Tam O’ Shanter LA

I’m somewhat of a history nerd. No matter what the topic is I will always want to know the history behind it, and the same goes for food especially when it’s a new restaurant or cuisine that I’ve never had before. I recently was invited to check out one of Los Angeles’ oldest restaurants (founded in 1922 and still operated by the same family in the same location) Tam O’ Shanter LA for a tasting of their new fall menu with their new executive chef Juan Escamilla, and let me just tell you this place was buzzing with history! The moment I arrived to the restaurant I felt like I had been transported back in time to an old English (or Scottish) pub. The ambiance was warm, cozy, and inviting with flags and family tartans hanging on the wall. It was medieval and old world in a sense. There was a huge bar with a plethora of alcoholic choices especially that good old whiskey, and the staff was very warm and inviting.I do need to disclose that this was a private dinner (fancy, I know) so I didn’t get to experience the “true” dining experience, but I will say that from the few moments I spent at the bar before the dinner service; I could tell the patrons were really enjoying themselves and their food.                                                                                                                       Photo: LA Weekly

Before I get to the food I want to tell you about something that I found really cool about the restaurant. Walt Disney was a huge fan of Tam O’ Shanter and was a regular visitor so much so that they designated a table, “Table 31″ (pictured above) just for him. You can book the table in advance, and if you glance down on the table top you will see some of his etchings that the restaurant managed to preserve. Another cool fact, is that this also were the seven dwarfs lived for the movie! Pretty neat, right?! 

Okay now on to the food! Meet the man behind the fall menu, the new executive chef Juan Escamilla. It was great listening to Chef Juan speak on the dishes that he was serving that night, and why he chose to pair certain options together. He comes from a great background where he was the head butcher at Union in Pasadena, the chef de cuisine at LaMill, and spent a few years in various positions at Bouchon in Beverly Hills. Needless to say he has brought a somewhat modern touch to Tam O’ Shanter’s, and you can expect more modern dishes other than their classic Prime Rib. We started off the dinner with their new signature cocktail, “Table 31” named after you guessed it…Walt Disney! This drink was inspired by Walt and was made to be something similar to what he would have ordered back in the day when he would come to dine. Think of it as an Old Fashioned, very similar.Next we went on to the cheese course. There were so many different meat and cheeses coming from all over the state of California, and I found them to be quite delectable. I love cheese courses and this did not disappoint! These steak hors d’oeuvres were also a favorite of mine. The meat was tender, and I really liked the horseradish sauce on top. It gave it a nice kick.The first course of our meal was the Braised Endive Salad. In the salad was candied walnuts, pickled raisins, ricotta salata, and a sherry vinaigrette. This was the perfect “winter” salad for me. It had everything I would expect to see in a winter salad, and was hearty but not over filling.For the entree, we dined on the Braised Volcano Lamb Shank. I love lamb shank. I think it is a beautiful cut of meat, and when they brought it out I was really impressed. The lamb was served with red cabbage and mashed potatoes. I was missing a little seasoning on the lamb and the mashed potatoes (I wish it had more) so for me the true star of the dish was the red cabbage. There was so much flavor in the cabbage, it almost made up for the seasoning I missed on the lamb and potatoes.Last but certainly not least, my favorite part of a meal DESSERT! I absolutely loved this dessert that Chef Juan came up with! It was the Traditional Gingerbread served with lemon curd and vanilla ice cream, and it tasted like the holidays all in one bite! You know how when you take a bite of something, and are instantly transported back to a fond childhood memory? Well that’s what happened when I ate this dessert. I instantly thought back to making ginger bread houses as a kid, drinking hot chocolate, and eating vanilla ice cream. The gingerbread was moist and packed with flavor and the lemon curd really brightened up the dish. I really enjoyed my time at Tam O’Shanter . It’s definitely a place that I recommend everyone visit at least once, if not more. The atmosphere and staff was so warm and inviting, and the new dishes that Chef Juan is putting out are really great! And for those of you who have been here before and come because of the old classics…those are still available to! 🙂

Address: 2980 Los Feliz Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90039

Phone: 323.664.0228

Hours: Ale & Sandwich Bar-Daily:  11 am – 12 am/Dinner: Mon – Thur:  5 – 9 pm, Friday:  5 – 10 pm
Saturday:  4 – 10 pm, Sunday:  4 – 9 pm/Brunch: Saturdays & Sundays: 10:30 am – 2:30 pm/ Happy Hour: Monday-Friday 4 – 7 pm