Spark Woodfire Grill

Steakhouse dining can, at times, be a pretentious experience. A steakhouse can mean over-priced food, over-priced wine, and an atmosphere that chokes the life out of the casual diner. A steakhouse can be  home to seas of executives and professionals entertaining on expense accounts, with prices to match.

So where does an Angelino go if they want a five-star experience without the baggage of a typical steakhouse? Enter the Spark Woodfire Grill. Located in West Los Angeles near Beverly Hills, Spark offers a high-end steakhouse experience in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Spark is the creation of restaurateurs Bill Chait, Danilo Terribili, and Jeff Sladicka. It’s the third Spark Woodfire Grill, the other two located in Studio City and Huntington Beach. From the restaurant’s name, it’s not hard to figure out the theme of the cuisine. The wood fire grill, oven, and steak broiler have a part to play in almost every item on the menu, save dessert. The restaurant uses mesquite exclusively for its grills, and white oak for the oven. To take advantage of the natural fires, Executive Chef Freddy Escobar has created a menu that has a split personality.

On one side, you have menu items that you’d expect to find in the typical steakhouse: fine steaks, surf and turf, and choice selections of seafood. But it’s the other side of the menu that really tells you that you are in a different kind of steakhouse. Baby back ribs? Hamburgers? Eggplant parmigiana? An entire selection of wood fired pizzas? Spark Woodfire Grill is definitely not the traditional steakhouse.

It’s no accident the menu is different. As a neighborhood restaurant, Spark’s intention is to feature “fine casual dining.” Some might think that those two ideas are mutually exclusive, but Spark pulls it off without a hitch. “Family and friends are all comfortable here”, said Elizabeth Chiat, Spark’s co-owner.

Comfortable indeed. Part of the charm of Spark is that the surroundings are upscale, but you never feel like you couldn’t walk in wearing jeans and a t-shirt. The surroundings are chic, but not too outrageous. The building feels 1930’s art deco, and a fun vertical neon sign out on the front of the building reinforces the style.

The restaurant itself is three stories, with the top two levels reserved for private functions. If you are going to have a private event, Spark has a great setup for large parties. Two thirds of the building is banquet/rental space, complete with a separate entrance. The second floor has space for dancing and eating, and the third is decorated as a comfortable living room lounge.

On the first floor, the dining area is intimate, and most tables can easily seat four. The best tables are the large and comfortable booths, located opposite the restaurant’s entrance. Calling ahead and reserving one would be ideal. The décor features dark colored wood trim, tables, and chairs. Textured stone walls and floors add an earthy feel, accented by the peach and pumpkin colors of the walls.

The bar area is small, and has a full selection of mid-to-top shelf alcohols and spirits. Spark features several signature martinis, and I was lucky enough to sample a fantastic Cantaloupe Martini. It was refreshing and crisp with a very light finish. Spark also features a happy hour from 5-7 p.m. with half-price wood-fired appetizers and five dollar glasses of house wine and well drinks. It is an inexpensive way to sample Spark’s fare.

After my dining companion and I had settled in, we began our meal with the Maryland Blue Crab Cakes. Only minutes after we ordered, our server Gerard brought the dish to our table. Two crab cakes were plated with a corn and red pepper relish on top and a chipotle aioli sauce covering the dish. They were moderately sized, and were a good appetizer for two. Pan-fried and served hot, they were an excellent starter. The crab cake was moist and flavorful, with a little crispness on the outside. The chipotle aioli added just the right amount of heat and a southwestern flair. The corn relish was a nice compliment to the dish, with the onions adding a bit of sweetness to offset the aioli sauce. The dish was served on a simple white plate, and set the standard for all the courses at Spark.

The Wood Grilled Artichoke came next. A medium sized artichoke was cut into quarters, dressed with olive oil and grilled. The wood fire grill was front and center here; the smoky flavoring blended wonderfully with the natural flavors of the artichoke. The artichoke was served with a champagne mustard sauce that was creamy in texture and was very subtle in favor. A nice addition, but I preferred the artichoke au natural.

I must admit, I cannot resist an iceberg wedge salad, so I ordered the Fork and Knife salad without hesitation. Sparks’ wedge was cool and crisp. Topping the salad was a tangy bleu cheese dressing, bacon, red onion, and candied walnuts. The walnuts were a particularly nice touch, as was the unique bleu cheese. Tangy and thinner in consistency than most bleu cheese dressings, it blended well with the sweet walnuts and smoky applewood bacon. I highly recommend this salad, even if you’re not a sucker for the wedge like I am.

Entrees were served shortly after and each was fantastic. I ordered my favorite cut of steak, the Ribeye, covered with Grilled Oyster Mushrooms. It was a giant cut of meat. The well marbled, ever-so-slightly charred brown steak was at least 14 ounces. It looked magnificent, but I wanted to reserve judgment—the first cut into a steak is always a seminal moment. Will it be the pink medium rare I ordered? Or a slightly overcooked medium? As the first cut revealed itself, there was no question that the steak had been cooked as ordered: pink and beautiful. Thankfully, it tasted as good as it looked. The aged beef melted in my mouth and the mesquite from the wood fire added tremendous flavor. I especially enjoyed the grilled oyster mushrooms on top. There was no sauce, just the mushrooms, grilled and seasoned. They were chewy with a meaty texture. Served with the steak was a generous portion of mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. The potatoes were tasty, no-frills mashed potatoes, slightly buttery with a smooth consistency. The sautéed spinach had a hint of wood fired flavor, I expect from the grilled garlic cloves that accompanied the dish. Put together, both sides matched well with the steak.

The Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna was next. I have never seen a larger piece of ahi served at a restaurant. It had to have been an 8-10 ounce cut of tuna. As good as the steak was, the ahi held its own just fine. It was seared and peppered on the outside and a deep rare red on the inside. On top of the fish, Sparks’ version of a soy ginger sauce covered the ahi, but not completely. Without the sauce the ahi had a peppered taste and a hint of mesquite flavor that was outstanding. But I particularly enjoyed the fish with the sauce, as it had a sweetness that matched the soft mellow taste of the ahi splendidly.

The fish was served with jasmine rice on one side, and a medley of sautéed vegetables on the other. The jasmine rice was extremely fragrant and could overpower those who don’t like floral aromas in their food. The sautéed vegetables were crispy and flavorful, and included carrots, broccolini, and green onions. 

With the meal, I had glasses of the Ravenswood Zinfandel, and the Bridlewood Reserve Syrah. Both were nice complements to the steak, but a little bold for the ahi. If you have any questions about wine matching, ask your server, or the General Manager, Oliver. During the meal, both were very attentive, and the food came out very quickly.

Dessert featured some American standards: Homemade Chocolate Mousse and Fresh Fruit Cobbler. The chocolate mousse was superlative. It was a mild coco flavor rather than rich dark chocolate. It was light and fluffy, just what the doctor ordered after the ribeye steak. It was served with raspberries on top and plated with just a bit of a raspberry sauce on the plate. With or without the fruit, it was a great dessert.

The fresh fruit cobbler is plenty for two, and served in a baking tureen with a soft crumb crust on top. Apples and strawberries were the fruit of the day. Large slices of apples dominated the dish, and the cobbler came to the table piping hot. Although tasty, the cobbler may have been a bit too sweet. I would have preferred less sugar, and more tartness from the apples.

The dessert, and meal, ended with a good cup of coffee. It was a satisfying end to a satisfying meal. All in all, the experience at Spark was fantastic. The restaurant is a suitable destination for a romantic dinner, business meeting, or even a special night out with the family. Great food, quality service, and a chic, but relaxed atmosphere—that’s Spark.