"There was never a reality in which a Nancy Silverton and Phil Rosenthal joint wasn't going to be a thing. Max & Helen's disciples gush over the celebrity operators, swoon for creative director Lily Rosenthal Royal and chef Mason Royal (who met at Coachella over caviar), and generate predictably long waits. Exceptionally kind staff, pretty good bottomless coffee, and an interior engineered to summon nostalgia hint at what Max & Helen's could be."
"But in reality, the menu is inconsistent: I found the citrusy matzo balls unsettlingly sweet and their broth mostly devoid of chicken flavor; the scramble and breakfast potatoes that arrive with the Larchmont Slam were desperately seeking salt; and the now-iconic waffle was drowned out by a frosting-like quenelle of butter."
"And the hoopla around getting in betrays the purpose of a proletariat diner, there whenever you need it. Maybe if the lines die down, Max & Helen's will fulfill its calling as a neighborhood diner."
Los Angeles restaurants gaining attention on social media and traditional food media can attract crowds for legitimate quality or for excessive hype. Max & Helen’s benefits from celebrity operators, a nostalgic interior, and generally kind staff, along with bottomless coffee. Long waits and the difficulty of getting in conflict with the idea of a proletariat neighborhood diner. The menu can be inconsistent, with overly sweet matzo balls, broth lacking chicken flavor, breakfast items needing more salt, and a signature waffle overpowered by a butter-like quenelle. If lines lessen, the restaurant may better serve as a reliable local diner.
Read at Eater LA
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