TUNING FORK

Along Ventura Place in Studio City, nestled between boutiques and dry cleaners, you will find an unexpected gastropub. However, this isn't just any gastropub; it's one infused with the positive energy of its predecessor, and framed with good vibes from both the music and the food. 

FOOD

Tuning Fork's menu offers a collection of dishes with Buddhist, English, Moroccan and Caribbean influences. 

Chef Jay prepared a mix of items from the dinner menu and happy hour menu, creating a group of dishes I would not have ordered at once, but that together, represent the range of foods available at Tuning Fork. 

The first thing I tasted was a smokestack slider, consisting of a warm, mini brioche bun, with spicy pulled pork, spicy barbecue pork and topped with a house slaw. These three small burgers may not look like they amount to much, but they pack a mighty punch. The flavorful slaw sits atop the tender and supple barbecue pulled pork, while the well-marinated spicy pulled pork adds a notch of fire. Then, the burgers are placed on a bed of lettuce, and just like all of the dishes, it is clear that presentation means everything--and no detailed is spared.

Enjoy a taste of the bazaar with the Marrakech meatballs from the happy hour menu. Perhaps the last thing you would expect at a pub, this dish works perfectly at Tuning Fork. It is an unexpected, but delightfully delicious take on the meatball, served on a pita and surrounded by a bed of spring mix. The meatballs envelop your senses, as well as emotions, like you have traveled far from the comforts of a small gastropub on the Ventura Place strip in Studio City. Covered with a rich sauce and mixed with tomato and onions, there’s a spiciness to them, but nothing even a person with a sensitive palette couldn’t handle. The Marrakech meatballs are perfectly seasoned and far different from most happy hour dishes. 

To the eye, this dish doesn’t appear traditional, since jerk chicken is usually dark brown and without vegetables. But Chef Jay pairs his perfectly moist and sensationally seasoned, tender chicken with yams and kale purée in the Chef Jay's Jerk Chicken, creating a familiar yet unique take on the popular Caribbean dish. The combination of flavors creates a nutty taste, but only a slight kick in the sauce, which I appreciate as I pair it with a smooth, crisp white wine. Again, an unexpected relief for a pub, but nothing I’m surprised by here at Tuning Fork.

DRINKS

Just like Chef Jay said in The Brew: Gastropub Culture in Los Angeles, the entire menu at Tuning Fork is meant to pair well with their selection of beers and wine. This said, I left my drink order up to my waiter, hoping that their interest and expertise in fermented beverages would prove helpful. 

First, I tried the Stone Brewing Company IPA, at $9 a glass. It had a nutty, buttery taste, and was cool and refreshing. I'm generally one to stay away from beer when wine is offered, but this particular IPA was really enjoyable. It was a perfect pair with the smokestack sliders, the bacon mac n' chz pops, and the Marrakech meatballs. 

For a white wine option, I tried the Mer Soleil SILVER (unoaked) Chardonnay 2012, Santa Lucia, at $14 a glass. It was a crisp, white wine, and for a chardonnay, I found it somewhat sweet. This paired well with Chef Jay's Jerk Chicken because the juxtaposition of nutty flavors and fruitier flavors worked well. 

Lastly, I was offered the A' Cote Pinot Noir Central Coast 2012. At $15 a glass, it offered a nice, smooth taste that was not too heavy--just like a pinot noir should be. This paired well with the smokestack sliders and the Marrakech meatballs from the Happy Hour menu. 

I don't know if it is that Tuning Fork only offers a great selection of drinks (which I don't doubt) or if the staff is just really knowledgable about their offerings, but I was impressed with how nicely the dishes and the drinks paired together. Depending on your palette, you might opt for a fuller-bodied red or a stronger beer, but I found that all of the beverage options I tried were complementary to my selection of dishes. 

DÉCOR

The first thing you notice about Tuning Fork is that it doesn't look like it belongs. Amongst a row of drab exteriors, the cascading bougainvillea, wooden benches and lattice-fence backdrop to the logo are in a league of their own along this boulevard. The exterior is all glass, which looks alluring and romantic from the outside, but can be appreciated best from inside.  

As I walk inside Tuning Fork, I am greeted by a friendly man walking from the backside of the bar towards me. He tells me to sit anywhere I'd like, and with only one other set of patrons inside the restaurant on this particular afternoon, I have my fair pick. I am instantly captivated by the music I hear; it is not anything I recognize, but it's louder than expected, which helps to keep me entertained while I look over the menu. The televisions have some sort of sporting game, but I'm less concerned with that and more interested with my surroundings. The heat is on, and I come to learn over my next few visits, Tuning Fork is always warm and toasty, a perfect temperature in comparison to the cold and rain outside. 

The wall treatments have a textured, metallic effect to them, and the mirrors along them make the space look large and bright. Juxtaposing the windows along the front of the gastropub is a bar that runs the entirety of the back wall. Here you can see most prominently a collection of small hanging lights that add to the romantic vibe. 

The floor is a dark wood, almost black, which is contrasted with wooden tables that are much lighter in color, and a collection of both wooden benches and individual chairs. On each table is a menu and a small vase with fresh flowers. The more I look around, the less I feel like I am in Los Angeles. Everything appeals to my emotion, and with its natural, calming allure, I'm not surprised when Chef Jay explains to me that the restaurant once housed a Thai restaurant with a major Buddhist influence. 

When you come to Tuning Fork, you realize the meaning of the term carries throughout. Tuning forks are used in acupuncture, a Buddhist practice; they also reference the tuning of instruments, which aligns with the gastropub's motivation to be a place where you hear great music, both live and pre-recorded while you enjoy great food; and of course, the reference to food. You find the unexpected at Tuning Fork, but by far the most memorable part is the explosion of flavors found in this Studio City establishment. 

12051 Ventura Place, Studio City CA 91604 | 818.623.0734 | tuningforkgastropub.com

Twitter: @TuningForkLA | Facebook: Tuning Fork Gastropub