When I went to check out the Rotolo’s on Ben Hur I thought I was going to try one of their specialty pies, but the menu was much more varied than I thought, and when I saw I could get a quarter muff, and then that I could get that with fried cauliflower, I had to go with that combo. Really, I can’t think of anywhere else I could make that pairing. And that is central to this Rotolo’s–there are any number of surprises.
Located in the new mountain range of stylish condo/apartment buildings out on Burbank at Ben Hur, the store is very sleek and fashionable and aimed at those thousands of tenants that live right on top of them. The industrial pipe numbered tap system (no blatant tap handles–that’s not cool anymore) has some variations on the new normal, but is still anchored by the new favorites. Gnarly Barley Jucifer, Parish Ghost in the Machine and Parish Envie. There’s still a handful of Abita’s for the country kids and Bud Light and Mich Ultra for visiting parents, but the thrust is small output local craft breweries from Louisiana and Texas mostly. Not a bad approach, as long as you have a good product (which they do), but sooner or later, every joint that prides itself on being hip or hipster has to regroup and re-gentrify. As you drive back closer to campus, you can see the evidence of constant re-gentrification. Even the timeless neighborhoods off Astor and Carlotta have properties either torn down and replaced or just gutted and refurbished every year. This Rotolo’s has a while to go before it becomes old school, but believe it or not, everything will be old school one day.
