The Secret Is Out: 7 Menu Items Everyone Needs to Know About
July 9, 2018 — 5 Minute Read
Hidden behind the kitchen doors of some of our favorite West Hollywood eateries are secret plates. These dishes are only for those-in-the-know, the diners with the inside scoop.
From Lobster BLT sandwiches to haute burgers with truffle oil, from Wagyu beef cuts to creative cookies––we are here to give you the details on all the secret menu items around the neighborhood. Go forth, and don’t miss one single bite.
Connie and Ted’s
This iconic, New England-inspired eatery will celebrate five years in business this summer. In honor of the occasion, Executive Chef Samuel Baxter has created a lineup of five, ‘secret menu’ dishes. His Pink Chowda is a blend of New England and Manhattan clam chowder, super creamy and packed with fresh seafood. There’s a Spicy Clam Roll with breaded, lightly fried clam strips, topped with a house-made spicy mayo and a side of chilled coleslaw. And finally, he’s got two secret lobster specials––a Lobster BLT sandwich with vine-ripened, thick slices of tomato and a Lobster Poutine, celebrating the crazy, Canadian staple of thick-cut French fries, covered in warm gravy with fresh lobster meat.
Shake Shack
The New York City burger chain has a huge following here in West Hollywood, and they’ve added a secret menu selection for summer––all centering around the smoke and char of an old-fashioned barbecue. Request the Smoked Cheddar BBQ Bacon Burger, the BBQ Cheddar & Bacon Griddled Chick’n, or the BBQ Bacon Cheese Fries. You definitely won’t see these listed on the menu, but you can ask for them when you order.
Cecconi's
Cecconi’s is celebrating truffle season with a decadent, four-course white truffle “off-menu menu” until the end of the year.
Priced at $195/person, the menu features dishes like egg yolk and ricotta raviolo, table-side pecorino-bowl risotto, Dover sole and wagyu beef in truffle jus – each generously sprinkled with shavings of white truffles flown in from Italy twice/week. Even desserts like truffle honey gelato and biscotti showcase the ’shrooms. Guests can opt for the off-menu menu until the end of white truffle season in late December.
Night + Market
Asia is the kingdom of delicious mashup menu items and at this eatery, the secret fried chicken sandwich is becoming a new cult classic.
Kris Yenbamroong takes a Thai approach, using chicken thighs fried in a northern style with the skin on. He then tops them with a spicy, vinegar-forward Som Tum papaya slaw, tomato, jalapenos, and fresh cilantro. The kicker is the house-made ranch dressing. This sandwich is offered at lunch and as an off-menu item at dinner, only at the West Hollywood location.
Catch
This year, several New York restauranteurs have brought their concepts west. Catch is one of the most exciting east-coast openings in the neighborhood, and they’ve got an insider-only dish called Wagyu Beef on the Rock. A sizzling rock arrives at the table, and perfectly thin, delicious slices of marinated wagyu are presented for you to sear. It takes seconds before the entire restaurant is perfumed with the scent. Ultra-luxe Korean BBQ, anyone?
Petrossian
There are a lot of crazy poutine preparations out there, but none so fancy as the Caviar Poutine at Petrossian. It’s one of the most memorable dishes in all of Los Angeles, and must be tried to be believed. Think of it as a billionaire’s fish & chips, where the artisan potatoes are laden with crème fraiche and sprinkled with red and green onions. The apex is three types of caviar.
E.P. & L.P.
This gorgeous rooftop has an equally stunning fried chicken sandwich on the menu. People love it. It’s no secret. However, savvy locals always ask for the spicy rendition. This off-the-menu preparation features a house-made habanero sauce that will set your tongue on fire––in the best possible way. It’s further topped with romaine and house mayo and is served on a buttered bun. Make sure you order a cocktail at the same time to wash it down.