The dishes at 208 Rodeo Restaurant have a definite homeyness about them: french toast, rotisserie chicken, miso salmon. However, each dish is enhanced with unique touches, such as that french toast's almond croissant-base, topped with mixed berry compotes and almonds. This comes from Chef Alejandro Arrieta's background. While he learned to love cooking as a young boy in his grandmother's kitchen, his gourmet training in the likes of Patina and the Hotel Bel Air shines through the classics. Other parts of the menu take a straightforwardly meaty turn, such as grilled steaks and burgers made with Snake River Farms Kobe-style beef, and the kitchen turns to the sea to showcase scallops and salmon.

The restaurant itself feels just as comfortable and fresh as the menu. Inside, crisp white tablecloths line a soothing cream-and-black room. Outside, the second-story patio blossoms with colorful canvas umbrellas and the occasional tiny flower sprouting from a dropped sesame seed.