4222 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood, California
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The Front Yard is located in the Garland Hotel. The second you walk into the restaurant you feel like you're at a garden retreat and just want to relax. There is a little wait for a table, but the service was pretty good. Our waiter brought us water right away and took our order once we were ready. There are a couple of parking spots in the lot that were free, but if those are taken there is valet service available.
Sign^
Kale Caesar^
This dish comes with beautifully cut kale leaves and is topped with shredded cheese and croutons. The dressing was good, but it could have used a bit more so that it wasn't totally dry...maybe a hint of lemon. Throughout this salad there are tons of capers adding to the flavor. The portion size was large and filling. It is large enough to split into two for kids to eat.
Angus Burger (kids menu)^
This plate from the kids menu was phenomenal!!! The burger was cooked very well, had a side of fries and came with pickles for the burger. The fries were salted just enough and tasted great:)
Green Garbanzo Hummus^
This dish was light, airy and fresh tasting! The second you dip the pita bread into the hummus you feel an urge to have more. This dish had radishes on top of the hummus that were crunchy and yummy. It could use a bit of zing by adding some lemon or garlic, but otherwise the taste was good. The only thing we can say is that it needs more pita bread for scooping.
Corn Chowder Soup^
This plate was very creamy and tasty. On top of the soup was a swirl of a wasabi green sauce that was quite spicy and it had micro greens sprinkled on top. If you stir the sauce into the soup it's alright:) I would definitely recommend this dish, but the bowl may be a little bit big for younger kids. It was like eating clam chowder minus the clams! Definitely a winner with us!
TFY Burger^
My dad ordered this burger and thought it was exceptional!!! The burger was cooked medium and it was served that way. The quality of the beef was great. The burger was layered with truffle dijionnaise, wild mushrooms, point reyes toma cheese, arugula and red onion-balsamic jam. You had a choice of fries or side salad with the burger. The size of the plate was just right for one person:)
Carrot Risotto^
My mom ordered this dish and we both had a taste. She ordered the cheese on the side...which didn't have much flavor to it anyway. The rice was creamy and cooked just right although it was a bit bland on it's own. The roasted carrots were tasty, but what gave it some life was the green garlicky pesto spooned on top of the risotto. Overall, it was just okay.
Wood Oven Roasted Olives^
This plate deserves a golden medal:) It was very hot when it came out so let it cool for a bit or risk burning your tongue. These olives were not pitted, but still very delicious. This plate also comes with a side of pita bread! This dish is the perfect side for a family of four or five to nibble on while waiting for your main course...salty goodness:)
Grilled Octopus^
This dish is incredible!!! To start off, the octopus is cooked and grilled perfectly. There is a delightful sauce in this dish with, a lemony and tangy taste to it, probably from the addition of capers. The tomatoes came out fresh and warm, bursting with flavor. On the plate along with the octopus, three mussels were served as well. The only thing missing was a hunk of fresh bread to dip into the remaining sauce in the bowl:)
Strawberry Fields^
My parents ordered this fruity drink. They said that it tasted yummy and was something they would definitely have if we went again.
Strawberry Fields^
This is another picture of the drink from the side so you can see the size of it. This drink is quite small so you may want to get one per parent.
Outside seating at the restaurant^
The exterior of this restaurant is very beautiful and cozy! Outside there are tons of tables with nice umbrellas for hot days and there are cute twinkly lights wrapped around all the trees that glow at night. You feel like you're tucked away in a garden retreat far away from the busy traffic right outside the restaurant.
Outside Restaurant^
Overall this restaurant is great! The food is tasty and the decor is cozy and beautiful:) The cups they served us water in are cool because they are cut bottoms of green wine bottles giving it that extra unique push:) We both think that this restaurant deserves a three star rating as an overall score :)
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