Model CITIZEN
Chef Seth Greenburg Takes on Beverly Hills BY TAMBI SAFFRAN FOCUS FOOD EDITOR
T
here are upstanding citizens and then there is the outstanding CITIZEN, a restaurant in Beverly Hills. Located in the heart of the city, this vibrant gem with delicious fare brought to you by Executive Chef, Seth Greenburg, bustles with social gatherings daily from lunch to happy hour until closing. The décor is eclectic with macrame planters surrounding the bar area and an enormous brick wall masterpiece created by Citizen designer Kris Keith of Spacecraft Group, lining the main dining room. The design of the entire restaurant is well thought out and inviting. Executive Chef Greenburg, a Los Angeles native, brings a menu to Citizen that is as exciting as the décor, along with his wealth of experience. He’s worked in such restaurants as L’Orangerie in Los Angeles and Cuisine Francais in Chicago, and trained under his mentor, Michelin starred chef, Gilles Epié. Greenburg also served as opening Executive Chef at the Dakota Restaurant in the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, and then went on to work as Executive Chef at The Penthouse in Santa Monica for a number of years. Chef Greenburg‘s American menu at Citizen highlights the global flavors of Los Angeles as it is based on what’s available at the local farmers market... what Greenburg says is an advantage of being a chef in Los Angeles. It’s never boring! Chef Greenburg and Citizen have launched a tantalizing new menu. Guests can look for Chef Greenburg’s signature items such as Steak Noodle Salad, Wild White Shrimp Taco, Brick Pressed Chicken, Steak Frites, and one of his all time favorites, Halibut in Parchment paper, always a staple on the menu. A new selection of cocktails is also available to complement Greenburg’s menu. When I came to Citizen for my first time it was to experience their unique “7 for 7 ‘til 7” Happy Hour program (Seven dishes for $7 til 7) that occurs Monday thru Friday from 2:30pm to 7pm. I highly recommend it. Standout choices include short rib tacos, albacore tuna tacos and delicious
hummus. To accompany the food, Citizen offers a great bar selection including a cocktail of the month where a portion of your tab will benefit a local charity. What a great idea! #cocktailforacause It says on the Citizen website that if you spend enough time in a particular restaurant or bar, you become a citizen there. Citizen looks forward to welcoming you... In the meantime, I welcome you to read my one-on-one interview with Executive Chef Seth Greenburg: Where did you grow up? Here in LA. How old were you when you knew you wanted to become a chef? 17 How long have you been a chef professionally and did you train anywhere? I’ve been in the kitchen since I was 17. I talked my way into a job at the Ritz Carlton in Pasadena. From there I went to L’Orangerie and trained under Michelin star chef Gilles Epie. How long have you been at Citizen? Almost a year. How long did it take you to come up with the menu and what items are you most excited about? The menu is always a work in progress. I'm most excited about whatever we are going to do next.
focusmag.us 75