February 3, 2018 – Late Lunch – Fred’s at Barneys in Beverly Hills, CA.

This is, by far the most charming dining establishment in all of Los Angeles. What a gem. Named after the son of Barney Pressman, Fred Pressman, it’s a real find. A very welcomed change from the old Barney Greengrass, Fred’s is now family owned, with delectable fare all day long. How could you go wrong with Cooperate Chef – Mark Strausman and Executive Chef – Emmanuel Pradet calling all of the culinary shots. You have a first class view, with unbelievably delicious food all right here in Beverly Hills. What more could you ask for?

Emma Coxall, the general manager and my gracious host, was so kind to make all of this happen for me. I was originally invited to a film premiere after party at Fred’s and met Emma at that time. That party was so lovely, I would encourage anyone to book this venue for any kind of event. Emma is truly an inspiration, she came from Scarpetta in Beverly Hills, as their assistant general manager, and so she has quite the pedigree. She just makes you feel right at home! My waiter, Michael, was quick and no nonsense, but got the job done in a very professional way. Also, Waleed the maître de, came from The Beverly Hills Polo Lounge and The Montage in Beverly Hills. He just smiles at you and you are having a better day then before!

The interiors are very plush, with some nice velvet club chairs and monochromatic theme, and cool ambient background music. With marble tabletops, and marble speckled floors, it is very simple elegance; a perfect backdrop for my amazing late lunch.

Of course there would be celebrities here, because it is very low key and no one would ever go crazy seeing a big star, it’s just that kind of place. When I walked in Jennifer Anniston was taking a bathroom break from her table right next to mine, she said hello to me while her bodyguard looked on carefully, lol.

Here’s What I Had:

Cocktails:

Trouble Maker – Belvedere vodka, Bonal, strawberry, cucumber, and lime. If you have too many of these you will become a troublemaker and believe me, it is not difficult.

Blackberry Margarita – Casamigos Blanco tequila, Cointreau, Crème Yvette with muddled blackberries. This is the way to go for the tequila enthusiast; creamy, rich and just the right amount of alcohol makes this a delightful cocktail.

Appetizers:

Crab Cakes- Served with a pasilla pepper coulis, this also comes with homemade potato chips which is just amazing, but the shrimp are spectacular as well.

Winter Salad- Wild arugula, quinoa, butternut squash, dried cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds and red sorrel, tossed in a balsamic Dijon honey vinaigrette with grilled salmon. The grains are sweet and the salmon was cooked to perfection. For a healthy filling lunch, this is the way to go.

Grilled Shrimp with Lime and Ginger – Served with a mixed green salad. The shrimps pop in your mouth and have a great delicate lime and ginger seasoning; wow so fantastic.

Salads:

Lobster Cobb Salad – Romaine hearts, organic watercress, wild arugula, hardboiled egg, scallions, tarragon, Point Reyes blue cheese crumble, avocado, bacon and warm fingerling potatoes – Tossed in creamy tarragon and lemon dressing. Shear decadence, with lots of lobster. You feel like a princess, yum.

Pasta:

Linguine alle Vongole – Baby clams, olive oil, garlic, and a touch of tomato; more like fettuccine noodles and the clams are everywhere. A great rendition of this Italian staple.

Mediterranean Seafood Pasta – Spaghetti, shrimp, Scallop, baby artichoke, English pea, roasted bell pepper, Saffron sauce. They use huge diver scallops and the artichoke adds a nice rounded texture. I loved this pasta.

Main Courses:

Grilled New York Steak and Frites – Served with house-made café de Paris butter, the steak is tender and perfect, and the truffle fries are off the charts.

Week-end In Beverly Hills:

New York Fish Platter – Nova lox, white fish salad and sturgeon with Mark’s house-made bagels and assorted cream cheeses, served with sliced tomato and red onion. This is delivered with lots of smoked fish and these cute little mini bagels; a great way to enjoy a weekend brunch.

Side Dishes:

Sautéed Garlic Spinach – Lots of garlic in this nice side dish and healthy, too.

Sautéed Garlic Broccoli – Plump broccoli, perfectly cooked with great flavor.

Roasted Brussels sprouts with Bacon – Of course this would be my favorite, with the tasty bacon bits.

Deserts:

Almond Cake – This is a nice and light cake with a great presentation.

Apple Tart Tatin – With salted caramel ice cream, the apples are caramelized and it is served with a caramel sauce; so delicious.

White Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding, with roasted banana ice cream. I just love this sweet fluffy desert, and their homemade roasted banana ice cream that went with it.

Wine:

Champagne, Veuve Clicquot, Rose, France. This is an elegant light champagne. Treat yourself; it is worth every cent.

Zinfandel, Easton, Sierra Foothills. This cherry, jammy, wine goes great with the rare steak; it just hits all of the right notes.

Chardonnay, Dutton Goldfield, Russian River. This is a luscious buttery Chardonnay. It went great with the crab cakes, the shrimp, and the seafood pasta.

All and all, my experience was just lovely; they really make you feel like a queen. Everything is designed with your gastronomic pleasure in mind and they succeeded with flying colors.

Imagine you can shop at Barney’s and then indulge in some of the most creative cuisine in all of Los Angeles. The food is just that good. Next time you’re in Beverly Hills you just got to come and dine at Fred’s. No need for a special occasion, just get here!

Fred’s Beverly Hills
9570 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Sun: 11 AM – 6 PM
Mon – Sat: 11 AM – 7 PM
Phone: 310.777.5877
https://www.barneys.com/store/freds-

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