The Abbey Launches New Menu: Comfort Meets Bar Food

Fried chicken smothered in gravy over homemade biscuits, rye bread piled high with in-house cured pastrami, French toast stuffed with peanut butter, bananas and caramel—it's all good at .

West Hollywood's popular gay bar got a new menu earlier this month with SBE's corporate chef Daniel Elmaleh at the helm. "Chef Danny" revamped long-loved oldies, adding tapas-style goodies.

Sure, bar food ranging between $10-15 is not cheap, but you will find peace of mind knowing that The Abbey's food is made by the same chef of The Bazaar, XIV, and Katsuya, where dinner can easily cost over $100 per person. 

Elmaleh wanted to "reinvent LA bar food," says David Cooley, the founder of the Abbey. This translates into traditional pub fare with a gourmet twist.

Cooley is a big fan of short ribs. His go-to dish is the Short Rib Stout Braise ($23), paired with a mustard-vinegar sauce, mash potatoes and stemmed carrots. For a cheaper option, try the Short Rib Quesadilla ($12), filled with cheese, charred poblano peppers and red salsa.

A majority of items on the new menu are meant for sharing, such as the Rock Shrimp smothered in sweet spicy aioli, sprinkled with candied walnuts ($11)—General Manager Todd Barnes' pick, or Patch's favorite—the Cuban-style Pork Sliders ($10).

Two mini buns and a pickle cured in-house (see menu for The Abbey's recipe) may not seem like a lot, but we promise your appetite will be satisfied with this hefty serving of crispy pork piled high with onion rings. And the Carolina mustard bbq sauce is out of this world. We recommend eating the sliders open-faced.

For the epitome of comfort food, try the Chicken & Biscuits ($10)—pieces of fried chicken sandwiched between a homemade biscuit and saltine cracker crust, smothered in maple ham country gravy. This item is listed under "Shared," but no one will judge if you want to order your own.

For a healthier option, the Market Greek ($15) is probably the best salad on the menu. The cost may seem a bit much, but a bowl spilling over with peeled teardrop tomatoes, marinated beets, mouthwatering artichokes, olives, asparagus and feta is worth the splurge. And it might even be large enough to share.

A meal isn't complete without dessert, right? The Abbey's baked goods change each day, but if you are lucky enough to be there when Red Velvet Ding Dongs ($5) are available, please buy one. It can easily be shared with two or more friends. 

For a recommended cocktail, try the Blue Velvet martini ($12), offered only through the weekend. Named after the late Elizabeth Taylor's 1944 film, "National Velvet," the drink is made with vodka and blueberry schnapps. One hundred percent of the proceeds go toward the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

The Abbey's new menu adds a bit of comfort to standard bar fare. For gourmet food in a lounge setting, this neighborhood hotspot is the place to be. Just have your wallet handy.