Etta

If we were to describe Etta, a new American spot in Culver City, in a single phrase, it’d be “eh, fine.” It’s a Chicago transplant, a big-time restaurant known for its huge space, extensive “wood-fired” menu, and limited availability. While the bubbling shrimp and fire-baked focaccia served with honey and black truffles particularly stand out - for the most part, everything here is just OK, if not a little underwhelming. It’s a very fine restaurant, perfect for a very fine evening, either with parents or a client. But overall, it kind of feels like watching the Big Summer Blockbuster Everyone’s Been Talking About - large in scale and technically impressive, but ultimately uninspiring.