Littlefork's Seafood Flavor From New England | Hollywood, California

It felt like divine providence that during one of the Southland's coldest weeks on record, Jason Travi introduced L.A. to his New England-style clam chowder ($9) at Littlefork, the chef's new restaurant collaboration with A-Frame owner David Reiss.

Rich with cream and bacon, fortified with tender chunks of potato, Travi's chowder could warm even the most windswept fisherman.

A few other standouts from our meal: crunchy oyster sliders with pickled peppers ($10), house-smoked salmon shaved over crunchy leek fritters ($13), smoked-meat poutine ($7) and fried headcheese dipped in sauce Choron ($6), a tomato-spiked Béarnaise.

The small plates at Hollywood's Littlefork impressed more than the larger offerings we tried, implying that Littlefork might lend itself best to cocktails and light dinner, an ideal pre-movie hangout down the street from the ArcLight.

Behind the bar, Chicago import Dino Balocchi has created one of Hollywood's better cocktail programs, making clever use of wheated bourbons, obscure aperitifs and offbeat bitters.

At meal's end, order the apple-cider donuts ($8). Fried to a golden crisp, then drizzled with apple butter and salted caramel sauce, they'll make you nostalgic for an autumn day in the Northeast–even if you've never toured the Atlantic coastline.

Littlefork, 1600 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood; 323-465-3675 or littleforkla.com