Bites Nearby: The Six Restaurant Scores a 10

The Six Restaurant is a real neighborhood find, located on Pico Boulevard just east of Overland Avenue. Co-owners Will Karges and Jake King wanted to pay tribute to The Society of Six, a group of Northern California plein air (outdoors) painters from the 1920s that are recognized for their contribution to American post-impressionism. This group was innovative and so are Karges and King.

The Six has a hip, relaxed vibe with some great design touches such as the Edison lighting and collages of old-time movie stars on the wall sconces. The decor is predominately wood and leather, bringing a warmth and coziness to the space. The communal table encourages neighborly chatting and the wait staff couldn’t be friendlier.

Fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients are used as much as possible and six choices are offered in each category on the menu: six beers on tap; six small plates; six entrees; six desserts, etc.  It’s a simplified approach and it works. Think quality over quantity.

You’ll find classics on the menu with a contemporary twist. For example, The Six’s version of a sloppy Joe is showcased in its turkey sloppy Joe sliders with portobello mushrooms, red bell peppers and fried pickles.

My friend tried the classic hamburger served on a soft brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, blue cheese, onion rings and thousand island dressing. He thought the burger was juicy and flavorful, though a bit heavy on the blue cheese.

I started my meal with a salad of mesclun greens sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts and slivered pears tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. The flavors in this simple salad were just right.

I felt like having more vegetables so I ordered the vanilla beets, which were bright and fresh. The golden beets were cubed and roasted, topped with watercress, creamy burrata cheese and hazelnuts. I ate every last bite. All the different layers of textures and flavors were well-balanced.

Served in a small, cast-iron skillet, the white bean cassoulet with roasted root vegetables is a hearty and satisfying dish. It’s topped with a fried egg and fresh Parmesan and is the perfect accompaniment to the freshly sliced bread brought to each table. I enjoyed this dish as well. In fact, I’ve liked every dish I’ve ever tried at The Six and look forward to ordering more delicious items in the near future.

The Six Restaurant, 10668 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064, 310- 837-6662

Hours: Mon.–Fri. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat. Sun. 11 a.m.-12 a.m.

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