Horses is so hot right now that the restaurant ran out of valet parking spots at 6 PM on a Thursday night. A spritz was just the thing to melt away the stress of finding parking during rush hour on Sunset Boulevard.

All was right with the world again as soon as the first dish arrived. The super-thin sobrassada panino ($13), crustless and toasty, reminded me of the bikini bites in Barcelona. The spicy sausage filling coupled with the sticky sweet honey exterior could not be beat.

We ordered the bread and butter ($9) to see if butter really does taste better when it’s molded into the shape of a horse’s head.

Yes, butter does in fact taste better when it’s horse-shaped (and house-churned).

When the Horses Caesar ($21) landed on the table, a server holding a very large peppermill asked if we’d like some fresh black pepper atop the mound of dressed endive — we answered in the affirmative.

The off-the-menu pasta Herman arrived hot and on a horseshoe, with bits of chorizo to perk up the vodka sauce. It was supremely easy to polish off the entire platterful.

The Cornish game hen with warm dandelion panzanella ($41) came in last, literally and figuratively.

A slice of sheep’s milk cheesecake with poached rhubarb ($16) was shared before setting off into the warm Hollywood night.

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Horses
7617 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90046

A year ago: Slacker.
Two years ago: Yi Mei Deli – Rowland Heights
Three years ago: Slacker.
Four years ago: Everson Royce Bar
Five years ago: True Food Kitchen – Pasadena
Six years ago: Mian by Chengdu Taste – San Gabriel
Seven years ago: Helena’s Hawaiian Food – Honolulu
Eight years ago: Hominy Grill – Charleston
Nine years ago: Tofu King – Arcadia
Ten years ago: Chego – Los Angeles (Palms)
Eleven years ago: La Super Rica Taqueria – Santa Barbara
Twelve years ago: Pappa Rich – Pasadena
Thirteen years ago: Bánh Mì Mỹ Tho – Alhambra
Fourteen years ago: Vegetation Profile: Marian Plum
Fifteen years ago: K.C.’s Pastries – Philadelphia