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More to do in: Hollywood

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The Hungry Cat

323-462-2155
1535 Vine St., Los Angeles, CA  91352
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(8 ratings)

Times Description

Tucked in a passageway behind the Borders bookstore at Sunset and Vine, Hungry Cat has an edgy, urban vibe.

The kitchen consists of [David] Lentz and his sous-chef, Kris Longley, with the occasional helper...Hungry Cat is smart and different, a combination of straightforward, impeccably sourced seafood and more inventive dishes that sing because they're both delicious and well-executed. It's easy to see why it's catching on fast with a young and eclectic Hollywood crowd.

Lentz always has great oysters on the half shell, and a dynamite Chincoteague Island oyster chowder, in a light broth loaded with clams, potatoes and swatches of greens. The heat that lingers after each bite adds an interesting dimension. I like the clams braised with chorizo and garbanzo beans too, served with thick rafts of toast to soak up all the juices.

And I can't get enough of the meaty peel 'n' eat shrimp. They're $16 per half-pound if you peel 'em, $2 more if you want the kitchen to do it. But why would you? They're gloriously messy and fun to eat and these are so good, they make every other version around town taste like sawdust.

--S. Irene Virbila

User Reviews (2)

Showing 1 to 2 of 2 reviews
  • Contactpic_small

    "it used to be my favorite place"

    Posted by sylvie on 05/07/2009
     

    I loved the Hungry cat because of its name, the stylish modern look and the oysters. I took my friends there and told anyone this is my most loved restaurant in town..but then after a while the service turned out to be super bad... the food lost its quality. Every...

  • Big_sur_small

    "One of my favorites"

    Posted by looooond on 12/15/2007
     

    Learned about this place when I first moved to L.A. and it was a winner in my book from the start. Always fun to have a few selections from the raw bar, before digging into one of the tastier gourmet burgers I've had. Being that the space is so small,...

Reviews from Yelp_large (3)

  • Ss
    Posted by Lucy C. on Yelp_small
     

    Believe what you read on here... try the pug burger. I shared it and started with an amazing winter salad and it was more than enough. Also the margarita...

  • Ss
    Posted by Jennifer S. on Yelp_small
     

    I went here a couple of weekends ago, and it was just a blah experience. I gave them an extra star for trying something different and going out of the box...

  • Ss
    Posted by Shemuell F. on Yelp_small
     

    I don't get the name. "The Hidden Cat" would be more appropriate since the place is tucked in a back corner of the courtyard of the Sunset/Vine complex and...

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