NBA Playoffs at The Mixing Room, JW Marriott L.A. Live

JW Marriott at L.A. Live

The Mixing Room

900 West Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015

(213) 742-6855

The Mixing Room at the JW Marriott downtown at LA Live is a good option for watching major sports events we discovered during the Western Conference NBA playoffs (Lakers won, BTW). Lots of loungey chaise style couches, tall comfy bar stools, big flat screen TVs behind the bar, and a small plates menu to have fun with.

From the JW Marriott website:

The Mixing Room

American

World class Mixology creating a dynamic infusion to the palet [sic].Small plate tasting menu.

We started with a quartet of deviled eggs, four different takes on a deviled egg. In the foreground, one topped with smoked salmon and caviar. In the middle, a crab and avocado puree, and another one toward the back featured salami & pimento.  These were all tasty, but nothing to write home about. When writing home about deviled eggs, I think of Chef Tracht's at Jar.  These were good, good enough to make a sports lover in search of upscale bar food pretty happy.

D nommed on a trio of tacos. To be honest, I have no recollection what was in these tacos, nor does he.  He remembers they were tasty if not particularly authentic.  

We shared a few beef meatball sliders, tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.  Not bad but oversalted both in the meat and the sauce. Really oversalted. Too many chefs in the kitchen oversalted.

We also took a  nibble at some kielbasa style sausages in BBQ sauce.  I know sausage is by its very nature typically salty. I think after the salt-lick meatball sliders my mouth was on salt overload, and one bite of a savory sausage was the last straw on the camel's back. I just couldn't do it. Normally, I love sausage any way I can get it.

A+ for packaging. Apple pie in a brown bag, a la mode on the side. I was too stuffed to even taste it, but D said it was delicious with lots of brown sugar and a lovely crumbling crust.  Love love love the packaging.

All in all, I wouldn't make the Marriott Mixing Room a food destination, but I would definitely hit this again for sophisticated sports viewing, or even for drinks with friends before dinner downtown elsewhere.