Hinoki & The Bird is a gorgeous restaurant located at ground level in the posh condo building The Century. Hinoki is a Japanese cedar wood, and this is an overall theme inside the restaurant, from the wall lining to the popular Hinoki scented black cod on the menu.
At Hinoki & The Bird, the kitchen base line is undoubtedly Californian but there are several elements from what the restaurant itself describes as travel-inspired dining. The menu changes frequently and unfortunately, I don’t think those delicious pumpkin/goat cheese toasts featured in the image above are available anymore. The crispy kale salad was still on the menu, last time I checked, and it’s tasty too, but not as memorable as the pumpkin toast. I’ve only been there for lunch, but when I’m in Los Angeles later this year, I’ll make sure to visit the restaurant for dinner too.
There’s valet parking, but I parked in the basement parking lot, which was rather pricey and probably around the same price as the valet. If you don’t mind a little walk, then the parking at nearby Westfield Century City is probably a more affordable option.
What to order? I would have said the pumpkin toast, but it’s not there anymore, so ask me again later this year, when I’ve dined at Hinoki & The Bird a second time around. Everything I saw coming out of the kitchen looked good though.
How to dress? I don’t think there’s a dress code, but the staff told me that Hinoki & The Bird gets very party-ish (and fully-booked) on weekends.
• If the weather is nice, try to get a table outside on the patio.
• The menu is a mix of small plates and more substantial dishes that you combine as you like. Cocktails are $16 (2020)
Hinoki & The Bird, 10 W Century Dr, Century City, Los Angeles
