Madera dissapoints with a tired Mediterranean menu

Good food seems to be the only thing missing from the quintessential night out in Hollywood. Brand new clubs boast velvet-roped lines of impressively chic young people. Franklin, Sunset and Vine, is packed with dimly lit bars filled with creative types whose names pop up on movie credits. What visitors and locals alike won’t easily find is a restaurant that serves up great food and lively ambience without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, new addition Madera Kitchen is no exception.

 

Madera Kitchen opened its doors this past March in the middle of Hollywood directly off of the Cahuenga exit on the Northbound 101. Managed by the brunch experts behind Solar de Cahuenga, Madera Kitchen offers a tired Mediterranean menu that somehow manages to mess up dishes most people would have to try not to ace.

In what used to be a Hollywood nightclub, Madera’s main dining room is huge with high herringbone wood ceilings and seating for well over 60. The décor makes a huge effort to be cool; curated art in trying-to-be-funky flea market frames line the gray walls and turn the vintage industrial vibe into a shade of obvious pretentiousness that can only be noticed once customers realize that their party is the only one dining in the restaurant — save for a few lonely souls at the bar. Madera has a pretty and simple outdoor seating area, but customers will have a hard time getting past the glaring emptiness that marks the sign of a disappointing restaurant.

If customers are able to find street parking on any of the strip-mall-lined streets they get to avoid valet, but if sitting in rush hour traffic on the 101 is already more than enough car time, it is $5 to park right in front of the restaurant. A bored-looking collection of staff mills about the host’s computer waiting for someone to straggle in and hopefully order more than one drink. Once seated, no reservation necessary, customers are brought complimentary flatbreads and their choice of purified, bottled or sparkling water.

Upon first glance at the menu, it’s clear that though locally sourced, its conception was more a chore than a labor of love. Divided into “Meat, Cheese & Bread,” “Share Plates,” “Pasta,” “Flatbreads,” and “Entrees,” uninspired listings like Pasta Pappardelle and Skirt Steak hardly impress.

Since menu offerings aren’t far from what customers could make in their own kitchens, staff assistance is not necessary when choosing the courses to fill the meal.

However dull the menu might look, the appetizers offered under “Meat, Cheese & Bread” don’t actually taste that bad. While there is no culinary genius here, and certainly not any engaging flavor, the appetizers are edible and satisfying even amid the quiet of the empty restaurant. The Smoked Prosciutto ($13)  was far from excellent, but it was flavorful, and though too sweet, the arugula salad was fresh. The Pork Meatballs ($8) from “Share Plates,” were warm and filling and make for a great appetizer or main course since they are the best dish on the menu.

If consuming a large amount of starches very quickly while pairing them with a boring wine list doesn’t sound appetizing, the only non-carb based choices are under “Share Plates” or “Entrees.” Unfortunately for chef and patron alike, the Roasted Half Chicken ($23) is way too rich and totally overpriced for the conservative cut of chicken and greasy sliced potatoes that come soaked in sauce.

The Buckwheat Tagliatelle ($14) tastes like the cooks placed leftover pasta and veggies in a pan, fried it together until it got crispy (note: this dish should not be crispy) and sprinkled Parmesan on top. While the dish boasts locally sourced ingredients, they cannot be discerned underneath the greasy, overcooked pasta piled in an unappetizing heap on a semi-warm plate.

To Madera Kitchen’s credit, they might still be learning to walk, and, with the lack of foot traffic in the area, unable to gain enough patronage to really stretch the kitchen’s legs. If Madera Kitchen keeps serving up food like that to a completely empty dining room, however, it won’t make it to a year in the competitive L.A. restaurant scene.

Madera Kitchen is open Sunday through Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. The menu is moderately priced, and  a two-course dinner for three, including two beers and one glass of wine, came out to be $98 before tax. Madera Kitchen is also open for brunch as well as happy hour, though no meal besides dinner can be served on the pretty patio overlooking the bustling and urban Hollywood street.