Skip to main content

LA’s Newest Destination Restaurant: Hinoki & the Bird

Hinoki & the Bird is spurring many Angelinos, and visitors alike to the fair city of Los Angeles, to do something they probably never considered before— driving to the isolated neighborhood of Century City for something other than a visit to, you know, their agents. Right across the street from famed offices of CAA (the agents everyone in Hollywood wants) and beneath luxury high rise residences of The Century, Hinoki and the Bird has built a culinary nest that’s become LA’s best new destination restaurant.

Having renown chef and restaurateur, David Myers at the helm might have something to do with it. Myers, who you might know from (sadly closed) Michelin starred Sona in LA or Comme Ça brasserie, has imparted the food at Hinoki & the Bird with an informed mix of California Cuisine (think crispy and Raw Kale with curried almonds, pecorino and lemon vinaigrette) with flavors he discovered while traveling through parts of Asia (See below).

Recommended Videos

We had the opportunity to sample just about everything on the menu (don’t hate). Usually when that happens, things get lost or only a few things manage to stand out. Not so here, but pressed to pick….don’t miss the savory Caramel Braised Kurobuta Pork with radish and mustard greens (a play on the Vietnamese classic) or the Hinoki Scented Black Cod with sweet potato and pistachio is the most buttery and divine homage to the restaurant’s fragrant namesake cypress wood you could dream of (Hinoki means cypress in Japanese). Other dishes that stood out include a charcoaled Lobster Roll with green curry and Thai-basil, and Braised Lamb with tiny potatoes and cumin seed. You’ll note that plates in the Simply Grilled section are cooked to perfection over Binchotan, a Japanese charcoal and including the best wing of Skate we’ve ever tasted— Sambal Skate Wing.

Designed by Milo Garcia’s LA-based MAI Studio (Gjelina, Zinque), Hinoki & the Bird comes across as both handsome and cozy, evoking the unexpected combo of an outdoor patio living room with swank library cum cafeteria set within the frame of cedar wood, walnut and brass.

It’s in LA..so mandatory celeb shout outs include Cameron Diaz, David Schwimmer, Joshua Jackson, Molly Ringwald, Conan O’Brien, Chelsea Handler and Timothy Olyphant.

The restaurant is currently serving dinner only, from 5-10pm though plans are in motion to begin a lunch menu before summer. LA’s next power lunch spot? We’d put money on it.

Check them out at www.hinokiandthebird.com

Matt Bell
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Bell is a travel and grooming writer. He's endured Thai face slapping massages, swam in a cage with crocodiles and…
From s’mores to pumpkin spice, these whiskeys taste like fall
Fall is a great time for flavored whiskey
Glass of whiskey with ice cubes served on wooden planks

When it comes to fall flavors, there’s nothing bigger and more in-your-face than pumpkin spice. You’ll find it everywhere, from candles to lattes to cereal and even gum. But it’s also found its way into the world of flavored whiskey.

And while we’d definitely try a glass of pumpkin spice-flavored whiskey this fall, there’s a whole world of other flavored whiskeys that taste like autumn in a glass beyond the popular spicy gourd.

Read more
The House of Suntory is launching a new Haku Vodka featuring a popular citrus fruit flavor
The House of Suntory

Vodka drinkers know about the appeal of Haku Vodka. This award-winning vodka from The House of Suntory is already the perfect spirit for your Martini or Vodka Tonic. But if you’re looking for a little extra flavor, the brand recently announced the launch of citrus-forward expression Haku Yuzu.

Haku Yuzu

Read more
Buffalo Trace Distillery announces the 2025 release of the Van Winkle Whiskey Collection
Buffalo Trace

In the American whiskey world, there’s no bigger name than Van Winkle. There are no more sought-after whiskeys than those made by Buffalo Trace and Old Rip Van Winkle. Recently, the distillery announced the 2025 release of the beloved Van Winkle Whiskey Collection. But good luck getting your hands on a bottle.

The 2025 Van Winkle Whiskey Collection

Read more