A Magical Night at Firefly

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Many people have a love/hate relationship with the San Fernando Valley, affectionately (and not so affectionately) called “The Valley”. I’ll never forget the scene in Clueless when Cher is stranded in The Valley and calls her dad for help, to which he replies “Everywhere in LA takes 20 minutes”. Still not sure which LA they were living in, thinking in only takes 20 minutes to get anywhere in LA. Maybe traffic has gotten worst in the last two decades? Whether or not you’re the person who would only be caught in the Valley by getting stranded like Cher, there really are some great spots in the area, Firefly being one of them.

There’s no sign to guide to the restaurant. (I’ve always loved a good unmarked restaurant. Makes you feel like even more of a local knowing it’s there.) The way to recognize you’ve found the right spot, is finding the building completely covered in Ivy. You can find the door just near the valet, and just on the inside of the door stands the hostess and what feels like a speakeasy bar immediately inside. Lowlit and standing room only, bartenders are dressed in what I call the mixologist uniform, collared shirt with suspenders. Just beyond the bar is a larger lounge area that keeps on trend with full library lined walls and plush, tufted banquettes.

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You would think this would be the last of the surprises but just around the corner from the lounge opens up a large, completely outdoor restaurant patio. Mediterranean style cabanas line the perimeter of the patio, with a large 360 degree fireplace anchoring the center. The patio is pushed up against a hill, so the ambience is reminiscent of being in some sort of jungle.

The restaurant fills up fast during the 7pm/7:30pm dinner rush and as the night falls, the magic of the patio grows under the glow of the hanging lights acting as the ceiling. The servers are busy but so far all pleasant interactions. The option of a Chef’s Pre-fixe menu can guide you through the complex menu if you’re not totally versed with menu items such as ‘nettle spaetzle’ and ‘beurre blanc’. If you’re not looking for dinner but still want something to settle your drinks with, a simpler, late night menu is available until 12a weekdays, 1a weekends.

FireFly

11720 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604

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