CITIZEN (BEVERLY HILLS, CA)

Citizen
184 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Citizen
Tel: 310.402.5885
Cuisine: American
$$$ ($30-$45)
Sat, 01/21/2017, 8:00pm reservation
  (2 Piglets)

So there is this fairly new restaurant in town known as Citizen. Located right next to Wolfgang Puck's Spago, Citizen delivers shared plates focused on a seasonal menu capturing the essence of comfort food. Unfortunately, the restaurant fails to deliver on taste and comfort that I was so hoping to experience. 

The interior is rustic with a touch of that Beverly Hills essence. The bar is lovely with a nice cocktail menu by Josh Goldman. There is an open-air patio/lounge in front of the restaurant where customers can dine with an annoyingly awkward dj playing music that doesn't match the vibe. 

The Bar

The dj

The interior

Upon arrival (we arrived promptly at 8:00pm), we were told they were running 15 minutes late. Ok, sure. No problem. My friends and I could just grab a drink at the bar. As we waited and waited, no one came to inform us of the situation with our table. Thirty minutes later we say something to the hostess where we were told it'll be another 5 more minutes. Forty-five minutes later we say something again to the hostess where it'll be another 5 more minutes. This kept going on and on until I get up and say something. One hour later we were finally seated along with our cold and disarrayed appetizers (yes, they managed to mess up our appetizers as well). 

The woman who seemed to be the manager tried to remedy the situation, but by that point, we were all so hangry that nothing mattered anymore. We wanted food and we wanted it to be good. And well, some were and some were not. 

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS ($10.00): Chipotle Maple Syrup, Pimento Cheese. So this was an appetizer we had ordered at the bar and unfortunately, it was super cold. The chipotle syrup was pretty good with a hint of heat to counteract the denseness of the biscuit. Overall, I was expecting a flaky and warm biscuit and instead, I got a cold and dense biscuit. For $10 for only two biscuits, I expect a little bit more of a pzazz. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS ($12.00): Sweet and Sour, Almonds, Pomegranate, Pecorino. We actually ordered this dish at the bar, and they had brought out the wrong dish. It took them a good 15 minutes before they could bring the correct dish out to us. Additionally, I thought this dish was ok. The brussels were cooked perfectly, but the dressings that came with it just felt like other brussels sprout dishes I've had at other restaurants. 

MY FAVORITE DISH. MUSSELS ($18.00): Coconut Milk, Red Curry, Lime. Out of all the dishes I tasted, this was my favorite. It was packed with flavor from the red curry and coconut milk making it a Thai-influenced dish. The mussels were cooked well. I just wish there was more broth and served with a piece of grilled bread to soak it in. 

MAINE SCALLOPS ($21.00): Chanterelle Mushrooms, Cauliflower Puree, Red Wine. This dish was just ok for me. I thought the scallops were cooked perfectly and I liked the cauliflower puree, but there was nothing special to it. 

SMOKED SHORT RIB ($19.00): Cider Jus, Celery Root, Swiss Chard. This was my second favorite dish. There was tons of flavor and the short rib just melted in my mouth. It was cooked perfectly and the swiss chard was needed to cut through the fat. 

CRISPY JIDORI CHICKEN ($26.00): Orzo Mac and Cheese, Smoked Gouda, Calabrian Chilis. This dish has potential to be something great, but it just missed the mark. The chicken was crispy but dry. The orzo mac and cheese is definitely different. I initially didn't like it but as I kept giving it time, it grew on me. The texture is like risotto but with a bit more of a bite mixed with a creamy cheese sauce. Interesting but in a good way. 

VALRHONA CHOCOLATE POT DE CREME ($10.00): Espresso Creme, Chocolate Pearls. This dessert was actually rich and creamy. It had a hint of coffee flavor from the cream and I liked the pearls to give it crunch and texture that it needed. If you like chocolate, you'd probably like this dish. 

What makes a good restaurant is not only the food, but the service, the people, and the atmosphere. Citizen has potential, but it definitely needs some work. The restaurant didn't seem like an ideal place to have a live dj, especially with the type of customers that were dining. The staff needs to be better about accommodating those who make reservations and be able to deliver. If they can't, then what's the point of making a reservation? Additionally, the food has to be on point. I don't need to be served cold food or something that lacks creativity. I like food that's tasty and served hot. Would I come back here? Honestly, I wouldn't go out of my way to Beverly Hills to eat at this restaurant when there are so many others to try. 

Notable Dishes: Mussels and Short Rib