Cortez Restaurant Now Serving In Echo Park

Cortez is a new Spanish-inspired dinner spot by the proprietors of Echo Park’s independent, sustainability-oriented grocery store Cookbook. Located on Allison Avenue, across Sunset Boulevard from the Super 8 Motel, Cortez is a great neighborhood spot for residents of Echo Park, Angeleno Heights and Elysian Heights.

We loved the concept but had mixed feelings about the food.

Atmosphere

The space is adorable, with exposed brick walls, a cute bar that overlooks a semi-open kitchen, and a modern but intimate dining room. The staff couldn’t be more friendly. They’re knowledgeable about the menu and quick to offer information about the organic farms where their ingredients are sourced.

Food & Drink

The wine and beer list is small but good, and the food is served tapas-style. We enjoyed our wine, but on the night we visited, the food missed the mark. We ordered five plates, which came out all at once within about ten minutes. Clearly, the food wasn’t made to order. What was supposed to be hot was room temperature, and what was supposed to be room temperature was cold. It seemed as though each dish had been sitting in a deli case or under a heat lamp for some time before being plated and served to us. Aside from the erratic temperatures, a couple of the dishes were overdressed, others seemed under-seasoned, and there was a bone in the rabbit dish we ordered.

Overall, we admire the commitment to local and organic ingredients at Cortez, but we found the execution of the menu disappointing.

What To Order

Hopefully with time, Cortez can up its culinary game. It’s a great spot with a potentially exciting menu. For now, we’d recommend going there for a glass of wine and a snack, perhaps olives, almonds, or a cheese plate.

For more information about Cortez’s menu and to see what we ordered, go to Bingeworthy.com.