A favorite of locals for special occasions, the former Venetian Room has become Venetian Chop House and specializes in steaks. But while the menu has been tweaked a bit, this is still very much a fine dining restaurant. The dining room is every bit as elegant as before and the service just as professional.

The folks at the JW Marriott recently opened two new entities, Whisper Creek Farm: The Kitchen and Whisper Creek Farm: The Brewery.

You’ll notice The Kitchen as soon as you walk through the front door of the hotel. It’s just off the lobby, to the right. The Brewery is a little harder to spot. In fact, you’d need a staff person to escort you through the warren of corridors and passageways to the kitchen office where the vats, tanks and necessary gauges have been set up in a corner. It’s definitely not a show brewery such as the one at Cask & Larder.

But the Kitchen is on full display, and what it’s churning out is surprisingly ambitious. I say surprisingly because when it was first announced it was downplayed somewhat, as though it would be more of a bar-menu venue.

But while portions are meant to be more of the small plate size — or, reasonable portions, as I like to think of them — the items are well above the ranks of bar snacks.

Like Udipi Café Woodlands is all vegetarian, and it’s all good. Dosai are intimidatingly large crepes wrapped around myriad fillings; Uthappam are Indian-style pancakes that resemble latkes. A house specialty is chana bhatura, a big puffy bread that looks sort of like an expanded Jiffy Pop. But with better stuff inside.
All of the staff I had contact with were friendly and helpful, taking time to explain the various dishes. Although with a clientele that was mostly Indian on one of the nights I visited, not much explaining is necessary.