasn’t in and of itself a great choice. The chicken breast comes grilled and drenched (in a very good way) in peri peri sauce, accompanied by lemon cous cous with toasted almonds and currants, and a red wine slaw. In my head, I assumed this would turn out all combined in a bowl presentation but it was actually laid out separately on a long plate. I like that because I can then enjoy the individual flavors of each part of the meal. The lemon cous cous was refreshing – something about that mix of almonds and currants and green onions made it just the right amount of crunchy and soft and salty and sweet. I am by no means a cous cous connoisseur but this a good one hands down. The peri peri and the slaw together provided equal amounts temperature and tanginess to balance out the flavors. Also this is a pretty solid portion though it looks small the way it is presented.

Cous cous, chicken and slaw for the spicy chicken plate (Photo:Ruksana Hussain)

Thick cut fries were the bomb, I take my fries pretty serious. (Photo:Ruksana Hussain)

Last but not least, the bruleé banana brownie was a neat twist on the regular. I’ve had banana chocolate bread but never a brownie so the subtle flavor change was a welcome surprise. Overall, this was a great Sunday brunch date and I’d love to go back to introduce more friends to Granville. I also noticed they have a cool event space/room for larger planned group parties – might be considering that for a future do! And plenty of street parking all around with valet available as well if you were wondering – I know parking can be a hassle in this city so it is nice to have options. 
 
Definitely visit the restaurant if you haven’t already. They have many vegan, gluten free and vegetarian options on the menu so a group with different dietary preferences can easily be accommodated here without too much trouble. Their corner location with multiple windows and see through roof makes for a bright, naturally lit dining spot – perfect for enjoying California summers. And if a full meal isn’t on your agenda then the cozy bar area is as good a spot to grab one of their handcrafted cocktails. 

​Speaking of cocktails, Granville is now serving up its handcrafted Medicina Cocktail, featuring El Silencio Mezcal, honey syrup, ginger and lime, through the end of August - $2.00 from every Medicina Cocktail ordered will support Cedars-Sinai and the Board of Governors in helping to make revolutionary strides in regenerative medicine. There’s a good cocktails for a cause scenario to contribute to and feel great about!
 
Granville also has locations in Burbank, Studio City and Glendale, with a Pasadena location coming up soon so clearly you don’t have to go too far in any direction without stopping by. I highly recommend a visit to this neighborhood gem, would love to hear your experience.

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The Medicina Cocktail (Photo:provided)