The steakhouse, at 8720 Sunset Blvd. just west of Sunset Plaza, has locations in 11 other cities in the United States and Puerto Rico. The West Hollywood location opened in 2008 to great fanfare. But famed chef Laurent Tourondel, from whose initial the BLT logo is derived, split with partner Jimmy Haber in 2010 and went out on his own. Tourondel kept the rights to the BLT brand, which Haber licensed from him.
The restaurant was as famed for its popovers as its steak. Restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, then writing for LA Weekly, praised Tourondel as “one of the best chefs of his generation.” But Gold went on to criticize BLT’s execution of Tourondel’s menu. “…The ability to run one brilliant restaurant is different from the ability to run 20 brilliant restaurants,” he wrote, in a reference to BLT’s rapid expansion.
BLT was overpriced and a very cold vibe….The old Le Dome there was crazy fun until it got very, very old. (THE crowd not the drapes). There was a famous agent who ate lunch on Le Dome’s patio every day….People HATED John Gaines but I always found him amusing. He had great clients like Colin Higgins. It was a total trip to sit there and listen to his Hollywood tales….He always had a phone on his table, cracked me up. Did I mention John was hated? When he passed, he left $1.5 to APLA. Didn’t tell a soul before hand.… Read more »