The holidays can bring the crazy out of people.

As Christmas approaches, the rush to keep up with the expectation of the holiday is at an all-time high. Homes are decorated to an extent that would make a fire marshal concerned and we buy so many gifts that it seems like our presents are getting presents. I’m not judging anyone especially since I’ve done most of that, but I am saying we may be over doing it just a tad. With such a rush to celebrate and, often times, outdo the person next to us I appreciate the moments where tranquility, quality, and modesty take the forefront. Sure we don’t always see it in stores that are vying for us to buy unnecessary items, but we can see it in the moments we share with family and friends around amazing food. With the close of the year only weeks away, one of the best things we can do is unplug from the expectations and enjoy a holiday dinner with the ones we love. A great place to do that, is at Faith and Flower in Downtown Los Angeles. Allow me to showcase a few of their dishes to explain why.

The restaurant that sits on the corner of 9th and Flower Streets was beautifully decorated to welcome the holiday. Drapes were tied with red ribbon and poinsettias, tables were set with green colored dishes, and the ambient lighting set the mood for the dinner. I was sitting with friend, Anthony, who joined me to photograph a few items from the restaurant’s upcoming Christmas Eve Menu. Since I have never dined here before, I was excited to see what it was like to eat at Faith and Flower, and more importantly, to see how the Faith and Flower Christmas Eve menu would fare. Looking at the lovely decorated restaurant, I could only hope the cocktails and food would be the same.

As the bartender and waiter walked us through the menu, Anthony and I already knew where to begin, with cocktails. The first was the English Milk Punch ($16). When I tell you that this drink is delicious and worth every penny, I mean it wholeheartedly! There are few cocktails that are so good that you think of them long after your night out, trust me, this is that kind of drink. Made with four types of rum, bourbon, brandy, Curacao, absinthe, clarified milk, and a few other necessary additives, this cocktail is mind-blowing. It was quite possibly one of the smoothest drinks I’ve ever ordered. With so many liquors mixing together, I assumed it would have been stiff but it was the complete opposite. It was as light as juice but as strong as the hulk. Even better, the milk gave it a subtle creamy taste to grace your lips. It’s a perfect drink!

Following the punch was the Sweater Weather ($14). Compared to the first cocktail, this one had fewer elements. It was simply made of Stolen Smoked Rum, Pernod Absinthe, Crème de Cacao, an egg, and cream. A much creamier drink, this adult eggnog had a distinct liquor taste. Since I like it when my alcohol creeps up on me like Jason in the woods, I didn’t care for the taste much in this one. However Anthony enjoyed the way it was so pronounced and direct. I gave him my Sweater Weather and he gave me his English Milk Punch. It was teamwork at its finest.

With cocktails in hand, we were ready to start the dinner. The first holiday-inspired dish in the Downtown LA restaurant was the Persimmon and Chicory Salad ($17). The eye -catching salad had manchego cheese, pomegranates, sunflower seeds, and was topped with a toasted hazelnut vinaigrette. While I didn’t dive deep into this dish because I wanted to save space for the entrees, I appreciated the grandeur that was within this salad. Think about it, most of the time when we have a salad you’re lucky if the chef sprinkles enough chicken and croutons on it to make you feel even somewhat full. Don’t even ask for it to be pretty. But here at Faith and Flower, the chef and his expert culinary team created a lovely salad full of fresh ingredients. I really enjoyed the smooth cheese alongside the citric taste from the fruit and they way they combined to make the most boring of vegetables – lettuce – taste pleasing. If this salad could make me happy, I wonder how vegetarians and salad enthusiasts would feel.

After the salad I went in for the Oxtail Agnolotti ($17). It was made with bone marrow butter, stone fruit conserva, and beef tendon chicharrones. From the first bite, the second, and third the only thought that ran through my mind was, “How can a pasta be this perfect?” The bowl holds a pasta with a multitude of levels to its flavor and so much density within the grooves of its texture. What seemed like small and ordinary pasta shells held in an almost 100% Jamaican approved version of oxtail. If you’re wondering, that Jamaican would be me. It was spicy from the inside, smooth on its shell, with a pleasant and gradual increase of sweetness as you progressed from bite to bite. Never have I thought chicharrones would have any other place than in a plastic bag in a convenience store, but here, it felt like they had a new home. Bringing it all together, the sauce carries a warm temperature that adds the heat you’re looking for in this dish. Even as it began to cool down from eating it slowly and chatting with the staff, it still provided the same warmth I experienced the minute they brought it out of the kitchen.

Out of all the plates to come to the table to showcase the holiday, my favorite was the Ribeye ($48, 12oz.). A 30-day, dry aged, massive cut of meat was grilled over mesquite and brought out by the chef. At first glance, my eyes locked in on how incredible it looked. Within the first bite I immediately reveled in a tender meat that didn’t simply melt in my mouth. That would be too easy. Instead, this cut that opened up like a flower the minute my knife touched it. Slicing down the nicely grilled exterior released a small level of steam that then made way to streams of juice that incubated the flavor of the meat. The cuts were thick and the juice it was soaked in was almost alcoholic. In no way would I suggest you develop a drinking problem, but if it was with this rib eye, I’d encourage it.

I might even join you.

The dinner I experienced at Faith and Flower was exactly what I needed. The quiet break away from the noise and commotion of the holiday season was incredibly welcome. I loved how the dishes were incredibly delicious, well plated, and felt like home even though I was miles away from my doorstep. Honestly, if there was anyway to celebrate the holidays and the close of the year, for me, Faith and Flower would be it.

To check out their complete Christmas Eve menu and to make a reservation, click here!

(Image courtesy of Faith and Flower)

Check out more of the delicious food we had this evening below!

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Address: 705 W 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone: (213) 239-0642
Hours: Monday through Thursday – 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 10:00pm; Friday – 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 11:00pm, Saturday – 10:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 11:00pm, and Sunday 10:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 10:00pm
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