Came here for DineLA 20 $ prefix meal I am very sad that this place closed. Staff was great and a such a great lcoation.
Harry T.
Tu valoración: 3 Torrance, CA
VERDICT: Seems to be busy and booked up every night for dinner. Get reservations early. Downstairs dining by the window is the best featuring views of the busy Santa Monica Blvd(not so touristy) walkway from your private table. QUALIFIER: Came for the Valentine’s Day dinner. That night’s selection was only the chef’s tasting menu FOOD: Not nearly as good as it was years before. Ahi Tuna appetizer was decent. Lamb chop was better. The Entrée Jidori chicken wasn’t as tasty as before. The filet of beef also wasn’t up to standard, tasting a bit tough and flavorless. SERVICE: Even as they got busy, waiting staff came by the table often, except when time to bring the check. Perhaps they think that customers would be offended if brought the bill too early. The waiter spilled the water glass and apologized profusely, but was quick to clean up.
Teresa N.
Tu valoración: 5 Santa Monica, CA
I am so glad I got a chance to try JiRaffe before they close! Feb. 14 is their last day! But no fear, the chef will still be there. A new concept will take JiRaffe’s place! Fantastic food! I did the DineLA dinner menu with friends! I tried: — Swordfish — Foie gras stuffed quail — Half rack of lamb — Beef carpaccio — Goat cheese ravioli — Sticky toffee pudding — Carmelized banana cream pie EVERYTHINGWASDELICIOUS! Very thoughtful dishes, well seasoned and cooked to perfection. Meats and fish were all juicy and on on point. Taste leans classic, with some creative twists. Nothing was overpowering or over the top. Just great flavors! Service was great, and also homey and warm. Some people might think this place is expensive. But when food comes out to you effortlessly and well made, I think it is very fair! I have been to cheaper restaurants that felt way more expensive due to lack of value. If you haven’t tried JiRaffe, hurry before it’s too late!!! YUMYUM!
Tiffany H.
Tu valoración: 3 Los Angeles, CA
Stop #7 of DineLA — Jan 2015! Very cute place outfitted with Giraffe tsotchkes. Definitely acceptable date location! DineLA menu was slightly different than posted but, I’m not mad about it. Jiraffe is good, in a very simple well-cooked/great-technique fashion so in the age of New American restaurants, this could be refreshing. But, not quite my cup of tea. *Appetizer: — Wild Mushroom Salad(baby Italian Frisee, shaved reggiano parmesan, garlic croutons, lemon truffle mushroom vinaigrette): I loved this! Earthy mushroom with tangy vinagrette and nice texture from croutons. Super tasty but a little heavy handed on the vinaigrette. –Pan Roasted Stuffed Vermont Quail(Sauteed Foie Gras, Country Rye croutons, dried cranberries, Reggiano Cheese, sunchoke risotto, Pinot Noir sauce): Alright, I’m not fancy enough to appreciate this dish. Quail is just okay and no hint of the Foie Gras. Also, had this sweet/savory combo from the cranberries/wine that I don’t love. *Entrée: –Wild European Cabillaud(sweet pea purée, vouvray lobster nage, lobster gnocchi): Cabilluad was beautiful but essence of Lobster was MIA. — Farmers Market Eggplant Spinach Goat Cheese Ravioli(confit baby squash, dried olives, basil, marinara, fresh buffalo mozzarella, aged balsamic): I loved that they baked it & the flavors meshed so well that the Goat cheese wasn’t too pungent. But, strange tang from the balsamic. and again in between sweet & savory some how. *Dessert: –Caramelized Banana Cream Pie: Cutest presentation ever. Brulee bananas so they were like banana chips. One complaint: the crust was lackluster. –Sticky Toffee Pudding: Extremely sweet but you can’t go wrong with the cold ice cream & warm cake combo. Yum. Our server was awesome. Didn’t seem like he belong in a place like JiRaffe thoguh but, hey thanks for making it a fun night!
Cat B.
Tu valoración: 2 Raleigh, NC
This place can best be described as purgatory. Not bad, but not good. French onion soup– it was good, not great, not bad. Purple gnocchi– good texture, however a weird raw potato flavor. Fish perfectly cooked. Lobster risotto– nothing surprising… pretty mediocre. Pork chop w/wild rice– wild rice had raw red onion, which was overpowering. Pork chop was flavorful but dry. Desserts were bland and horribly predictable. Overall, the food was good,… but $ 117 good? No.
Hailey C.
Tu valoración: 1 Beverly Hills, CA
Cute décor. I’m sad that I have to give this place ONE star. I was so excited to try here because I heard a lot of great things about JiRaffe. We started off with a wrong foot. I had made a reservation for dinner at 8 pm on Friday, went 10 minutes earlier and waited to be seated. There were about 5 parties waiting and the restaurant was full. Here is the tricky part. So we were waiting with bunch of other people and the receptionist made few parties sit when they had open tables. By 8:30pm there were one other party besides us waiting and I asked the receptionist numerous times when we will be seated. She said that the restaurant was way too busy today and told us to wait a little more. I was pretty hangry and the other party started complaining about the wait time so I asked them what time there reservation was. Guess what? They didn’t make a reservation. They were walk-ins. And we ended up being seated at the same time which was at 8:45pm. 45 minutes past my reservation time. So what’s the point of making a reservation if you were going to be waiting the same amount of time as other people that did not make a reservation? I understand that the restaurant is busy and all… but isn’t my time also valuable especially when I even made a reservation to avoid waiting with other people that walk in? Food we ordered was good. We were offered a small complimentary amuse bouche BUT even if I was given a bowl of garbage, that might have been delicious too because I was THAT hungry+angry. My time is more valuable than any complimentary service. Horrible service and wait time. Will NOT go back.
Amy H.
Tu valoración: 5 San Francisco, CA
So sad to see this place go on Valentine’s Day 2015. But I am so glad I got to try the Dine LA menu right before it ended! To be honest, of the 3 places I tried for DineLA, this place was my absolute favorite. Not only was the food delicious, but the service and drinks were amazing as well.
Christine T.
Tu valoración: 3 Los Angeles, CA
Review is based on Winter 2015 DineLA lunch experience. Jiraffe had the DineLA lunch available only on 2 Fridays during the entire 2 weeks. I was able to lock in a reservation with 3 of my co workers for the last Friday. Parking in this part of town can be tricky or better off at one of the nearby lots. We were lucky to find a metered spot right out front. We were sat at the upstairs dining area. The lunch menu was quite promising. To start we were treated to this really amazing mushroom soup. For appetizer, I had the spinach ricotta ravioli. It came with 3 soft raviolis that were so bland. I couldn’t taste any flavor at all. For main I had the almond crusted rainbow trout. I love the lemon butter sauce and the sweet corn and veggies. The fish on the other hand was dry as well. We ended our meal with a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich that was really good. I especially loved the soft cookies. Service was okay. I hear that Jiraffe is closing down in about 10 days. Word from the host is the owner decided to go in a different route. Good luck to everyone at Jiraffe!
Gary I.
Tu valoración: 4 Los Angeles, CA
I had been to Jiraffe before in my preYelp days about 10 years ago, and for some reason it didn’t impress me enough to go back, not to mention it was too far navigating through LA traffic for just a quick bite to eat. DineLA was the siren call that lured me back along with the fact that Jiraffe in its present form will last only until Valentine’s Day 2015. 1) Amuse Gueule: tiny Japanese style pure white tea cup of pureed mushroom cream soup topped with a «cappuccino» foam. Nice appetite teaser that had the taste & scent of good button mushrooms, & sweet buttery dairy cream. 2) Loup de Mer: Also called Branzino in Italian restaurants & Mediterranean Seabass in others was grilled on the skin side to a light crispness while leaving the white flesh soft, pillowy, creamy. It was a nice contrast of textures. Liguine pasta, which means«little tongues» since the cross section is elliptical in shape, was dressed with a Gremolata-like mélange of chopped up Italian parsley, onions, tomato & given a quick sauté in light olive oil along with mildly chewy steamed Manila clams.(I chopped up some of the clams & put it in my mushroom soup for an even better combination of flavours & textures.) It was a relatively simple preparation, but the ocean fresh, slightly sweet tasting, meaty Loup de Mer meaning«wolf of the sea» impressed me with its high food quality & good presentation. 2a) Cote de Gascogne Blanc: Like a nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand with a bouquet of fruit scents such as passion fruit, star fruit, bit of kiwi. This lush white wine was a good companion to the Loup de Mer adding a tropical fruit complexity & palate cleansing effect for each new bite of the fish & clams. 3) Pan Roasted Stuffed Vermont Quail was a piece de resistance in any culinary language. The entire quail was painstakingly deboned except for the drumsticks as an homage to presentation. The inside of the quail was stuffed with a lightly seasoned chicken liver mousse & rye croutons which added that earthy, aromatic, herbal fennel-like scent to contrast with the lightly gamey liver. There was a Pinot Noir based demi-glacé sauce to add a grapey, meaty sweetness. Sunchoke risotto was pleasantly chewy with a rich taste of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese that was creamy, sweet, yet at the same time gave off a refined, fermented light sourness. I was impressed that Jiraffe would include this on the DineLA menu since it requires so much energy & effort to debone a small bird such as a quail where many customers would not appreciate the expertise required to pull off this culinary legerdemain. 3) Pinot Noir, Morgan, «12 Clones», Santa Lucia Highlands, 2012 was in the«California style» with a jamminess of brandied black cherries, blackberries, touch of blueberries. Lower tannins with a nice acidity to balance the jamminess. Bit of leather that added a touch of funky smoke. The heaviness of the meat intensive quail stuffed with liver was lightened by the Morgan in a lively pas de deux along w/the Pinot Noir demi-glacé sauce. 4) Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Bombe: Nice way to end this well executed meal with an unusual dessert rarely found in other high end restaurants. A very light mousse of cream, eggs & what seemed like the essence of hazel nut possibly in the form of extracted nut oil was powdered with dark bitter chocolate. 4a) I thought pairing the Hazelnut Mousse Bombe with Frangelico would work, but wanted something a bit more out of the ordinary. Instead, Allison, my friendly, informative, down-to-earth waitress suggested a Tawny Port which sounded ideal since the oxidation process of tawny port produces a nutty flavour. Jiraffe’s interior has attained an easy, comfortable, laidback patina from years of being in business. It’s dark, cozy, well worked in. The mezzanine level is a great place to eat being able to observe what is going on below as well as being a private, more intimate aerie. I’m sorry that I was late being a convert to the joy of supping at Jiraffe. 4+ Unilocal stars to a disappearing breed of superior dining venues that offers a genteel, sophisticated, urbane experience.
Sammy B.
Tu valoración: 5 La Mirada, CA
Los Angeles is a city of distant lands and former allegiances. It seems easier to find gold on the streets than to find a native Angelino within the city limits; however, all the travelers and star-crossed food lovers have made Los Angeles an amazing city filled with different cultures and stories from around the world. Not many restaurants could top such a journey as a visit to Santa Monica’s very own JiRaffe where France and California meld together in one exhilarating and flavorful voyage. Décor Without having to clink your ruby slippers together you’ll know immediately you’re in a special place. The lighting is sensual and dark and the hues of black and gold seem to illuminate throughout the entire multi-tiered restaurant. Everything is clean and precise, including the well dressed hosts and servers. Giraffe sculptures and pictures are tastefully placed throughout the dining floor and the huge windows allow easy viewing of the beautiful Santa Monica cityscape. Nothing overwhelms you inside; instead, the elegance and comfort of JiRaffe rolls over you like a silk blanket. Service The service here is exquisite. The servers are very knowledgeable and more importantly, passionate, about the food they serve. When asked about certain dishes, they will recite specific methods of cooking(such as how the chefs use a cheese cloth to infuse the essence of strained tomatoes into one of their lush sauces) with as much zeal as a child sharing a new toy. Being excited on your own for dining can be a wonderful anticipation; having the staff speak intimately about their love for the food will immediately make your mouth salivate. Food No matter how pleasant the staff or how beautiful the restaurant might look, if the food is horrendous you’ll never want to return. Luckily, JiRaffe won’t have to worry because their food is stunning. Reminiscent of the beautiful plating you’d see on Food Network shows like Iron Chef America, watching each plate come out the kitchen is like watching models come down a runway. Whether it’s the stunning, bold lines of sauce featured with the Classic Valdiva tomato tart or the contrast of dark black linguine with the radiant red of the spicy cherry tomato sauce, each plate is a work of art. More importantly, the aesthetics isn’t the only thing that leaves you breathless; the tastes are absolutely explosive. The Snake River Farms wagyu beef carpaccio has so much complexity with each bite you wonder how such a thin slice of raw meat could tell such a vivid story. The New Zealand braised lamb shank paints a picture of the herbs and spices from its birth place. Finally, the desserts complete the entire experience, traversing your taste buds from savory novels to sweet endings. From beginning to end, the meal you have at JiRaffe is a complete experience leaving you satisfied and hungry for the next trip. Conclusion Los Angeles might be filled with movie stars, musicians, and blood thirsty lawyers, but more importantly, Los Angeles is a city constantly looking forward with its past following closely. Though style might come and go, great restaurants will never fade away. JiRaffe is one of those dining experiences where each penny is worth spending and each plate worth finishing. If you’re looking for an adventure within the city limits head to Santa Monica and experience a culinary journey at JiRaffe.
Lillian C.
Tu valoración: 5 Los Angeles, CA
Had an unforgettable experience here celebrating my bf’s birthday. Everything we ordered was scrumptious. SAUTEEDSHRIMPSALAD: The shrimp was the probably the best I’ve had in my life. It was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, reminiscent of butter-poached lobster(seriously, how do they do that, black magic?), and the lemon vinaigrette, which was refreshing and bright, really elevated the salad. SWEETCORNAGNOLOTTI: I’m normally not a fan of agnolotti because too often the dough is too thick and chewy, but these were done perfectly. The dough was thin but sturdy, and the corn emulsion was sweet and creamy without being heavy. The earthiness of the black truffle butter provided the perfect counterbalance and grounded these scrumptious pillows. PRIMECARAMELIZEDPORKCHOP: The pork was tender and flavorful, and with its spiced apple chutney, this dish was the epitome of the holidays on a plate. Every bite made me feel as if I had been transported by the fireplace in a wood cabin on a snowy winter day. ALMONDCRUSTEDRAINBOWTROUT: The trout was moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside, while the sweet corn, peppers, and other vegetables reminded me of a cornucopia. HALSEYMOUSSEBOMBE: A decadent chocolate dessert, it was rich in flavor but light in texture. My bf said it was so good he wanted 10 of them. Maybe next year =) Our server was super friendly and was constantly cracking jokes while maintaining professionalism. I wish I remembered his name so I could give him a shout-out. Would come back in a heartbeat for top-notch food and service. Definitely as good as it gets!
Suzie Q.
Tu valoración: 4 Santa Monica, CA
Suzie Q’s Fun Fact: The giraffe is the world’s tallest living land-based animal. =≅≅≅≅≅≅≅≅~ A friend and I landed at JiRaffe as a last resort, after we had bailed from Hostaria del Piccolo down the street(a brief account: ), and having bypassed several other restaurants whose menus didn’t have many options for my pregnant dining companion. I live within just a few blocks from JiRaffe, but somehow it had never occurred to me to dine here. To be sure, it had always seemed mighty inviting from the street… glowing, homey, elegant without straining too hard for trendiness. It turns out, what you see with JiRaffe is exactly what you get. On this particular Saturday night, JiRaffe was moderately busy. But after confirming with the maitre ‘d that substitutions were permissible(out of deference to my pregnant dining companion), to our surprise he was able to seat us very quickly. As promised, my friend was able to make a few reasonable substitutions in order to enjoy her meal. She ordered the Organic Mixed Greens Salad and steak and mashed potatoes(although the exact dish she ordered now seems to be off the menu). She clearly enjoyed these two dishes very much, especially the steak — a minor miracle considering she had to order it well-done(she reported it was still juicy and flavorful, despite being charred to a crisp). As for me, my two dishes were both impeccably prepared and presented, and absolutely delectable: Jiraffe Classic Tomato Tart $ 16 Valdivia Farms tomatoes, burrata cheese, caramelized balsamic onions, basil, ratatouille, and olive sauces *Beautiful and satisfying dish with its stacked layers of cheese, carmelized onions and piquant vegetables, surrounded by vibrantly colored, concentrated sauces.* Purple Peruvian Gnocchi with rock shrimp $ 16 Pearl onions, Mandarin tomato concasse, and herb-infused tomato nage *The«nage,» a delicate sauce made with clarified butter and strained tomato juice, was so concentrated with tangy, buttery umami goodness that I could have licked the bowl clean. And the gnocchi and shrimp were cooked perfectly. It wasn’t a huge portion, but combined with the tart, was a light-feeilng and perfect meal. In a dining culture where hype reigns supreme, it was a welcome change of pace to eat in an established restaurant whose formula of refinement, good food, elegant ambiance and great service transcends the latest trend. Many inferior pretenders have, and will, come and go before JiRaffe takes its last bow. =≅≅≅≅≅≅≅≅~ POSTSCRIPT: Ironically — considering the last line of my review — I’ve since learned that JiRaffe will close in February 2015 to make way for a new restaurant concept in the same space, by the same owner. So if you’ve always wanted to try JiRaffe’s food, now is your(last and only) chance!
Allison S.
Tu valoración: 2 Los Angeles, CA
Came for dinela a while back. Nothing impressive, nothing memorable. I had the seared ahi tuna, which was well balanced with sweetness and a little spice. I really didn’t care for the duck prosciutto. It had a weird flavor and was over dressed with sauce. The corn ravioli was really good– the corn was so sweet and I loved the peas. The steak medallions were just alright– solid but the same as everywhere else. Dessert was a crumble and a cake. Okay but nothing special thinking about it now in hindsight. They also need to have a more efficient front/host system. Not sure if the previous diners were running late or what the situation was, but there were about 12 of us squeezed into their tiny entrance waiting to be seated at one point. We kept having to say excuse me or sorry every time someone walked by. It was uncomfortable. We waited 25 minutes past our reservation without anyone ever informing us of the situation. Not the best way to begin the meal in my opinion…
Vickie T.
Tu valoración: 4 Arcadia, CA
I was very impressed with JiRaffe! First time dining here and I gotta say, it really had some outstanding dishes. What impressed me the most was not the main dish but the appetizers. In addition, their service was very good. Our waiter was attentive but not overwhelming. And he always came to ask about our next dish at just the right time. Parking was great in the area since there were free meter parking around the blocks after 6pm. Recommendation: 1. Purple Peruvian Gnocchi with rock shrimp — this dish was amazing. The sauces, the shrimp, and the gnocchi blended perfectly together. I couldn’t get enough of it. 2. BBQ Wild California King Salmon — The salmon was cooked perfectly. 3. Prime Caramelized Pork Chop — This dish was one of the least expensive items on the menu for main dish. Yet, I felt that the sides were so sophistically prepped that it made up the use of a less exotic meat choice. If you have a big appetite, the pork chop will be a great deal for you. I will give JiRaffe a 5 stars except that I felt that our dessert was a disappointment. The chocolate truffle cake was not very great as the chocolate stuffing was not warm enough. Regardless, I will recommend this restaurant to anyone who want to have a nice dinner close to the Santa Monica beach.
Taylor W.
Tu valoración: 5 Los Angeles, CA
So good. The food and service are always on point. I came here most recently for the DINELA event. We had a wonderful time. I had the tuna appetizer and the steak entrée. They were both superb. My steak was actually cooked medium rare/rare(wee bit more than black and blue). Most places don’t take me seriously when I order a near rare piece of meat. JiRaffe will serve your steak however you want it, honey. My friends had the salmon and another had pasta. Everything was cooked to perfection. Finally, I had the peanut butter and chocolate bar dessert. Fabulous! The wine list is killer, both by the glass and the bottle. Finally, the service here is always so good. Even though they lost my reservation(darn you Opentable), they sat us promptly. Wonderful.
Vencci H.
Tu valoración: 3 Diamond Bar, CA
I was oddly disappointed by my experience at Jiraffe. My dineLA experience which included an amuse, appetizer, entrée, and dessert was not worth the $ 45 dollars plus tip and tax including parking and ambiance, however the service was superb and I think for that they should deserve some leniency. Much of the good things I have to say do not reflect or do justice towards Jiraffe on a regular NON-DINELA experience. Thus I can only conclude that my said experience was mediocre in respect to my other DINELA experiences. 1. Made a reservation for 22+ people for a dinner party. Props to the staff for being able to accommodate such a large party efficiently. Made reservation at 8:45 pm and was not seated for at least 25 minutes… Even though the hostess reassured us many times that our table was being set up.(3 stars) 2. Waiter was very helpful with the menu, which included a four course set dinner with limited options.(4 stars) 3. Taste wise — food wise, oddly bland and did not wow me with any one particular dish. The only satisfying item I enjoyed was the mushroom cappuccino. Packed full of flavor and had a subtle hint of truffle. 4 stars Black Linguine with crab and a fresh tomato base was at most 3 stars, but the amount of crab given was generous and for that they deserve 4 stars. The Angus Beef. This dish was cooked well, but not good enough for me to entice me to come back to try their other dishes, lacked some flavor. 3 stars Dessert. However exotic the desserts may sound, they did not have a wow factor and the cobbler crust was too crunchy, almost like a cracker texture. Since they ran out of bourbon chocolate cake, they compensated with different chocolate cake that tasted much like a dark chocolate brownie with out the fudgey brownie texture. 3 stars.
Natalie K.
Tu valoración: 2 Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, CA
I had been wanting to come to Jiraffe for the last 4 dineLAs and finally made it here with my sister this time around. We made a reservation on Opentable at 7pm on a Sunday night. It turns out they usually close on Sundays but are only opened for dineLA. I was able to find parking 2 blocks down. They don’t have valet, which is unusual to me but there is parking in the adjacent building. They will validate so that you pay $ 8 rather the regular price for parking. Once we were seated, I spied several people drinking white sangria but was disappointed to learn that they had already run out of sangria for the day. Our server recommended the peach martini. It was pretty good but quite tart. My sister had the kumquat gimlet and enjoyed it. The dineLA menu included an amuse bouche, a starter, a main course, and dessert for $ 45. I really wasn’t impressed with the overall experience, starting with the fact that they forgot our amuse bouche. We asked about it when the starter came but did not receive it until after our entrée arrived. As an amuse bouche is suppose to foreshadow the experience that is to come, I expected something more interesting and creative than a corn soup. The menu listed cappuccino mushroom but we were told that they weren’t doing that today. The corn soup was too peppery. I took a small sip and left it there. The amuse bouche, though, did indeed do a good job of telling us what to expect: more corn! My sister ordered the crab cake for her starter, which wasn’t on the menu but we were told was added to the line up. The outside is a little too heavily breaded for my liking. It comes on a sweet corn sauce along with 3 little pieces of ravioli. I picked the black linguini and really enjoyed the only corn-free dish of the night. The pasta was great and there were several chunks of crab leg meat. The sauce was very flavorful. Our main dishes were the sweet corn ravioli and the steak. The sweet corn ravioli had a truffle emulsion in it and it smelled amazing. I didn’t quite enjoy how sweet the dish was though. I only wanted my corn sweet, not the whole dish. I wished there was something salty in the dish for a little contrast of flavors. The steak, on the other hand, was really tender and delicious. It came on a bed of… you guessed it… corn! The corn they served with the steak was on the sweeter side as well. Maybe it was just our choice of entrees that just happened to contain a lot of corn but we left feeling like we were on corn overload. The desserts weren’t good. I actually didn’t eat my nectarine cobbler after the first 2 bites. The nectarine was still crunchy and in big chunks and it’s topped with large pieces of very sweet cookie-like top and vanilla ice cream. I didn’t enjoy the flavor or the texture so I ended up just eating the ice cream and leaving the rest. My sister had the chocolate cake and it was very dark and looked like it was flourless. The texture was more like a mousse rather than a cake. I didn’t care for it either. Overall, I’m a little disappointed in my meal. I don’t regret finally coming here to satisfy my curiosity about Jiraffe but I probably wouldn’t be back any time soon.
Masha K.
Tu valoración: 5 Santa Monica, CA
Can’t believe it took me this long to discover JiRaffe. It should be on everyone’s radar. We came here last night to for DineLA dinner. Right away you can tell that they know what they’re doing here. The staff is experienced and very welcoming. Everyone we interacted with we wanted to invite to sit down at our table and have a drink or two. I felt at home from the get go. I appreciate all the little details and touches in the décor. Fresh flowers everywhere made my night. Chef /owner Raphael later told us his Mother is responsible for these beauties. The food was incredible. It does leave you wanting more and more. We started off with a Mushroom Cappuccino which was creamy and silky. Flavor was amazing. For our appetizers we selected the Black Linguini and Crab Cake special. Crab Cake stood out as a winner. Grazed Alaskan Halibut and Angus Filet of Beef followed. Halibut shinned and was cooked to perfection. Beef was also great and prepared just right. The Chocolate Bourbon Cake melted my brain and the Summer Nectarine Cobbler was crisp and juicy. We sipped on a peach martini and kumquat deliciousness. I’m looking forward to becoming a regular here and sharing JiRaffe with my loved ones. Will be back for Mondays specials next.
Ami T.
Tu valoración: 4 West Los Angeles, CA
I really loved my experience at JiRaffe. It was a fun and romantic evening. When you walk in you realize it’s a tiny place with basically a half/nonexistent bar area. There were some older clientele dining but it definitely wasn’t crowded on a random Wednesday night. I started out by getting a blood orange Cosmo which was strong but delicious! That’s all I needed for the rest of the evening. We were with a large group but I enjoyed the table bread which came in different varieties and the complimentary mushroom soup– it was amazing! Smoky, savory and a ton of flavor. I ordered the pizza margherita ravioli which was amazing. The sauce was so flavorful, I loved all the cheese and ravioli. We also started with the grape and pear salad which was soooo delicious. I loved the macadamia they had in the salad. My fiancé got the salmon which he said was very good too. The rest of my party got varied things on the menu and it all got great reviews! I’m not sure if I will be back but I did really enjoy my experience!
Jamie M.
Tu valoración: 4 Los Angeles, CA
Sooooo… I quite honestly ALLLLLLMOST gave them three stars, but the food was really tasty — so I decided… «what they hay — 4 stars it is!» I went there on Valentine’s Day and boy did I ever feel like cattle being herded into this little restaurant. For $ 110 bucks per head for the prix fixe menu, I would have thought they’d be a little more thoughtful of the seating. Why would two people who are planning on spending well over $ 300 buckaroos want to sit DIRECTLY in the middle of two other dining couples? What is this? The lunch room of an elementary school cafeteria? Even then, I had other places to sit! In any case, it was uncomfortable. We were so close to the other two couples, it literally felt like we were sitting in a booth — so we asked them to move us, and they did(more like… we asked them, and before they confirmed anything we moved on our own). So all the food was quite tasty, but nothing stood out. I gave them four stars because despite the god awful seating arrangement, the service was great, the drinks strong, and the food delicious. Will I go back there? Meeeeh… maybe if I’m already in the area and there isn’t a wait for a table where I won’t be sitting bi*ch between two other couples.
OandG O.
Tu valoración: 3 Santa Monica, États-Unis
Just A-OK. Nothing memorable. Was supposed to be French? Mais non.