RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: Husband-and-wife team Harry Posner and Natalie Dial left jobs in healthcare to open an earthy, urban-farm-centered culinary destination in an unlikely spot: LAX-adjacent Westchester (a neighborhood that’s otherwise a bit of a dining desert). A coffee and pastry shop by day, Tomat transforms into a full-fledged, ingredient-driven restaurant at night.
The Vibe: A giant neon tomato adorns the side of an otherwise nondescript three-story building Tomat inhabits from top to bottom. On the ground floor, there’s a dining room with an open kitchen. The second story houses an event space, and up top, there’s a rooftop terrace. On a recent Friday night, the simple, green-hued modern dining room outfitted with blond-wood tables and brick-red accents filled up with an eager crowd.
The Drinks: The cocktail menu is categorized by glass shape — Nick and Nora, spritz, or lowball. Some classics like a gin and tonic with peppercorn and herb, get lightly creative twists, while others (especially the lowballs) get a little more funky with the produce. The Dr. P, for example, is a classic blend of bourbon, lemon, ginger, and salt — with clarified carrot juice thrown in the mix.
The Food: Tomat’s menu nods to both Posner’s upbringing in London and his Jewish heritage, spanning flavors ranging from Persian (Barbari bread served with a ball of butter, coated in cold-smoked powdered tomato), to British (trout fish and chips), to Fijian (a delicate rockfish served in a bowl of Suva curry, wonderfully bright in color and taste). Larger plates like Liberty duck come with thinly sliced breast and tender thigh and leg alongside a walnut mole sauce dotted with pomegranate seeds. Posner’s time at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland, and his devotion to seasonality also shines in starters like a winter lettuce salad with walnuts tossed in a creamy and nutty roasted yeast dressing.
The Verdict: The final proof of an evening well spent by the airport is in the sticky toffee pudding. Like everything about Tomat, it’s quite good. –Heather Platt
→ Tomat (Westchester) • 6261 W 87th St • Wed-Sun 5-8:30p, coffee and pastries Tue-Sun 8a-1p • Reserve.