Restaurant: Dunsmoor
Location: 4220 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Date: February 19, 2025
Cuisine: American
Rating: Rich and tasty
Erick and I hard a lot about this place so trekked all the way out east.
Dunsmoor is a standout American-heritage restaurant tucked into Glassell Park on Eagle Rock Boulevard in Los Angeles. Helmed by Chef Brian Dunsmoor, the venue is an intimate, rustic space powered entirely by wood fire, with glowing embers and two fiery hearths that anchor its Southern-inspired cuisine . The menu celebrates rich, comforting classics—wood-roasted oysters, sour-milk cornbread drenched in cultured butter and honey, pork-and-green-chili stew, mushroom-crusted pork chop, and braised greens slow-cooked by the coals .
Born in Ohio and raised just outside Atlanta, Chef Brian Dunsmoor was shaped by summers spent on his family’s Colorado ranches and seafood-boiling gatherings in Florida’s Panhandle . His formal culinary journey began at a culinary school in Charleston, followed by college in Athens, Georgia. It was during this time that a teacher’s simple question—why he had quit cooking—prompted him to re-commit, and he soon started honing his skills at Hugh Acheson’s acclaimed restaurant, 5 & 10 .
His path then led westward to Los Angeles, where he sharpened his craft at Providence under Michael Cimarusti and at Joe’s Restaurant in Venice. It was at Joe’s that he met Kris Tominaga, a collaboration that sparked the “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” pop-up. That endeavor evolved into The Hart & The Hunter, earning him the StarChefs Rising Star Chef Award in 2014 .
Following his time as the head of the wood-fire-driven Hatchet Hall in Culver City—where he embraced “heritage cooking,” fueled by historical techniques and a deep sense of American foodways—Dunsmoor set his sights on a project he could truly call his own .
When his Glassell Park restaurant, Dunsmoor, finally opened in 2022 in a beautifully restored 1929 Spanish Revival building, it became the realization of that vision. Here, his commitment to hand-tools, live fire, and heritage American regional cooking took center stage—free from blenders, processed ingredients, and modern shortcuts .
The warm glow of the open flame in the kitchen, paired with the rustic charm of exposed shelves lined with culinary treasures, creates an inviting atmosphere that not only enhances the anticipation of a vibrant dining experience but also resonates with the craftsmanship of each dish prepared.
As you step through the etched glass of Dunsmoor, the warm glow of vintage pendant lights casts a cozy ambiance over rustic wooden tables, inviting you to savor an exquisite culinary journey amid a lively yet intimate atmosphere.
The menu at Dunsmoor showcases an inventive blend of contemporary American cuisine, featuring fresh seafood options like raw oysters and bluefin tuna toast, alongside hearty meat dishes such as Kobe beef tartare and mushroom-crusted pork chop. Seasonal ingredients and bold flavors are highlighted throughout, providing a dynamic dining experience.
The 1990 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande hails from the renowned Pauillac region of Bordeaux. This exceptional Bordeaux blend offers a complex symphony of ripe blackcurrants, cedar, and earthy undertones, harmonized by velvety tannins. The wine’s aging potential showcases its elegance, making it a superb pairing with rich dishes such as lamb or a charcuterie board.
The 2015 Domaine des Combes Meursault Les Bouchères is a pristine example of white Burgundy, celebrated for its minerality and bright acidity. This wine delivers notes of citrus zest, stone fruits, and a touch of toasted almonds, underscored by a subtle creaminess from oak aging. It complements seafood dishes, particularly lobster or scallops, enhancing their flavors beautifully.
Baby Albacore. Young ginger root relish, shallot. Silky, mild fish lifted by the fresh heat of young ginger and a gentle allium sweetness. Light, bright, and quietly elegant.
Bluefin Tuna Toast. Grilled sourdough, saletta, Florida mojama. Crunchy, smoky bread contrasts with silky, briny tuna and a savory, seaside depth.
Pickled White Anchovies. Olive oil, parsley, lemon, and garlic. Silky, gently briny fillets brightened by citrus and herbs, with clean olive-oil richness and a soft garlic finish.
Edna’s Sour Milk Cornbread. White cheddar, Hatch chile, cultured butter, honey. Tangy and tender with a lightly crisp edge, the cheddar adds richness while the Hatch chile brings gentle warmth; cultured butter and honey tip the bite sweet-salty.
Kobe Beef Tartare. Bistro-style, with fried oysters, soft herbs, and horseradish. Silky, finely chopped beef meets a briny crunch from the oysters, lifted by fresh herbs and a nose-tingling horseradish kick.
Red Beans & Rice. Carolina gold, smoked sausage, scallion, pepper vinegar. Creamy beans and fluffy rice with smoky sausage, bright scallion, and a tangy pepper-vinegar kick.
Grilled Veal Sweetbreads. Bacon drippings, wood herbs, and lemon. Crisp-edged and creamy within, smoky and savory from the drippings, lifted by bright citrus and a woodsy herbal perfume.
Beef Ribeye (32 oz). Smoked bone marrow, sea salt. Expect a deeply beefy, well-marbled steak, with the smoked marrow adding lush richness and the sea salt sharpening each bite.
Dressed Lettuces. Herbs, vinaigrette. Crisp, cool leaves glossed in a bright, herbal vinaigrette—refreshing and quietly elegant.
Sticky Date Pudding. Moist, treacly crumb studded with soft dates and drenched in buttery toffee sauce—rich, warm, and gloriously sticky. Lovely with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to balance the sweetness.
Some really excellent “comfort food” — too bad it’s all the way out here!
