Initially, you might assume that Barton G. The Restaurant is all about gimmicks. I mean, it's restaurant that serves you a filet mignon with a 3-foot fork and popcorn shrimp out of a popcorn machine? We were recently invited to check out the LA opening of Barton G., which until now, was a restaurant only exclusive to the great state of Florida.
Barton G. was known for their theatricality. If you ordered their Samurai Tuna dish, you'd get a dish served with a real samurai sword (though it's frowned upon to unsheathe it and use it to cut said tuna). Upon first impressions, we thought to ourselves: "Hey this is kind of gimmicky. Cool, but gimmicky." It couldn't be further from the truth.
While each dish has a signature prop to accompany it, the food more than made up for the cheese (so to speak). We've tried some of the most flavorful dishes we've had in a really long time. Honestly, without all the crazy showmanship Barton G. could stand on its own against some of the best restaurants in the LA area.
Then again, you're probably skimming this, anxious to get to the food porn. Well here it is you gluttonous bastards.
------
Bread
Served right out of a tray via waiter, each piece of bread is shaped and designed as if it were a donut. However, they feature savory flavors like truffle and aged cheese.
------
Lobster Pop Tarts
Commuting from Orange County to LA can be rough. Especially on a weekday workday. That being said, our eyes immediately glazed over to the Lobster Pop-Tarts. Served out of a faux toaster, the pop tarts were flaky and moist like a pastry sent from heaven. They broke open to reveal a hefty helping of lobster meat swimming in a creamy gruyere sauce.
-----
The Upper Crustacean
As children, we've all dreamed about owning a personal popcorn machine for our bedrooms the day we moved out of our parents' house. No? Just us? As we got older, the idea seemed more and more unnecessary and impractical. However, if that dream popcorn machine was to produce crispy popcorn shrimp and lobster with a variety of dipping sauces, then that's a different story.
-----
Samurai Tuna
We had to be careful not to gorge ourselves on the appetizers, delicious as they might be. We were only a third into the tasting, after all. First of the entrees was the Samurai Tuna. A thick, seared tuna patty served rare with a savory rice cracker crust and topped with a roasted Shishito Pepper. It also came with mandarin-laced soba noodles and a Yuzu-Pomegranite sauce.
Oh, did we mention the bad-ass katana that came with the meal?
-----
The Great American Filet
Final entree of the night was this behemoth of a filet mignon. Served with braised short rib, bone marrow and roasted snow peas and carrots and whipped potatoes the entire dish was shadowed by the giant that was attached to the serving board. If this is what it feels like to kings, then kings we were that night.
-----
Marie Antoinette
Finally, once we loosened a few notches on our belts, we got ready for dessert. The Marie Antoinette was a wig made out of cotton candy and served with an array of strawberry shortcakes. Interestingly enough, Marie's hairstyle would change frequently much like the historical figure. Unfortunately, if you're thinking of removing the wig and placing upon your own head, note that it's not only advised against, but it's also attached to the mannequin with a caramel coating.
Like that stopped us.
To sum it up, Barton G. exceeded our initial impressions by a huge margin. Not only was their food entertaining gawk at, but they also backed it up with amazing flavors that blew us away. Any self-proclaimed foodie in the Miami or Los Angeles areas should make a note to experience this place at least once.
So to slightly modify a popular quote from a very wise person:
Giant forks. Samurai Swords. A foodie craves not these things.
Though it is an added bonus.
-----
Florida
1427 West Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Los Angeles
861 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
