Who knew that a local Westside hotel could be filled to the brim with intriguing history and local culture? In light of its 90th birthday, the Culver Hotel recently revamped its dining program into a new and refined version that matches the surrounding roaring 20s-themed decor with a Prohibition-inspired cocktail list.
The dining menu and food scene has evolved in accordance with the hotel’s transformation, resulting in the dynamic four-star hotel it is today.
General manager Seth Horowitz further explained the growth of the establishment and the events that led to its present-day status.
“What’s happened in Culver City is such a story, and it’s been a wonderful feeling to see how the changes have worked with the dining program,” Horowitz said. “Ten years ago this city was not on the map. It was essentially a drive-thru. The city knew something desperately needed to be done.”
With the reconstruction of downtown Culver City came about a growing interest in the Culver Hotel. Unsurprisingly, its prime location – which neighbored the former MGM Studios – made for plenty of household names and movie stars occupying the hotel rooms.
The Culver Hotel served many a celebrity from the golden age of Hollywood, including the cast of “Wizard of Oz.”
Through the decades, the hotel was owned by the likes of Harry Culver, the founder of Culver City, and actor John Wayne, who supposedly won the hotel from Charlie Chaplin during a poker game.
However, the building’s aesthetic did not undergo any serious makeovers until recently.
“We finished renovation toward the end of 2011 and revamped the food and drink menu in the last quarter of this year,” Horowitz said. “People keep saying that they love the food.”
Horowitz emphasized that the hotel’s program remains unpretentious.
“The food program is not trying to do anything outrageous,” Horowitz said. “We just do the basics, and do them with style. We do it in light of what we are – a historic hotel in Culver City.”
The changes in the dining program are subtle, but the components that were changed as well as the aspects that were kept were done with one goal in mind: to cater to the hotel guests as best as possible.
Owner Maya Mallick chimed in on its menu.
“Because of the eclectic crowd we get, we tried to create a similarly interesting set of dishes to satisfy every palate,” Mallick said.
A steak option has been added to the menu, and a heavier emphasis on healthy options has taken root in the dining program as well.
Horowitz, who is a fan of the healthy salads, explained the spotlight on nutrition.
“We’re starting to hone the ability to be more understanding of certain dietary preferences,” Horowitz said. “It’s astonishing how many people have special dietary needs and how much they voice them.”
Options like the red organic quinoa salad, the farro and kale salad, and the house-made salmon burger are sure to appeal to the taste buds of the more health-conscious crowd. This is thanks to chef Samuel Vasquez, who not only provides vegetarian and vegan choices but can also “build an incredible bacon cheeseburger.”
The extensive menu also offers a variety of heartier pastas and entrees, like the bucatini al frutti di mare (a mix of clams, mussels, and prawns on pasta) and seafood, like the Maine scallops and Chilean sea bass.
To top it off, a daily brunch special offers breakfast classics like steak and eggs, omelets, French toast, and eggs benedict (until 11 am on weekdays and 3 pm on weekends).
The wide variety of choices allows the hotel to “cater to both hotel guests and locals from the neighborhood” and take customer service to another level.
With such fine dining options and a live music scene all taking place inside a historic landmark, an imminent visit to the Culver Hotel seems to be in order.
The Culver Hotel is located at 9400 Culver Blvd. in Culver City.
For more information, call 310.558.9400 or visit culverhotel.com.
