The Dunsmoor Menu is Pure Poetry in Lard

Dunsmoor, the restaurant in Glassell Park from Chef Brian Dunsmoor (Hatchet Hall), is unlike anything on the dining scene right now. It’s daring yet approachable, and while the theme is regional Southern cuisine with deep historical roots, it somehow feels completely Angeleno and of the moment. The Dunsmoor Menu is pure poetry in lard, and you’re going to love it! Here’s a peek behind the lace curtains.

The Dunsmoor Menu Breakdown

The Dunsmoor menu, or Bill of Fare as it’s referred to, isn’t sectioned off with any clear designations other than some blank space in between, which feels like an equal-opportunity meal. If you choose something from each cluster, you’ve got the perfect four-course dinner. Menu suggestions are made thoughtfully by the waitstaff, and for a party of two, six plates are recommended. Everything is meant to be shared. The top of the menu features smaller Raw Dishes, while the section at the end is Large Plates, often roasted over an open flame. It basically describes the evolution of man. Menu favorites from each “section” are below, but don’t be surprised if you can’t recreate it all for yourself, as the Bill of Fare is updated daily.

Section 1: Raw

The top section includes dishes like Raw Oysters and Bison Tartare with sunchoke and smoked trout sauce. Choosing one is almost as hard as picking your favorite child, but in the end, it’s all just love (you can also order them all). The Baby Albacore with ginger root relish and shallot offers an impossibly delicious explosion of flavors over large slices of raw albacore.

Section 2: Pickled and Parts

This portion of the Dunsmoor menu includes Pickled Mussels, Wagyu Beef Tongue Rillettes, and one of the original menu offerings, the Chopped Chicken Liver with bacon and onion preserves. New on the menu and not to be missed is Broadbent’s Kentucky Country Ham with maple butter. The ham is thinly sliced like prosciutto, and the maple butter is so delicious that you might find yourself scooping it up with a fork and just eating it like pudding. All the dishes are served with bread from Bub and Grandma’s next door, which is a great way to enjoy a little more of the neighborhood.

Section 3: Getting Warmer

This block of menu items includes comfort-style larger items and accompaniments like a Geeche-Style Oyster and Benne Stew, a Blue Corn Spoonbread, and Edna’s Sourmilk Cornbread with hatch chili and cultured butter, which is a must-order.

The Wood Roasted Washington Oysters feel like they encapsulate the restaurant into one bite, as each one is roasted over that open flame and marinated in a way that you’ve never tasted before. Plus, the sheer size is just fun.

Section 4: Full-on Fire

The last portion of the menu is where things really heat up, and it can best be described as large plates. You’ll find cooked fish like Mt. Lassen Rainbow Trout, protein-rich Pennsylvania Dutch Slippery Dumplings, and a Mushroom Crusted Pork Chop with a drizzle of smoked lard and thyme. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the last 10 years, lard became an artisanal ingredient, and gluten became the enemy. I say bring on the lard and never take this Mushroom Crusted Pork Chop off the menu.

At the very bottom of the menu, you’ll find Side Dishes. Cheddar & Chive Potatoes are wonderfully delicious, and the Dressed Lettuces are a simple way to cut through some of the fats with some acid. The whole meal goes down better this way.

Dessert

Dessert includes offers like Apple Cobbler, but at this point, it’s really hard to fit another bite. The restaurant might still drop off a little something sweet, like Chocolate Covered Peanuts, recommended by the chef’s family and sourced from a small-batch local purveyor.

The Drinks

The drinks at Dunsmoor are Wine-based, with a small Beer section at the bottom of the menu, which includes an alcohol-free option. Several wines by the glass are available from each varietal, but for the most part, you’re encouraged to get the whole bottle. The wine program is designed by Rachael Davis, and you can choose to experience it at the restaurant or the adjoining wine bar.

The Design

The restaurant’s design can best be described as understated hipster Grandma and is the work of Lovers Unite founders Karen Spector and Alan Koch. The two worked closely together with Chef Dunsmoor to develop a concept that projected the chef’s vision upon the canvas of the 1929 Spanish revival space, which was a former U.S. National Bank. You’ll see much of the original building, including 18-foot-tall masonry walls and plasterwork with delicate embellishments like lace curtains and wildflowers. Everything from the communal dining tables and wooden church chairs with bible pockets to the plates and napkins was chosen with care by Spector and Koch.

Dunsmoor Hours and Details

Dunsmoor is located at 3501 Eagle Rock Boulevard in Glassell Park. Reservations can be made through OpenTable, but walk-ins are welcome, and there is chef’s table-style seating facing the open hearth of the kitchen to accommodate the overflow. You can also come in to enjoy a glass of wine in the adjoining bar and some smaller plates from the Dunsmoor kitchen.

The restaurant opens nightly for dinner at 5:30 p.m., and so does the bar. It’s great for date nights, large groups, and family dinners. Expect to spend about $100 a person to enjoy the meal I described above. Prices on the Dunsmoor menu range from $15 to $25 for the small and medium plates to around $40 for most of the large plates. Wines by the glass begin at $16.