Nozawa Bar (Beverly Hills, CA)

June 27, 2013, 1:35 am

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Bar Nozawa at Sugarfish
212 North Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310.276.6900
www.nozawabar.com
Wed 06/05/2013, 08:00p-10:10p





Sugarfish Beverly Hills opened recently in the old Madame Chocolat space, and the most interesting part of the debut was the acknowledgement of a "secret" bar in the back that would give diners a taste of the draconian practices of the original Sushi Nozawa. Indeed, the so-called Nozawa Bar is reservations-only; there's no menu--you eat what the Chef serves; no young kids are allowed; there are no modifications or substitutions; a minimum cancellation fee of $100 applies; and you eat fast, at a pace decided upon by the Chef. Just like old times right?

Kazunori Nozawa, though, is not to be found behind the bar (though he still does help buy the fish I'm told). Instead, the kitchen is helmed by one Osamu Fujita. Chef Fujita was born in Japan to a culinary family, and took an interest in the craft at an early age. He eventually made his way to the US, where he worked for Nozawa-san in Los Angeles before traveling around the country and opening various Japanese restaurants. The two have known each other for over 30 years.


Nozawa Bar doesn't have any sort of written menu, but you can expect an omakase of roughly 18 courses, priced at $150 a head, plus 18% service and 9% tax (there's also a cheaper $130 lunch option). You'll find a very abbreviated list of beverages available, and unfortunately, there is no option for corkage at the moment (which I hope will change). Click for a larger version.


To drink, we started with a round of Kirin Ichiban-Shibori [$8], a prototypical Japanese beer that was almost perfect for the situation: crisp, light, dry, a bit malty, yet with just enough substance to it.


1: Mozuku to Kani
Dungeness crab leg arrived sweet and supple, its pure, delicate goodness highlighted against the tangy, gelatinous base of mozuku seaweed in Japanese rice vinegar.


2: Kuromaguro to Tako no Sashimi
Next, a duo of sashimi, presented in Hokkaido wakame seaweed. Bluefin tuna came out soft, creamy almost, with a subtle, yet omnipresent salinity that was deftly brought out by a dab of soy. The live octopus was even better, showing off a beautiful texture, along with a mild taste that was perfectly accented by pinpoints of lemon and salt. We also enjoyed the suckers, or kyubaan, which had a delightful mix of crunchy and slimy consistencies.


3: Kuromagurotoro
Blue fin toro, meanwhile, was a beautiful example of the fish: melt-y and buttery, with a wonderfully briny finish. Great with a brush of murasaki.


4: Ika
Japanese squid was very solid as well, with a creamy, sticky body and a delicate taste, expertly perked up by pricks of salt and a finish redolent of shiso.


5: Uni
Sea urchin came from Santa Barbara, and was a paradigmatic presentation of the ingredient, conveying a cool, sweet, luscious flair that went perfectly with the umami-rich essence of the nori here.


6: Tarabagani
King crab was pretty fantastic, quite possibly the best piece of kani sushi I've had in fact. It blows the doors off the imitation crab that's so prevalent these days, displaying an utterly focused, true-to-form experience that I loved.


With the beers drunk up, we moved on to a bottle of the Nozawa Premium, Junmai, Saga Japan [$90]. It was a commendable sake: floral, fruity, and easy-drinking, with a smooth, yet dry character that transitioned to more boozy notes toward the close.


7: Hotate
Hokkaido scallop was lovely, sweet and cool by itself, but divine when paired with that sour-salty yuzukosho-ponzu sauce drizzled on top.


8: Kanpachi
Japanese amberjack was a great example of the fish: firm, snappy even, with a refined, creeping brine to it.


9: Isebi no Temaki
Our first hand roll of the night featured lobster, and was pretty spectacular. The cool, creamy bits of the crustacean were delish, conveying a certain sweetness that paired gorgeously with the rice and the roll's crisp, savory seaweed wrapper.


10: Kumamoto Kaki
The Kumamoto was the oyster that made me like oysters, and tonight they were in perfect form: crisp, firm, meaty examples that blended their ocean-y goodness with the heat of the chili ponzu, all while the scallions made for some great astringent overtones.


11: Ankimo
It'd been a while since I'd had monkfish liver, so this was a nice treat, one that came out looking a bit like apricot ice cream! The dish certainly did give us a sweetness though, with the miso-vinegar-egg yolk dressing providing a strong (almost too strong) counterpoint to the subtle, earthy-briny relish of the ankimo.


12: Kinmedai
Getting back to the nigiri now, golden eye snapper was simply superb texturally--soft, yet with substance--and conveyed a very balanced, very well-integrated salinity.


13: Ikura
Salmon roe was marinated in dashi, resulting in an amalgam of smoky, salty flavors that literally popped in your mouth. Very nice when taken with the nori.


14: Katsuo
Also to my liking was the skipjack tuna, served with a garlic ponzu. All the flavors here just came together beautifully, with the fish accentuated by its accompanying sauce while the scallion added an exclamation point on the back end.


15: Amaebi
Sweet shrimp was prepared with yuzu and shio, making for a spot on presentation of crisp, snappy amaebi that faultlessly balanced salt with a citric tartness.


16: Toro no Temaki
The toro hand roll was a textbook preparation of the dish, with the tuna, heightened by a dip in shoyu, really shining through as the star of the show.


17: Anago
A uniform cut of sea eel came out soft and hot, with a lovely sugary component in the sauce that made sense against the brininess of the fish.


18: Tamago
We ended our parade of sushi with the traditional closer of egg, only this time, it wasn't quite the version that we were used to. Instead, the omelet here came stuffed with both shiso and umeboshi, making for an experience that melded sweet and sour flavors over an eggy base, all with an overarching essence of mint. Very cool!


19: Raichi no Aisukurimu
Dessert comprised a sphere of stark white lychee ice cream, its refined, yet almost candied sweetness working well enough with the tart, juicy morsels of strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and blueberry.


20: Hojicha
An excellent roasted green tea (à la Urasawa) was a natural ending to the meal.

Our meal tonight was a strong one to be sure. The food was pretty much spot on the entire night, with high quality ingredients near-impeccably prepared, and service was similarly on point as well (I also appreciated the lighthearted demeanor of Chef Fujita-san). It's like what I'd always wanted the original restaurant to be like, and is a fitting experience to carry on the Nozawa legacy. Sushi fiends take notice: there's another contender in the pantheon of top sushi joints in LA.

I think things could be even better, though, with a few minor tweaks. I like the change of pace here with the vaunted warm rice, but it does make the sushi harder to eat. What I think should be done is to have Fujita-san apply soy sauce and any other accoutrements before serving (the preferred modus operandi for high-end places such as Mori and Zo). This way, diners wouldn't have to struggle with the rice breaking apart as they dip pieces (an issue that I definitely struggled with). Maybe I've been spoiled by the likes of Ohshima and Shunka, but I'd also like to see a selection of more exotic fish, as well as more variation in the menu day-to-day, both of which would make for more replay value. Finally, it'd be nice to slow down a bit as well. Things aren't as hasty as they were in Studio City, but the pacing could've certainly been more leisurely, in order to allow us to better savor the experience.

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Barnyard (Los Angeles, CA)

June 13, 2013, 1:32 am

≫ Next: IO by Playground (Santa Ana, CA) [2]

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Barnyard Restaurant
1715 Pacific Ave, Venice, CA 90291
310.581.1015
www.barnyardvenice.com
Fri 06/07/2013, 08:25p-11:15p





As we probably all know by now, former Ubuntu superstar Jeremy Fox has taken up residence at Rustic Canyon, quite comfortably I might add. However, you might have forgotten that before Rustic there was Barnyard, the restaurant that the Chef was supposed to helm before suffering a rather public falling out with management back in November. With Fox out of the picture, owner Jose Bunge has brought in former Tasting Kitchen CdC Jesse Barber to take the reins.

About the Chef: Jesse Lawrence Barber grew up in Oregon, and after graduating from Sheldon High School in Eugene, attended Lane Community College to study psychology. He didn't graduate though, instead choosing to focus on a career in the culinary arts. In 2000, Barber began working at Bouchon and The French Laundry, serving as a commis, garde manger, and eventually, line cook. He completed his formal training at the Western Culinary Institute, finishing in 2003, then spent some time at Marché Restaurant in Eugene. Barber's next move was in 2005, when he took on a position at Bluehour in Portland. He left there in 2008, worked a brief stint at the vaunted Clarklewis with Casey Lane, then started at Decarli in Beaverton as a Sous Chef.

In June 2009, Barber relocated to Southern California with Lane to become his Chef de Cuisine at Abbot Kinney game-changer The Tasting Kitchen, but would leave by mid-2011 to start his own project, entitled Spilt Dinner. Spilt gave way to Assembly Restaurants, a collaboration with TK Wine Director Maxwell Leer (Bestia, LudoBites, The Bazaar) that would dissolve in September 2012, around the time that the Chef got married. Following Fox's departure, he became attached to Barnyard, the restaurant debuting on February 1st with wife Celia Barber (née Woodburn) on board as General Manager.


Barnyard's menu is sort of exactly what you'd expect in Venice, showcasing rustic-ish, farm-to-table-y plates meant for sharing. Click for a larger version.


To drink, we went with a bottle of the 2007 Cascina Degli Ulivi Piemonte Dolcetto Nibiô [$67]. This one was on the tannic side, with a balance of dark fruit and a dry, slightly earthy, astringent character on the back end.


TERRINES [$7.00] | choice of meat -OR- veggie
We commenced with Barnyard's take on the classic pâté de campagne, a coarse, gritty, salty presentation of the dish, with a definite piggy goodness to it that made perfect sense with the whole grain mustard. Perhaps a bit less spicy, a bit less earthy than some other versions I've had.


CRUDO [$12.00] | halibut and yellowtail
Crudo featured two cuts of fish. First was halibut, which arrived soft, supple, and expectedly mild on the palate, making it a good pair with a dab of the spicy dressing on the plate. The yellowtail, not surprisingly, showed off a fattier, fishier flair, with a more pronounced taste that worked with the lighter nuances and crunch of the radish.


BRAISED OCTO [$10.00] | olive-oil poached w/ fresh chick peas
Octopus was one of my favorites tonight. It came out nicely charred and a bit crunchy, with a savoriness to it that worked hand-in-hand with the sweet, spicy undertones in the dish. Really appreciated the chickpeas here as well, which did a great job moderating all the flavors at play while adding a bit of heft at the same time.


VEAL BONE MARROW [$12.00] | salsa verde
Bone marrow was a special this evening, one that we obviously had to try. It was a classic presentation of the ingredient, with the marrow coming to us trembling in place, slick and fatty, with a pronounced richness to it that was beautifully balanced by the piquancy of the salsa verde. Very good over the included toast.


PILOTA [$16.00] | italian fried rice & tomatoes + english peas + pecorino
Next was an uncommon version of risotto, which, as the menu states, really did amount to a sort of Italian fried rice. It was quite tasty though, something that I could just eat a big bowl of, with the firm, near crispy grains of rice melding well with the sweetish notes of the tomato and pea, all while the cheese added a bit of kick to the course.


CASSOULET [$10.00] | fresh shelling beans w/ sausage & pulled pork
The cassoulet was comforting, in particular the sausage, which was akin to a hamburger patty in terms of its texture and satisfying savoriness. Unfortunately I didn't get much from the pulled pork, though I did quite enjoy the weight of the beans in the dish, as well as the balance provided by the veggies.


PORK COPPA CHOP [$16.00] | fresh corn polenta + stone fruit + pork sugo
The pork chop showed off a nice char to it, with an astringency that paired well with the meat. The chop was tender, juicy, and easy to eat, though the sweetness from the stone fruit I found distracting. Nice polenta though, and I did appreciate the levity and zing imparted by the greenery.


7oz. BURGER [$15.00] | house ground angus w/pickles + peppers + butter lettuce + cheddar cheese, served w/fries
Nothing wrong with the burger, either. It was a pretty classic take, with the properly beefy patty playing off of the cheddar, all underneath some tangy overtones of mustard. Pickles and lettuce completed the combo, which was effective though perhaps unexciting. Nice fries, too, though I wasn't as keen on its dipping sauce.


HALIBUT [$22.00] | vouvray, porcini, fava
Halibut was another special of the evening, and arrived cooked with Vouvray. The fish itself was as soft, supple, flaky and mild as you'd expect, and functioned as a fitting counterpoint to the savoriness of the porcini and fava present. My complaint here was that the bit of sauce atop the fish (crème fraîche perhaps?) rendered a certain tangy sweetness that just seemed off to me.


Dessert was a must, natch. Click for a larger version.


STICKY WHISKEY TOFFEE PUDDING [$8.00] | w/ whipped cream & toffee sauce
I enjoyed the pudding, finding it properly moist, with its mix of sugary and boozy flavors melding well with the comparative lightness of the cream here, all while the pinoli added some well-placed nutty nuances to the dessert.


SEASONAL FRUIT GALETTE [$6.00]
The galette was actually surprisingly delish, with a very pure, very pronounced apricot flavor that really captured and conveyed the essence of the fruit. Combined with the flaky crust, it formed a winning combination that was even better when taken with a bit of salty cheese.

Though Barber's cooking isn't as ambitious as what Jeremy Fox was going to put out here, Barnyard I think still works pretty well. It's a cozy sort of neighborhood place, with Cal-Med-ish cooking that's tasty and just compelling enough. Service was on point as well, making for an overall pleasant experience. Interestingly, word on the street is that Barnyard's owner is taking over the building next door as well, so I'm curious to see where that goes.

IO by Playground (Santa Ana, CA) [2]

June 27, 2013, 1:36 am

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Invitation Only at Playground 2.0
220 E 4th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701
www.playgrounddtsa.com
Sat 06/15/2013, 07:00p-09:45p





My last experience at IO was something to behold, an ambitious, playful, and uncompromisingly delicious dinner that I deemed the best dining experience in Orange County. As such, it wasn't a question of if I'd return, but rather, when. Now, as we should know by now, a normal meal at IO is priced at $250 a head, inclusive of all food, beverage, tax, and service. However, for this series, entitled "I've Got Friends in Low Places," the price was reduced to a mere $180, a relative bargain that gave me a good excuse to go back. The reason for the discount? The focus of these dinners was placed squarely on vegetables and other underappreciated ingredients in the kitchen. Sounds interesting.


Like last time, we got started with team introductions by Jason Quinn and a brief spiel on what IO was all about.


1: WELCOME COCKTAIL | aperol solace spritz
Our aperitif this evening was a reimagined Spritz, made with Firestone Walker's Solace wheat beer in place of prosecco. It really was a fitting substitution, with a blast of wheat-y, yeasty, spicy beer notes initially, which then transitioned gracefully to the bittersweet Aperol. Light, fun, refreshing, with a pretty cool color to boot.


2: EPIC FIRST BITE OF MEAT | stuffed savoy cabbage, Iberico de bellota collar, and ???? ???? filling, port caramelized shallots, potato purée
Our first course really was sort of epic, name aside. I loved the delicate, yet profoundly earthy, overarching nuances of foie gras here, which really played beautifully against the lingering, pork-y flavors of the Ibérico. The cabbage worked perfectly as a light, crisp counterpoint to the meat, and I much appreciated the tempering effect of that potato purée as well (though I could've done without the shallots). Yum.


3: FRESH HAWAIIAN HEART OF PALM CEVICHE | grapefruit, orange, jalapeño, tortilla
I'm generally not a fan of heart of palm, but really enjoyed this dish. In fact, it was probably the strongest preparation of the ingredient I've had, with the contrasting forces of sweet, sour, savory, acid, and a creeping undercurrent of spice working in perfect harmony. The textures here were also superb, and I especially enjoyed the crispy strips of tortilla. So here we have it: proof that it's perfectly possible to have a great ceviche without any sort of seafood, or even meat.


4: JICAMA: AN UNEXPECTED HERO | fish sauce, palm sugar, crispy shallots, lime, serrano aioli
A lot of what I wrote about the ceviche above can also be said for the jicama, which I'm also typically none too fond of. Here, I adored the textures as well, and the interaction between the lime, serrano, and fish sauce was spot on, really coming together cohesively to breathe life into an otherwise boring ingredient. Fantastic savoriness from the shallots as well, which really underscored the dish. Best. Jicama. Ever.


5: GUACAMOLE INSPIRED BY MAX | fried avocado, corn nuts, lime-jalapeño-avocado mousse, tomato, cilantro, red onion
Here was what amounted to a reconstructed guacamole. It really did convey the essence of the classic dish, rendered in differing textures and temperatures, though I would've liked some more onion, tomato, and cilantro to give the dish a bit more acidity. Loved the crunch of the Corn Nuts here.


6: NITRO CACTUS PEAR MARGARITA
The staff then busted out the liquid nitrogen and mixed up a prickly pear margarita with 7 Leguas Blanco tequila (the real deal progenitor to Patrón), Cointreau, and lime. Taste-wise, this was pretty classic, with a great balance between sweet and sour flavors. What struck me most was the blazing magenta hue of the drink, as well as the soft, almost fluffy textures present.


7: GRILLED SWEET POTATO | lime marshmallow, hatch chile powder, pecan
I'm no fan of sweet potato (finding it, unsurprisingly, overly sweet generally), but Quinn and company worked it out, tempering its sugariness with some countervailing flavor profiles, the heat of the chile being particularly apropos. As one of my fellow diners remarked, this "tastes like Thanksgiving."


8: AJI AMARILLO TIRADITO | flute fish
We then commenced with a string of sashimi-style courses, with this first one serving as a sort of bridge between the influences of Latin America and Japan. It was none other than flute fish, or yagara, a real rarity that I'd only had before in sushi form at Shunka. It's a mild, delicate fish, serving here as a base on which the tangy, spicy aji amarillo could really sing.


9: BURNT MAUI ONION | albacore gently poached in ponzu, ponzu
Next, we had slices of albacore, lightly seared by being doused with hot ponzu, thus making for a great meaty bite to the fish. I also appreciated the sweet-savoriness imparted by the ponzu here, as well as how the onion gave the dish a sort of overarching char astringency.


10: BEET STAINED IVORY | ivory king salmon, horseradish, lemon, brioche, chive
Ivory king salmon is a variety of the standard fish that has an inability to process carotenoids, thus leaving its flesh white instead of orange. Here, it was given a splash of color via a beet cure. What surprised me was how well the horseradish cream cheese fared, imparting a lush, tangy character to the dish that really went along well with the fattiness of the fish. You could almost think of this as a sashimi-fied version of bagels and lox.


11: YUZU IS THE BEST CITRUS | shima aji loin, white soy
A beautiful platter of Japanese shima aji arrived next, dressed simply in yuzu and white soy. The pure, clean taste of the striped jack was dutifully highlighted here, accentuated by a splash of shiro shoyu and a fantastically ethereal whisper of citrus-y tartness from the yuzu.


12: BLACK GARLIC: BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL | shima aji belly
Next, the belly of the striped jack was presented to us, doused in a black garlic vinaigrette. Here, the slightly more assertive relish of the belly actually stood up to the sweet-ish, syrupy sauce, which I was afraid would be completely domineering.


13: BUTTER LETTUCE WRAP | akaushi outside skirt, kimchi, ginger, scallion, peanut, crunchies
In my experience, I've found that American-grown wagyu just doesn't compare to its Japanese counterparts, but the Akaushi served tonight just might be an exception to that rule. I first tried the beef alone, and found it immensely flavorful, fatty, fantastically charred, and, unlike many skirts, properly tender. It was delicious to be sure, but the addition of the various accompaniments here really took the meat to the next level, adding beautiful layers of spice, astringency, and crunch. So good.


14: CAVA SANGRIA
A sangria of cava, white wine, vodka, and melon served as a perfect counterpoint to the heady flavors at play, and also the marked the start of our Spanish adventure. It really was delightful, showing off light, fruity, refreshing nuances with just a hint of boozy weight.


15: WHITE ASPARAGUS | chorizo vin, marcona almond ice cream
I'm quite the fan of asparagus, and the presentation here was one of the most intriguing I've had. The bitterness of the veggie was proudly displayed, masterfully offset by the tang of the chorizo. The crux of the dish, though, was that marcona ice cream, which was fantastic, really conveying the true taste of the almond while tying the course together beautifully.


16: CALÇOTADA EN SANTA ANA | grilled scallion, romesco, porron
Next, a homage to the classic Catalonian ingredient calçot. The scallions were grilled, and thus imbued with a marked char and bitterness that made absolute sense when taken with a dab of spicy, tangy romesco.


Along with the calçots came a porrón of beer, which Chef Quinn eagerly demonstrated for us.


Others, however, were not nearly as graceful with it.


17: GRILLED STUFFED PIQUILLO PEPPER | idiazabal, pedro ximinez
Here was a spot on rendition of a traditional tapas dish, with the piquillo coming out sweet, smoky, and utterly juicy, a perfect complement to the salty, gooey Idiazabal hidden within.


18: ITALIAN WHITE WINE | 2010 Bera Vittorio E. Figli, Arcese, IGT
With this, we transitioned to Italy. This was a drinkable wine, thick on the palate, with an apparent fruitiness initially that's cut by a certain stone-y minerality and bright hit of acid.


19: THE SCHIZOPHRENIC ZUCCHINI aka THE RAW ZUCCHINI EXPLOSION | different textures and subtle nuances a la Ryan Carson
I'm generally not a huge fan of zucchini, but the dish really showed off the vegetable in the best possible way. It arrived in grilled, pickled, smoked, and raw forms, dressed in a red wine vinaigrette and topped with garlic chips. It was nice to experience the various forms and facets of the zucchini, a bevy of textures and tastes overarched by a focused smoky character, all leading to a lingering finish redolent of mint.


20: MILK SKIN CAPRESE | heirloom tomatoes, maldon, herb lemon vin
Here was a take on the classic insalata Caprese, but one constructed from an admixture of milk skin, olive oil, and heavy cream instead of mozzarella or burrata. The result really was reminiscent of the real deal, with the "cheese" serving as a great platform on which to enjoy the meaty cuts of tomato and the zesty herb-lemon dressing.


21: THE POWER OF LEMON AND OLIVE OIL | atlantic black sea bass
One of the highlights of the meal was certainly this black sea bass, which I'm going to say was the best version of the fish I've had. It arrived pretty much flawlessly prepared, firm, yet yielding to the bite, with a delicate, yet delectable taste that paired in stellar fashion with its accoutrements, making for a perfectly balanced dish. The power of lemon and olive oil indeed.


22: GRILLED CAULIFLOWER STEAKS | sultana- almond- caper relish, cauliflower purée
"Steaks" of cauliflower were firm, dense, and yes, even "meaty," amplified in essence by the surrounding purée. They showed off the inherent goodness of the vegetable commendably, accentuated by the tangy, sweet, nutty notes of the accompanying relish.


23: FAVA BEANS, LIVER, A NICE CHIANTI | frisée, croutons, lemon, bacon
"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." If somehow you've been completely out of touch with pop culture for the last 20 years, that's the famous line from Hannibal Lecter that inspired this dish. Of course, we were merely talking about chicken liver here, not that of people, but it was tasty nonetheless. The liver conveyed all the deep, earthy notes you'd expect, countered here by lemon and frisée, all while the bacon added some well placed jolts of saltiness to the fray.


24: A NICE CHIANTI | 2010 Paterna, Chianti Colli Aretini DOCG
And here we have the aforementioned Chianti, nice indeed with its dry, somewhat tannic nature and loads of dark fruit.


25: POTATO & PORCINI RISOTTO | as simple as it sounds
As we know from my previous meal here, Max Hirsch is quite the risotto maven, and tonight he presented a version made not with rice, but with potato. It was as simple as it sounds, but also as delicious, with the potato and mushroom forming a delectable combination that worked wonders with the lush, creamy base of the dish. Fantastic texture on those cubes of patate, too. I wanted a larger bowl of the stuff!


26: BRAISED ARTICHOKE AND MUSHROOM RAGU | creamy polenta board, San Marzano
No, that's not a pizza, but rather a disk of polenta topped with a "ragù" of artichoke, mushroom, and San Marzano tomato. The lack of meat (a key part of ragù) didn't stop this from being delicious. In fact, I had a second serving of it, and reveled in the sauce's tangy, yet uncompromisingly savory relish, masterfully moderated by that creamy polenta.


27: CRAFTSMAN PERSIMMON SOUR
At this point, Playground's Beverage Director Jarred Dooley came out to introduce our next libation. It was, unsurprisingly given his background, a beer, specifically a Persimmon Sour from Pasadena's Craftsman Brewing Co. I rather enjoyed it, really appreciating its classic interplay between sour, sweet, and funky forces.


28: ROASTED BEETS | caviar ranch dressing a la Richard Blais
The meal then took on a more "American" inclination, beginning with a caviar-ranch concoction inspired by a recipe from Richard Blais's cookbook Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate. Of course, Quinn took the extra step to make his own ranch, and the results were promising. As regular readers will know, I generally abhor beets, but the dressing here actually made them palatable, moderating the vegetable's blunt sugariness with a blast of salty, creamy, blue-tinted goodness.


29: CITRUS GLAZED COUNTY LINE CARROTS | purée, pickled tartare
This is one for the carrot fiends out there. There was a lovely crunch here from the glazed presentation, but the key for me was the tartar, which showed off a pretty remarkable tanginess that managed to effectively counteract the sometimes overbearing sweetness in the vegetable.


30: WESTERN BACON CHEESEBURGER | hold the bacon cheeseburger
Imagine a Western Bacon Cheeseburger from Carl's Jr (I'm sure we've all tried it at one point in our lives); now take away the beef, bacon, bun, and even the cheese. What you're left with is something that does a pretty remarkable job of mimicking the flavor profiles of the original burger.


31: UNICORN | bread, raw, roasted, pudding, hokkaido
We ended the savory section of the meal with a commixture of raw and roasted corn and cornbread, set against an enveloping dressing featuring Hokkaido uni. The corn really was the star of the show here, putting forth a sweetness that sort of melded along with the flavors of the sea urchin. Nice textures from the bread, too.


32: KOKOS COCONUT CHEESE
Our "cheese" course comprised a convincing preparation made from 90% coconut. Texturally, it was pretty much spot on, and taste-wise, it wasn't far off either, really conveying the flavors of cheese, but with a marked coconut-y undertone.


33: COBBLER D'MONTENEGRO
Quinn mentioned that one of his favorite cocktails is this here cobbler, and I can see why. It's a straightforward marriage of Amaro Montenegro, lemon, and simple syrup that somehow manages to be more than the sum of its parts. I just loved the aromatic, herb-y qualities in the drink, and how that worked against the sweet-n-sour nuances present.

34: BEET CHEESECAKE AMUSE | salt roasted beets, Granny Smith vinaigrette, cream cheese curd, pine nuts
Somehow, I managed to forget to snap a pic of this course (it happens on rare occasion), but you can see a photo of it here from Andy Gavin's report on IO. That's a shame, though, as I thoroughly enjoyed it. The lactic tanginess of the cream cheese was spot on, serving as a fantastic counterweight to the heft of the beet, all while the pine nuts added a delightful crunch to the dish. Just a great, well-integrated little bite.


35: CARROT AND CITRUS | Valencia orange cake, carrot and ginger marshmallow sorbet, candied walnuts
Here, we're talking the bold, spicy zing of ginger paired with the sweetness of carrot, all over a lovely base of citrus cake, with the walnut acting as an interesting focal point to boot. Fun, and a surprise to the palate.


36: CHOCOLATE AND REPURPOSED COFFEE | Bittersweet cremeux, coffee cream, chocolate-almond shortbread
We then began an exploration of the various faces of coffee. Here, coffee grounds were mixed with a cream sauce, making for a bittersweet counterpoint to the classically chocolate-y flavors at play.


37: WHOLE BEAN COFFEE
Next, whole coffee beans (sourced from Portola Coffee Lab if I recall) were steamed for over two hours in the restaurant's combi oven. The result was a coffee experience unlike any other I've had, with an herbaceous, almost tea-like quality to the liquid that nonetheless conveyed the quintessence of the bean. Very cool.


38: COFFEE AVERNA
Finally, we were given ground coffee steeped in Amaro Averna. In this case, the taste of coffee was front and center, keenly complemented by the sweet, viscous liqueur.


39: LEMON AND FENNEL REFRESHER | frozen lemon mousse, dehydrated lemon meringue, pickled baby fennel
Our last plate perked up the palate with its zesty blend of fennel and lemon...


40: GOOD NIGHT | Beni di Batasiolo. Barolo Chinato
...Thus clearing the way for this 100% Nebbiolo Barolo Chinato, a perfect digestif and after dinner sipper with its minty, herbaceous, spicy facets.


This time around, we were given a printed menu at the conclusion of the dinner (a welcomed addition). Click for larger versions.

Quinn and his team once again delivered a standout episode of kitchen theater, melding modernity with tradition, highlighting ingredients in their best possible light while taking us on a trip to Mexico, Japan, Spain, Italy, and back. It was eye opening at times to see how some of the produce tonight was utilized and presented, and the overall experience tended toward fun, flippant, and facetious, yet was underscored by some serious cooking. I said it before and I'll say it again: this place needs to be on your culinary radar.

Yamakase (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

July 2, 2013, 2:44 am

≫ Next: Flores (Los Angeles, CA)

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Yamakase Restaurant
Los Angeles, CA 90034
www.yamakase.com
Thu 06/27/2013, 08:00p-01:40a



One of my favorite discoveries in recent times has been Yamakase, the semi-secret, omakase-only Japanese eatery opened by Chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto and his business partner Stan Liu. I was really impressed by my dinner here last December, and had been thinking about a return visit ever since. This wouldn't be just any ol' meal though. No, I wanted a follow-up to our epic 1995 Champagne horizontal tasting at Urasawa. As such, we opted for a vertical tasting this time around, one featuring perhaps the most famous Champagne of them all: the house of Moët & Chandon's Dom Perignon. Oh, and it happened to be my birthday dinner as well!


Above, we see the extent of the restaurant. Yamakase comprises not much more than a singular bar surrounding the kitchen, one seating up to 11 diners.


We let Yama-san choose the ordering of wines, and he opted to go in chronological order, kicking things off with the 1978 Dom Perignon, the oldest in the group. It certainly tasted its age, coming in not very bubbly and with a distinct oxidative quality, giving in a sherry-like or maderized character joined by notes of nutty caramel. More interesting than good.


1: Hokkaido Uni
Moving into the food now, here was a spoon of Hokkaido uni, soft-boiled quail egg, and truffle salt, joined by a caviar-topped cucumber. It was a luxurious way to begin the meal, with the truffle-y overtones working beautifully with the sweet, creamy sea urchin, all while the egg lent a certain gravitas to the bite. I also appreciated the salty kick of the caviar here, as well as how the cucumber contributed both texture and lightness to the course.


What a difference two years make! The 1980 Dom Perignon was much fresher, though still mature, with a distinct breadiness and just a whisper of oxidation, all balanced by a lively acidity.


2: Ayoagi, Kisu, Tairagi
Here was a troika of orange clam, Japanese whiting, and pen shell, lightly dressed and accompanied by Naruto wakame and sesame. The sharp, focused brine of the various seafood was proudly conveyed, well-integrated and replete with a great mix of disparate textures. I especially appreciated the kisu fish, which had a firm, satisfying bite to it that was almost shellfish-like. Fantastic earthiness from the sesame as well, which did a great job moderating the strong flavors at play.


3: Kyoto Tofu
Now, the first of Yama-san's signature spoon duets. In the front, we had Kyoto tofu with tomato, olive, and truffle salt, in effect a sort of reimagined insalata Caprese. It really did recall the classic dish, with the tofu serving as a fitting replacement for mozzarella, the whole thing nicely balanced and imbued with a tinge of truffle goodness. This was followed up by a spoon featuring the tofu along with Japanese sea urchin and soy sauce. Here, I enjoyed the mild notes of the tofu at first, which then transitioned seamlessly to the richness and depth of the uni, while the finish was again suggestive of bean curd.


Yama-san grates from a massive block of salt that he's been using for at least 15 years.


4: Tai Hara
Our first course of sashimi brought us snapper belly dressed in crab innards sauce and sprinkled with yuzu. I quite liked this, with the fish serving as a dense, yet supple base on which the citrus and earthy kanimiso could really dance.


I'm happy to report that the 1982 Dom Perignon, my birth year wine, was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the evening. It was an eminently balanced bubbly, mature, yet remarkably vigorous, with a perfect toasty depth to it. A revelation in aged Champagne.


5: Kusshi Kaki
Kusshi oyster was the star of our second spoon duo. Up front, it was joined by Santa Barbara uni, yuzu, and Japanese sea salt. The citrus was key here, coming through forcefully on the attack, with the creamy, salty oyster-urchin combo making itself known from the midpalate to a long, lingering finish redolent of seawater. Bringing up the rear was Kusshi with blue crab, sesame cream, and truffle-infused egg. Here, the sweetness of the crab was the hero, joined by the nutty-earthy component from the sesame (though there was perhaps a bit too much of it), while the oyster once again came through on the close.


6: Kegani
Yama-san made an impressive display with these here hairy (or horsehair) crabs, which he dispatched right before us. They were prepared simply via steaming, and presented unadorned, thus giving us the true, tender, sweet essence of kegani. Tasty, though actually not all that different from your everyday crab.


Despite the torn label, the 1985 Dom Perignon was another winner. I found it surprisingly crisp and youthful, with a fantastic interplay of citrus-y and yeast-y notes, all underscored by a slight boozy undercurrent. Smooth, and even easy-drinking.


Here, we see Yama-san preparing our somen course. The pinkish noodles definitely caught our eye.


7: Hamo Somen
We're right around the peak of hamo eel season, so I wasn't surprised to see the conger pike featured tonight, joined by ruddy strands of umeboshi somen (a nod to the pickled plum typically served with the fish), junsai, and Japanese chive. I quite enjoyed this course, finding a great balance between the slightly tart noodles and the meaty, yet mild cuts of hamo, all while the chive added a modicum of levity to the fray. Interesting textural component from the water shield, too. Yum.


Here, Yama-san busts out his hamokiri knife and shows off his hamo honegiri bone cutting skills.


With the 1988 Dom Perignon, we switched glasses to the more traditional Champagne flute meant for younger wines. The '88 was actually surprisingly mature for its age, great on the nose, with a fruity, caramel-y, acidic, slightly oxidized character. Probably past its peak.


8: Kanpachi
Kanpachi came from Kumamoto on Japan's southerly Kyushu island. The amberjack was blanched by a quick dip in hot water, then served with a sesame-ponzu condiment. Texturally, I appreciated the fish's firm, meaty consistency, while its delicate flavor was keenly complemented, yet not dominated, by the sauce.


9: Kuromaguro
Bluefin tuna from Spain was cured in soy sauce and sake, mixed in with wasabi and pine nuts, then topped with sea urchin. The marination process added a considerable depth to the dish, but the key was the wasabi, which contributed a spicy undertone to the fish that made it rather interesting, especially when taken with the crunchy nutty bits here. I would've preferred thinner slices though, to make for a smoother, silkier mouthfeel to the tuna.


Our sole representative from the decade of grunge and O.J. was the 1995 Dom Perignon, which was all sorts of amazing. I loved the stone fruit undertones present here, and how the wine's crisp, citrus-y flavors interacted with hints of its toasty beginnings. A perfect balance between youth and maturity; I'm curious to see how this one develops.


10: Chawanmushi
Tonight's requisite chawanmushi featured Japanese sea urchin, Dungeness crab, baby scallop, junsai, and yuzu. It was a hot, hearty dish, a pleasant mish-mash of various tastes and textures overarched by pin pricks of citrus-y tartness.


11: Mushi Tai
Even more comforting was a soup featuring sake-steamed red snapper, root vegetables, shimeji, and kikurage, set in a Japanese gravy dusted with sansho pepper. I rather liked this one, finding it complex, multifaceted, with the briny, firm character of the fish melding well with the weight of the veggies, all while the pepper added an almost ephemeral spice to the dish. Lovely texture from the wood ear, too. Delish!


Moving on now to the young stuff, the 2002 Dom Perignon certainly tasted of its youth. It was dry, minerally, and uncommonly crisp, with a somewhat tart citrus-y twang. Tight and a bit austere now, but there's probably a lot of potential here.


12: Beef Sashimi on Toast
Raw beef was paired with crab and Italian truffle cheese, making for a sort of unholy cheese steak. It was as tasty as it sounds though, with the meat and cheese combo working in flawless fashion, all under a veil of truffle-y goodness.


Knowing that Yama-san would inevitably be serving some wagyu, I brought along a bottle of 2004 Chateau Pavie. It was superb, really reminding us of the joys of a top notch Bordeaux. I loved its dry, tannic, oaky, somewhat earthy character initially, when then transitioned beautifully to juicy notes of dark fruit on the finish. Impeccably balanced, nuanced, smooth, and uncommonly delicious--I want to try this again in a few years.


Speaking of beef, here we see Yama-san slicing a beautiful cut of A5 Kagoshima tenderloin.


13: Kagoshima Gyuniku
The aforementioned tenderloin was cooked to a medium-rare temperature, lightly doused with a soy sauce-onion condiment and truffle salt, then served with a small salad. The wagyu itself was particularly tender, gelatinous almost, with a marked beefiness that I found immensely satisfying. I appreciated the levity imparted by the salad here, but the sweet, tangy sauce wasn't all that necessary, as the beef could easily stand alone.


For the sushi courses to follow, we opened our last remaining Champagne, the 2003 Dom Perignon. This one showed off the youthfulness of the '02, but on an even larger scale. Think lots of citrus here, with a dry, steely minerality and bright acidity. Refreshing, but definitely in need of some cellaring.


14: Chutoro Sushi
Medium fatty tuna was a great example of the style, a deft balance of fattiness and fishiness with a light hit of soy initially to set the stage. Magnifique.


15: Toro Sushi
The full fat version was even better, with the intensity of the fish complemented, but not overshadowed by the application of truffle salt and wasabi.


16: Ki-Aji Sushi
Here was a "special" type of aji sourced from around Kyushu, one that Yama-san mentioned was particularly difficult to find in the US (99% of it stays in Japan we were told). Indeed, it was very mild, very subtle for mackerel, with a delicate, nuanced brine that grew in intensity toward the finish. Very cool.


17: Awabi Kayu
Our final savory course of the meal was undoubtedly one of my favorites, comprising a rice potage of six-day Japanese black abalone, yuba, zasai, and truffle butter. I loved the rich, hearty broth, positively imbued with umami-laced brine. The abalone itself was spot on as well, fantastic texturally and a great foil to the crunchy tang of the pickled mustard. Comforting and cozy, yet complex and multifaceted--something I could just eat a big heaping bowl of.


Yes, Yama-san's quite a ham for the camera.



Now we come to the evening's pièce de résistance in terms of wine, which, unsurprisingly given its age, had a rather uncooperative cork, forcing Yama-san to taken on drastic measures to dislodge it.


The 1961 Chateau Guiraud was a bottle that I'd been holding in my cellar for some time now, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to drink. Tonight was the night, and the wine did not disappoint at all. It was probably the best dessert wine I've had, and one of my most memorable wines overall, even surpassing the legendary '01 d'Yquem (though I'm sure that'll become much, much better with age--I'm still holding on to a bottle). The Sauternes was a gorgeous mahogany tone, and conveyed a subtle, subdued, refined sweetness that wasn't cloying or overly showy at all (a problem with younger wines). This was joined by some nutty notes, a tinge of acidity, and even some booziness, all making for a perfectly balanced, mature sticky. Still plenty of life left--this one really made me want to buy up more old Sauternes!


18: Asai Sorbet
Dessert consisted of an açaí berry sorbet, a bright, bracing creation that put forth contrasting notes of sour and sweet--great as a palate cleanser.


19: Ossetra Caviar
We thought we were done at this point, but then Yama-san busted out a beautiful tin of Ars Italica Italian oscetra caviar that he'd just purchased in the morning. We then took spoonfuls of the salty, yet somehow creamy roe and ate it with the Guiraud, the Sauternes really bringing out the salinity of those globules. An over-the-top, luxurious, yet fitting conclusion to the meal.

Dinner tonight came out to a not-unreasonable $216 per person for food only, with all the booze purchased and brought separately (there's no corkage fee here). The meal served as sort of a confirmation that the Chef here has a unique style that's quite unlike that of any of his contemporaries in LA. Yama-san's got a certain brashness and irreverence to him that I adore, as well as a knack for presenting unique, luxurious ingredients in a fashion that blends tradition with some fusion-y elements. The end result is an experience worth seeking out to be sure--get a seat here if you can.

Flores (Los Angeles, CA)

July 7, 2013, 2:46 am

≫ Next: Corazon y Miel (Bell, CA)

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Flores Restaurant
2024 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
424.273.6469
www.floreslosangeles.com
Mon 07/01/2013, 08:15p-11:00p





The latest addition to the burgeoning Little Osaka dining scene opened on June 11th in the old Sawtelle Kitchen space. Flores is the work of Stanford grad and home accessory designer Amal Flores, who constructed the restaurant in the building that, decades before, was home to Greenson Gallery, where his sculptor father Gene Flores exhibited back in 1969. The kitchen here is run by the husband-and-wife team of Rob Lawson (Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Gordon Ramsay) and Angela Hernandez (The Bazaar, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Corton). Also on board is Spaniard Cesar Bermundez Cifuentes, who comes to us from Barcelona and handles Pastry Chef duties. The front-of-the-house, meanwhile, is headed by General Manager and San Francisco native Dagny Mendelsohn (Macao Trading Company, Employees Only, Bar 11, Schiller's, Pastis, all in NYC), while Serge Milenkovic (RivaBella, Little Dom's) helms the beverage program.


Flores' menu emphasizes the modern rustic mantra that's all the rage these days, but the plates seem to exude a bit ambition than the norm. As far as the drinks go, you'll find a reasonably-priced wine list assembled by Milenkovic, along with a smattering of beers as well. In the future, look out for breakfast, lunch, and even brunch options. Click for larger versions.


We wanted to start with something fun and fizzy, and thus went for a bottle of the Carletto Prosecco NV [$29]. It was a lightweight sparkler: crisp, acidic, and effervescent, with a sweet, apple-y character to it and a slightly boozy backbone.


Deviled Eggs [$6.00] | crispy pig ear, pimenton
Being the egg floozy that I am, these were a no brainer, and as tasty as I'd imagined. The egg was clearly the hero, but I loved the hit of salt added by the crunchy bits of pig here, as well as how the paprika imparted an undercurrent of spice to the dish.


Pig Cheek Croquetas [$10.00] | seaweed aioli
Pork was also used to good effect here, with the croquettes coming out crisp-creamy and undeniably piggy, nicely tempered by the tangy taste of those pickles.


Ocean Trout Crudo [$14.00] | lemon and crème fraiche
A crudo of trout was excellent, with the supple, yet substantial fish really coming to the fore, positively imbued with a fantastic, lingering smokiness and brine that paired swimmingly with the classic flavors of crème fraîche and dill.


Kanpachi Ceviche [$14.00] | young thai coconut, lime, grapefruit
The amberjack ceviche was similarly superb, with the fish forming a great base on which to really enjoy the bright, aromatic, Asian-y flavors at play. You probably want to get this.


Tokyo Turnips [$8.00] | wakame butter
Tokyo turnips were crunchy and juicy, with a mild, vegetal relish that made sense with the savory, umami-laden butter.


Fresh Naps, just in case we got our hands dirty with the next course.


Grilled Prawns [$16.00] | cajun spice, lemon aioli
Prawns were lovely, thoroughly cooked, yet not overdone, with a delightful char to go along with their inherent sweetness. I loved the Cajun seasonings here as well, which managed to complement the shrimp without dominating it. Great exclamation point from the lemon, too.


Chicken Liver Bruschette [$12.00] | beetroot, cherries, bacon
The bruschetta was on point as well, with a deft balance between sweet and liver-y flavors interjected by salty pricks of goodness from the bacon. I really appreciated the juiciness of the cherries here to boot.


For our heartier courses, we ended up opting for the Clos de Gilroy, Grenache, Central Coast 2012 [$39]. I quite liked this one, finding it a very drinkable, velvety example of Grenache, spicy and herby at first, with a juicy smack of berry fruit coming in later. Yum.


Broccolini [$9.00] | garlic, chile, lemon
Moving on to the righthand side of the menu now, we began with the broccolini, which was rather nice. What struck me here was the sheer smokiness of the vegetable, which lingered long on the palate, tempered by the zestiness of lemon and a subtle veil of heat from the chile.


Meatballs [$13.00] | tomato, olive, mint
Meatballs were classic in essence: meaty, straightforwardly satisfying spheres underscored by a delicate touch of minty levity. Particularly enjoyable when taken with the included bread.


Poach Egg & Stewed Beans [$13.00] | smoked ham hock
Next up was the dish formerly known as Texas caviar. I say "formerly," as the restaurant was forced to change the name because customers were ordering it expecting actual fish roe. In any case, it was a commendable version of the American Southern specialty, with the beans conveying a nice weight to them, balanced by the bright, tangy flavors in the course, all while the ham added a backbone of saltiness to the mix. You can't go wrong with that poached egg, either. My only complaint here was that the accompanying bread was overly chewy.


Soft Shell Crab Sandwich [$15.00] | avocado, green tomato, brioche
I had some trepidations about the soft shell crab, but the kitchen worked it out here. The SSC itself was actually surprisingly tasty, properly crispy with nice depth of flavor to it that paired well with the various accoutrements, the sweetish brioche roll especially. Lovely tangy counterpoint from the okra, too.


Hanger Steak [$24.00] | pomme puree, smoked beef fat jus
The hanger was a prototypical example of the steak, with the meat coming out not particularly tender, but loaded with deep, smoky nuances and a nice crust. I liked how its flavors were augmented by the jus here, as well as the crunch and bitterness of the radicchio, but the onions were a touch sweet for me. The pommes puree, meanwhile, was pretty much spot on, a laudable representation of the dish that just worked beautifully with the steak.


Above, we see Cifuentes' dessert menu, short but sweet. Click for a larger version.


Blackberry Cobbler [$8.00] | creme fraiche ice cream, maple syrup
Cifuentes' cobbler was a worthy effort from someone's who'd never made one prior to this. It was exactly what you'd expect: hot, sweet, and fruity, with the crumbly crust moderating everything, all while the ice cream contributed a modicum of lightness to the dessert.


Strawberries [$12.00] | vinegar caramel, yogurt espuma
Strawberries, meanwhile, were pretty amazing, some of the sweetest I've had in fact, their natural flavor enhanced by the sugary swipes of caramel in the bowl, with the yogurt serving as the perfect foil.


Lemon Posset [$10.00] | almond, cognac
A posset of lemon was similarly delicious, with the sourness of the lemon faultlessly paired with the dessert's sweet, boozy notes. Utterly refreshing, with some great textures, too.


Chocolate & Olive Oil [$10.00] | citrus, lemon marshmallow
Chocolate and citrus were married here in commendable fashion, with the olive oil really showing through as a savory component, underscoring the entire dish. A smart exploration of sweet and salty coming together.


Banana Ice Cream [$3.00]
We had to try one of Flores' housemade ice creams, and ended up with banana. It was a great choice, with the dessert really displaying the pure, unmitigated essence of the fruit. If that wasn't enough, the sweet, cinnamon-y crumbles here worked as a perfect complement. Delish.

Hernandez and Lawson have aimed pretty high with their cooking here, and have hit the mark almost completely. The duo seems to touch upon all the notes that are so prevalent in the LA culinary landscape these days, presenting a menu that's approachable and unfussy, farm-to-table and whatnot, yet have done so with a certain finesse, a certain panache that elevates their cuisine above the norm. I came away from dinner quite satisfied indeed, and am curious to see where the team takes it from here.

Corazon y Miel (Bell, CA)

July 12, 2013, 2:36 am

≫ Next: Lukshon (Culver City, CA) [2]

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Corazón & Miel Restaurant
6626 Atlantic Ave, Bell, CA 90201
323.560.1776
www.corazonymiel.com
Wed 07/03/2013, 08:15p-12:20a





Bell is best known for two things: corruption of its municipal leadership, and La Casita Mexicana. However, it can add a third item to that list with the opening of Corazon y Miel ("heart and honey"), which undoubtedly represents another step towards the City's culinary legitimacy. The restaurant is the work of Salvadoran-American chef Eduardo Ruiz, Travis Hoffacker, and managing partner Robin Chopra. Ruiz cooked for two years at Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo's seminal Animal, and also worked a stint at Diego Hernandez's Corazón de Tierra in Baja. In 2011, he formed catering company Whim Kitchen with Chopra. The two LA natives were actually childhood friends, and reconnected once Ruiz started culinary school in Pasadena, realizing that they both shared a passion for food. Whim started off hosting underground dinners in a series called "Under the Table," and soon their catering business began to take off as well. As such, they took over Corazon y Miel's space, intending to use it to expand Whim, but eventually decided to turn the building into a restaurant, bringing on board Cali Banh Mi's Hoffacker, a friend of theirs, in the process. The much-needed restaurant debuted on March 2nd this year.



Corazon y Miel occupies the site once home to a cocktail lounge, a fairly intimate space with perhaps room for 50 diners. A bar dominates one side of the structure, while tables line the other. There are also three small booths at the front, as well as a private room in the back that I'm not sure is being used for anything at this point.


Votiva Margarita [$10.00] | Our house Margarita served in a traditional Mexican candle glass, Cherry "Wick"
Platoon of Death [$8.00] | El Pelotón de la Muerte Mezcal, Habanero Shrub, Sour Chili Rim
Speaking of those three booths, we took a seat at one of them and ordered up some cocktails as we waited for our table to get ready. First was the restaurant's signature Votiva Margarita, a beautiful rendition of the classic drink with its balance of tartness and sweet spice. The Platoon of Death, meanwhile, was much more in-your-face, a thick, viscous shot that gave up intense blasts of sour, spicy, smoky, and salty flavors, all leading to a boozy burn on the finish.


We also took the opportunity to examine some of the original artwork on display, much of which is available for purchase, at very reasonable prices I might add.


Salva-Rita [$10.00] | El Pelotón de la Muerte Mezcal, Cointreau, Lime, Agave
Buho Rojo [$10.00] | Milagro Blanco, Pineapple Juice, Amaretto, Grenadine, Lime
The Salva-Rita was an ostensibly Salvadoran riff on the margarita, and had its own charms as well, a very balanced, well-integrated cocktail with a pleasing backbone of mezcal. The Buho Rojo was similarly delicious, with loads of pineapple on the attack leading to a remarkably sweet, floral spice that made it quite easy drinking.


Corazon y Miel's menu has expanded in both scope and price since opening, and features Chef Ruiz's updated takes on pan-Latin classics; some have even likened the food to a Latino version of Animal. We went for the "Fire the Menu" option, which allows diners to sample everything on the menu for $175, a substantial discount compared to ordering each item individually. To drink, cocktails (and there are a lot of 'em) are a must here. The restaurant opened with Christian Pulido behind the bar, but I believe he's gone, replaced by the capable Darwin Manahan. There's also a smattering of surprisingly interesting beers available, and even a couple wines, if you insist. Click for larger versions.


Patatas Fritas [$4.00] | house potato chips, scallion ash dip
Housemade potato chips were spot on: salty, crunchy slivers of patata goodness that I could easily munch on alone. However, that scallion ash condiment was uh-mazing, a smoky, deeply-flavored, and beautifully-tinted dip that had me wanting more.


Avocado Frito [$6.00] | avocado, coconut, mango & habanero chutney
The fried avocado was a fun little dish. The hero here was clearly the aguacate, its lush, creamy character on display, joined by a fantastically crisp, savory, coco-crust and hints of sweetness from the chutney. Interestingly enough, this item also appears, unchanged, on the dessert menu.


"Dulce de Puerco" [$5.00] | bacon, dates, whipped cotija cheese, mustard seed cider
Here was an updated version of the ubiquitous dish of bacon-wrapped dates, a Latin-ized version of Suzanne Goin's famed preparation if you will. The classic interplay between salty and sweet was well represented here, accented by a delightful touch of char and the creamy weight of the cotija.


Wedge Salad [$8.00] | iceberg, chili de arbol blue cheese, bacon & potato crisp, herbs
Ruiz's riff on the classic wedge salad was certainly commendable as well, with the crisp, juicy shards of lettuce melding gorgeously with the zesty, piquant dressing, all while the crispy bits added lovely pinpoints of saltiness to the fray.


Corazon y Miel [$3.00]
Corazon y Miel's namesake dish did not disappoint, coming out as a tiny bowl of chicken hearts, mixed in with a honeyed dressing, cilantro, and red onion. The corazones showed off a satisfying bite, with a lingering, earthy savoriness to them that was keenly tempered by the tang and sweetness of its accoutrements.


Ceviche de Corazon [$11.00] | shrimp, octopus, burnt peanut, house tortilla chips
The ceviche was universally praised at the table, and with good reason. The combo of shrimp and octopus was on point: tender, yet with a good bite, a perfect match for the bright flavors at play and the slight undercurrent of heat in the dish. What took this over the top, though, was the use of peanut as cancha, which added a marvelous, smoky, nutty component to the course. Fantastic textures on this one, too.


Jalapeño y Tocino [$6.00] | bacon, jalapeño, chorizo, street corn salad
In this oft-referenced "homage to street food," a singular jalapeño is stuffed with chorizo, wrapped in bacon, and placed atop a mound of corn. It's about as tasty as it sounds, a mélange of salty and spicy flavors moderated by the creamy sweetness of elote, all with the red onion on top adding a bit zing to the mix. Yum.


Ensalada de Cueritos [$7.00] | pig skin 2 ways, chili con limon, candied citrus zest
Here we had a duet of pork rind. The first was the cueritos, in which the pig skin is pickled, resulting in a slick, snappy, jellied consistency. It was actually restrained in its porkiness, with a pretty delicate flavor on its own that worked well with the sharply citric, spicy notes in the dish. We also had some classic chicharrones, crunchy, salty, and oh-so satisfying, perfect for scooping up the cueritos. Along with the course came a small taster of Coronado Brewing's Orange Avenue Wit, which ended up pairing perfectly with the pork, its bright, spicy, citrus-y flavors working hand-in-hand with the dish.


Carnitas Estilo Francés [$8.00] | pork rillete, coke reduction, pickled vegetables
Ruiz's version of pork rillettes was uncommonly tender (and quite uncommon, overall), yet expectedly porcine. The Coke reduction here was fortunately restrained in its sweetness, but the key was the pickled veggies, which added a countervailing crunch and tartness to the dish that really balanced things out.


Pelón y Beso [$8.00] | Milagro Blanco, Casera Margarita Mix, Liquid Tamarind Candy, Habanero Shrub
Vino De Iglesia [$8.00] | Chamomile Infused Sake, Elder Flower, Luxardo Maraschino, Grenadine, Lemon, Fresh Cherries
Lima Prohibida [$10.00] | Barsol Pisco, Luxardo Maraschino, Grapefruit, Lime, Piloncillo, Peychaud's Bitters
More cocktails. The Pelón y Beso conveyed a sour, puckering quality to it, joined by a sweet spice from the tamarind and a finish redolent of habanero. It even comes with an extra shot (beso) to share. Next was the Vino De Iglesia, my favorite of the trio with its soft, smooth nuances and deft mix of sweet, fruity, and floral flavors. The Lima Prohibida, finally, conveyed a sharp, tart, citric base with undertones of booze, tempered by just a whisper of piloncillo sugariness.


Wild Boar Chilaquilles [$14.00] | guajillo, roasted carrot crema, queso casera, fried egg
Corazon y Miel's take on chilaquiles was quite to my liking. I loved the sheer mix of different tastes and textures here, but with the spicy, savory, deeply-flavored boar remaining the clear star of the dish. There's lots going on here, but it all comes together cohesively (and deliciously).


Market Fish [$15.00] | steelhead trout, black mole, cassava, pickled cauliflower, red onion, almonds
Steelhead arrived flaky, juicy, and super buttery, with a hearty, mole-kissed flair to it that went superbly with the starchy cassava, all while the cauliflower and onion added a great counterbalancing acidity to things.


Corn & Black Bean Sopes [$14.00] | fried masa biscuit, corn salad, black bean guisado, pickled onion, habanero
Sopes were classic in essence, as well as delicious. The thick, hefty masa formed a substantial base to the dish, on top of which the corn and black bean really worked together, making for a straightforward, satisfying combination perked up by the kick of habanero and onion.


Arroz con Pollo [$13.00] | marinated quarter chicken, chorizo & chickpea rice, cherry tomato & jicama salad
Chicken came out tender, juicy, and with a good depth of flavor to it. Even more interesting, though, was the arroz, which had a nutty, sweet, earthy character that, when paired with the jicama, made for a really interesting, multifaceted compliment to the bird.


Churrasco a la Plancha [$20.00] | sirloin strip, chimichurri, black bean guisado, fries
The most expensive item on the menu is actually worth a try. The steak wasn't the most tender, but was positively teeming with succulent, beefy goodness. It was certainly enjoyable alone, but the accompanying chimichurri was simply marvelous, adding a bevy of bright, tangy notes to the dish that really paired perfectly with the heady flavors of the meat. The stewed black beans and fries on the side weren't anything to sneeze at, either.


Lomo Hash [$16.00] | petite tender, potatoes, bell peppers, poached egg, wasabi
Ruiz's tenderloin hash was certainly one of my favorites of the night. The meat itself was pretty much spot on--juicy, tender, and with a pretty remarkable lushness for lomo. The combination of potatoes and peppers just made absolute sense with the meat, and I loved the overarching lushness of that egg, too. Didn't really get much wasabi, though.


Salsa Verde [$12.00] | Milagro Blanco, St. Germain, Cucumber, Cilantro, Jalapeño, Lime
Mojito [$9.00] | Flor de Caña, Lime, Sugar, Mint Soda
The Salsa Verde, unsurprisingly, tasted like salsa verde, but one with a distinct sweet-sour component to it, livened up by an overarching cucumber presence. One of my dining companions also ordered a Mojito, my old standby. It was a classic interpretation of the drink, pretty much flawless, with a particularly appealing minty quality to it.


Pork Belly Sandwich [$10.00] | spicy adobo bbq, celery blue cheese slaw, fries
At this point, we moved on to the meat-between-bread portion of the menu, and first to act was this BBQ pork sandwich. The belly itself was meltingly tender, with a marked spicy sweetness to it, though it veered overly sugary for me, especially when taken with the sweet-ish roll. Fortunately though, the celery slaw made short work of the dish's heftiness, cutting through it all with aplomb.


Atlantic Burger [$11.00] | lamb, lime aioli, curtido, rajas de chile, cotija whip, fries
More to my liking was the Atlantic, which really showcased the earthy, heady savor of lamb. Indeed, the patty's ovine flavors were proudly conveyed here, only slightly tempered by the mount of veggies and cotija on top.


Corazon Burger [$10.00] | beef, bacon, grilled panela, sweet jalapeño onion relish, fries
Corazon y Miel's signature burger wasn't much to look at, but the flavors were definitely there. The beef was clearly the hero, coming out immensely juicy and brimming with mouth-watering meaty goodness. I appreciated the masterful application of panela here, and the salty, crunchy bacon worked wonders, too.


Pan con Chompipe [$16.00] | 2 pound salvadoran turkey leg sandwich
The menu's most visually-arresting piece is likely this slow-cooked turkey leg, inspired by Ruiz's grandmother. The meat was literally falling-off-the-bone tender, with a deep, salty, profound savor to it that was expertly balanced by the mounds of crisp, bright veggies piled atop, all while the accompanying roll remained pretty much useless.


Capirotada [$6.00] | mexican bread pudding, ice cream, figs, walnuts, fig syrup
On to the desserts now. Ruiz's version of the traditional capirotada was something to behold, a sweet, sticky, uncompromisingly figgy bread pudding that was all that I'd hoped it would be.


Boca Negra [$6.00] | chocolate cake, chipotle custard, ancho whip
The "black mouth" will appeal to chocolate lovers, the cake coming out dense and rich, with a smart savory component from the use of chilies, all while the blackberries added a tinge of fruity tartness to the mix.


Niños y Buñuelos [$6.00] | fried banana, ice cream, cinnamon sugar, caramel
My favorite of the desserts was this fantastic preparation of fried banana. The banana was beautifully presented, wonderfully fruity, and encased in a crisp, sugary wrapper just loaded with cinnamon-y spice. If that wasn't enough, the vanilla ice cream formed a perfectly cool counter to the banana that took the dish over the top. A must try.


Mexican Fruit Popsicle [$2.00]
We closed with one of CyM's popsicles, this one rendered in coconut. It displayed a very focused, true-to-life sweetness, replete with coconut flakes in the popsicle itself and a fizzy, almost Pop Rocks-esque sensation in the mouth.


Lots of leftovers: the result of attempting the "Fire the Menu" with a team of four not-so-prepared eaters.

Corazon y Miel just might be the most ambitious restaurant to open in Bell in, well, ever. I was quite a fan of how Ruiz was able to take his unmistakably Latin flavors and translate them to a more contemporary aesthetic, sort of melding the types of food he grew up with the of-the-moment style of cooking that's all the rage these days. It's an intriguing, curious take on the cuisine that manages to be fun, yet serious and substantial at the same time. Finally, another reason to make the schlep down to Bell!

Lukshon (Culver City, CA) [2]

August 2, 2013, 2:26 am

≫ Next: Mori Sushi (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

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Lukshon Restaurant
3239 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA 90034
310.202.6808
www.lukshon.com
Wed 07/10/2013, 08:15p-11:10p





Since opening at the start of 2011, Sang Yoon's Lukshon has stood as sort of the bastion of modern southeast Asian cooking in LA. I really enjoyed my first meal here, and figured that it was time for a revisit, now that opening chefs Jacob Kear and Johnny Yoo have been replaced by Executive Chef Ted Hopson.

Hopson, for his part, is a graduate of the University of California at Riverside ('03), and attended culinary school at CSCA/Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. From there, he landed a position at Downtown's longstanding Water Grill, working under David Lefevre. He eventually reached the rank of Executive Sous Chef, but would follow Lefevre out the door in August of 2010. A few months later, Hopson became Exec Chef at Father's Office, then took over at Lukshon as well in June 2011. He is joined in the kitchen by Chef de Cuisine Nathan Macaulay (The Tasting Kitchen), while Laurie Pesce (Wilshire, Cafe del Rey, Wolfgang Puck) remains on as General Manager.

An interesting note: both Hopson and Yoon will be competing in the new season of Top Chef Masters, premiering on July 24th. They'll be joined by LA's very own Neal Fraser, as well Los Angeles magazine's Lesley Suter (who's serving as one of the judges). Oh yeah, and the whole series was filmed in LA too. You can bet I'll be watching.


Lukshon's menu has been tweaked to put more of an emphasis on shareable small plates, though the overall aesthetic remains. On the boozy side of things, Wine Director Marisa Brown has replaced Eduardo Porto Carreiro, though his reasonably-priced, Riesling-centric wine list remains. Cocktails, of course, are worth trying as well, and I can't complain about the beers, either (after all, this is where I discovered the fabulous Hitachino XH). Click for larger versions.


This evening, Lukshon's standard bill of fare was joined by a special dineLA deal, as well as a "Summer of Riesling" tasting menu, featuring Rieslings that would typically not be poured by the glass. In line with the event, we were treated to the riesling sekt gebrüder simon 2011 mosel, germany, as well as the riesling spätlese von hövel "scharzhofberger" 2007 saar, germany.


lukshon sour [$11.00] | old overholt rye, kalamansi, tamarind, lemon
yokohama romance [$11.00] | prunier vsop cognac, cherry heering, kaffir lime, lemongrass, shaoxing wine
hot & sour gimlet [$12.00] | monopolowa vodka, dragon chile, lime, thai basil, kinh gioi
We made sure to work our way down the cocktail list, beginning with this threesome. The Lukshon Sour was a viscous, creamy concoction featuring an appealing mix of sweet and sour that came together in a flavor profile reminiscent of banana. The Yokohama Romance, meanwhile, showed off a complex, boozy weight from the Prunier against a backdrop of dark fruit tartness, while the Hot & Sour Gimlet was all about a fantastic blast of aromatic, herb-y nuances up front leading to a sour-ish close tinged with heat.


hawaiian butterfish [$10.00] | pickled watermelon radish, daikon, nahm jim, rau ram
The meal got off to a strong start with a plate of butterfish. It was an eminently balanced course, with the clean flavors of the fish forming a perfect base on which the bright, multifaceted notes from the nam jim and rau ram could really sing. Lovely textures too between the supple slices of sashimi and the crunchy veggies.


pig ear terrine [$9.00] | edamame, pickles, ma-la vinaigrette
Our next course reminded me a bit of the classic Sichuan specialty fuqi feipian. The terrine arrived cool and gelatinous, with a pork-y relish to it that worked flawlessly with the slight undercurrent of heat in the dish, all while the pickles added a fantastic lightness and crunch to things. Even better? The crisp, salty slivers of fried pig ear tossed in.


tea leaf salad [$11.00] | cabbage, crispy chana dal, marcona almonds, peanuts, sesame, blue prawn
The tea leaf salad was pretty fantastic, the crunchy shards of cabbage forming a base on which to appreciate the counterbalancing blasts of sourness and acid, interjected by a gorgeous nutty crunch and a hit of umami-rich goodness from bits of xia mi. The prawn arrived perfectly cooked as well--buttery, briny, and delicious.


steamed cod [$15.00] | spicy citrus broth, lily flower, tatsoi
Hopson then sent out the cod. I rather liked this one as well, its stark white, soft, springy, moist flesh and mild taste serving as a counterpoint to the spicy, herbaceous, and wonderfully aromatic broth that managed to succinctly capture the essence of the traditional dish.


singapore sling [$13.00] | plymouth gin, cherry heering, benedictine, combier orange, pineapple, bitters
fujian cure [$11.00] | isle of skye 8yr scotch, lemon, galangal, lapsang souchong black tea
More cocktails. The Singapore Sling was a great rendition of the recipe, with a strong pineapple-y character backed by tasty notes of sweetness and herby spice--very drinkable. Meanwhile, the Fujian Cure was even better, with a fantastic, lingering smokiness that just permeates a backbone of saccharine tartness.


cantonese chicken soup [$7.00] | cellophane noodles, petite bok choy, 63° egg
The chicken soup was superb, really capturing the quintessence of Cantonese flavors. The bird itself was spot on, and I loved the crisp, crunchy bok choy here and how the egg just added a marvelous, enveloping richness to things. Lovely tanginess too from the pickled jujubes.


green papaya salad [$9.00] | cherry tomatoes, long beans, peanuts, crispy shallot, nam pla, lime
The som tam was another winner, a texturally wonderful dish that married sweet and sour flavors beautifully, all underscored by the pungency of that fish sauce. Fantastic savoriness from those shallots and peanuts, too.


bhutanese red rice [$9.00] | lamb bacon, maitake mushroom, egg, scallion, chinese celery
The red rice conveyed an intense, heady savoriness on the nose, though on the palate it was much more muted, with a buttery, somewhat nutty character laced with salty bits of bacon, all while the scallion and celery imparted just enough levity to the mix.


maryland soft shell crab [$13.00] | coconut "creamed corn", shishito peppers, pickled okra, spring onion, peanuts
Soft shell crab was surprisingly nice, one of the strongest preparations I've had to date in fact. The crab itself was wondrously crunchy, with a great brine to it along with an unobtrusive shell. The coconut and corn combo formed a sugary component in the dish that worked well with the inherent sweetness in the crustacean, and I loved the fragrant whispers of what I believe was basil in the dish.


formosa [$11.00] | ethereal gin, lillet blanc, atomized mizhiu tou, ginger pearl onions
five-spice mai tai [$13.00] | rhum j.m. agricole blanc, zafra 21yr rum, plantation '00 rum, five-spice orgeat, lime
Our final round of cocktails began with the Formosa, which displayed very apparent notes of gin over a complex, subtle base of bittersweetness--a stiff one. The Five-Spice Mai Tai, meanwhile, was pretty much the polar opposite, with a fruity blast of tropical, spicy sweetness over a boozy rum backbone.


manila clams [$15.00] | glass noodles, pork belly, cloud ear, hijiki, thai basil
We had here what sort of amounted to a clam pho, and indeed, it was pho-ntastic, with the bright, aromatic flavors really melding well with the inherent goodness of those clams. I also appreciated the slippery, crunchy texture on the wood ear here, and the salty hits from the pork belly just took the dish over the top.


crab fried rice [$12.00] | blue crab, jasmine rice, egg, pea tendrils, serrano chile
The prosaic-sounding crab fried rice was actually maaahvelous, one of the best I've had actually. What struck me here was how forcefully the ocean-y nuances of the crustacean were conveyed, as well as how well-integrated the egg was. At the same time, the pea and serrano were key in providing a modicum of lightness to the course, making for a balanced, cohesive rice dish overall.


green on green [$12.00] | romano beans, english peas, fava beans, haricot verts, spring onion
This whimsically-named dish brought together a quintet of disparate veggies, each one distinct in terms of both taste and texture, but all coming together nicely, integrated by an overarching savoriness and spice.


shishito peppers [$9.00] | maitake mushrooms, house made xo sauce
Shishitos were classic in essence, with light pin pricks of heat augmented by an in-your-face blast of umami goodness from the combo of mushrooms and XO.


beef and broccoli [$28.00] | prime hanger steak, grilled gai lan, black bean ghee, puffed tendon
The kitchen then sent out the night's pièce de résistance, the priciest, biggest, and perhaps most amusingly-named item on the menu. The hanger itself was spot on: just teeming with beefy goodness and surprisingly tender to boot. I thoroughly enjoyed it alone, but the pungency of the black bean made sense too, though you had to be careful with it, lest the ghee overwhelm the natural beauty of the meat. Even more key was the use of kai lan, which imparted a well-placed crunch and bitterness to things.


With the cocktails dispensed with, we opted for beer next, specifically the flander's ale. bockor bellegems bruin. belgium [$9]. It was a pretty prototypical example of oud bruin, so think funky and tart, with an almost wine-like quality to it. Quite nice.


chiang mai curry noodles [$7.00] | chile, turmeric, lemongrass, chicken, yu choy, rice noodles
Here, we were presented with classic khao soi-esque flavors, resulting in a comfy, familiar curry experience, with the chicken and the veggies in perfect harmony. Lovely textures on this one, too.


grilled squid salad | chile sambal vinaigrette, cucumbers, chinese celery, mint
The squid salad was something off of the special Riesling menu, and showed off some really bright, bitter, minty flavors, all underscored by the zing of that sambal. As such, the squid, surprisingly, wasn't really the star of the show, becoming more of a textural component to pair with the various greenery.


chinese black mushrooms [$10.00] | maitake, woodear, shitake, mustard greens, lap cheong
The medley of 'shrooms was a veritable umami bomb, blending together the earthy, heady savor of the various fungi and commingling it with the sausage-y savor of lap cheong, all while the mustard tried in vain to rein things in.


dandan noodles [$7.00] | kurobuta pork, sesame, preserved mustard greens, sichuan peppercorns, peanuts
Dandanmian was just as good as I remembered (albeit slightly more subdued), a blast of spicy, mouth-numbing flavors that go along oh-so well with the mustards greens and peanuts.


Up until this point, Lukshon had never had a dessert menu, operating on the principle that, in Asian restaurants, dessert is often included for free. However, opening Pastry Chef John Park (XIV under Jordan Kahn, Providence, Water Grill) left recently to open Quenelle ice cream shop in Burbank. He's been replaced by Jessica Perez, and the restaurant has used this changing of the guard as an opportunity to install its first dessert menu. Click for larger versions.


With the oud bruin all drunk up, we went for something even more sour, the gueuze. girardin 1882. belgium [$18]. It was a classic interpretation of the style, a torrent of lactic, tart, acidic flavors that finished utterly crisp and dry.


chicory chocolate cake [$7.00] | sesame brittle, thai chili caramel, chocolate pudding, sesame ice cream
Dessert started strong with this sort of awesome chicory cake. The cake itself displayed a restrained sweetness with a bitter tinge, and went beautifully with the savory, spicy, nutty notes in the caramel and ice cream. I was particularly a fan of the sesame brittle, which I would've easily demolished on its own.


p.y.p. [$7.00] | compressed peaches, frozen beijing yogurt, ginger streusel, passion fruit, pop rocks
I can only assume that this dessert was a nod to MJ's P.Y.T. It was pretty indeed though, with the sweet, juicy fruit pairing perfectly with the buttery, spicy combo of streusel and yogurt. Superbly well balanced, with a bit of whimsy from those pop rocks.


barley pudding [$7.00] | coffee streusel, caramelized banana, mandarin banana sorbet, puffed barley
The barley pudding was yet another winner. I loved the banana sweetness here, and how that played off the bitterness of the coffee so succinctly, all while the barley tempered the interaction while adding a delightful crunch to boot.


Mignardises comprised some mouth-watering palm sugar brownies and lychee pâtes de fruits. Even better were "Drumsticks" of coffee ice cream, chocolate glaze, and toasted coconut.

It's been too long. I really was quite happy with this dinner. The kitchen's interpretation of Southeast Asian cookery remains true to its essence--bold, lusty, not shy about flavor--but at the same time, there's an uncommon emphasis on precision, finesse, modernity here. Add to that a more focused, more manageable menu, and a fantastic selection of desserts, and it seems to me that, with Hopson now firmly at the helm, Lukshon's going stronger than ever.

---

A couple weeks before this meal, I paid a visit to Lukshon to attend a special lunch put on by the Hong Kong Tourism Board featuring three well-regarded Hong Kong chefs. The event was aimed to promote "Hong Kong Live at The Grove," a three-day series of performances, exhibits, music, classes, and of course, food. Now, I normally don't do these types of things, but I made an exception this time around due to my curiosity about top-level Chinese cooking. It's an area that I don't know much about, but would love to experience more from.


Here we see Lukshon's gleaming, open kitchen shortly before the start of the luncheon. An interesting note: despite all the high-end, high-tech cooking tools available here, I was told that the Chinese chefs tended to prefer to do things old school, eschewing the deep fryer for the wok, as an example.


Sang Yoon introducing the three visiting chefs.


Our five course menu with wine pairing, signed, natch. Click for a larger version.


1: Sichuan Lamb Tartare | pickled Fresno chilies, prickly ash, cumin and puffed black rice [Sang Yoon, Lukshon]
NV Delamotte Brut Le Mesnil
Serving as a sort of amuse bouche, the tartar was pretty stupendous, with the supple, snappy dices of lamb melding beautifully with the multifaceted notes of spice in the dish. Really well integrated and balanced, with a fantastic textural component from the puffed rice. A promising start to the meal.


2: Dim Sum Platter | shrimp dumpling, abalone tart, baked bun with BBQ pork, spring roll [Kwai-pui Mak, Tim Ho Wan]
2008 Knebel qba Riesling Trocken
Up next was former Lung King Heen chef Mak Kwai-Pui (a.k.a. Pui-Gor) of the famed dim sum eatery Tim Ho Wan, widely known as the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world. Going from right to left, I started with the baoyu ta, which showed off the sweetness of the abalone against the backdrop of sugary, crumbly pastry. Next was the har gow, a commendable presentation of the dim sum classic, with the essence of the shrimp proudly conveyed amidst its delicate wrapper. The chunjuan was also on point, with a wonderfully thin, crispy exterior hiding a delicious filling combining the earthiness of mushroom with the sweetness of what I believe was crab. I ended with the restaurant's famed cha siu bao, and it did not let me down. What struck me about it was the texture, how it was so crumbly, so light, as well as the perfectly balanced filling, which blended the savoriness of pork with a great saccharine note.


3: Sole Filet | with asparagus in black bean sauce [Mango Tsang, Ming Court]
2011 Sella "Majoli" Rosato
Following, we were presented a course from Executive Chef "Mango" Tsang Chiu-Lit of the two-star Ming Court at the Langham Place hotel. Even though Tsang scrapped his initial plans to steam the sole (instead of frying it), I quite enjoyed the results, finding the fish delightfully crisp on the outside, yet delicate on the inside, with a mild relish that paired beautifully with the black bean. Lovely counterpoint from the vegetables, too. Yes, I can-a have-a de Mango.


4: Hong Kong Style Braised Beef | with Chef Cheng's signature fried rice [Kam-fu Cheng, Celebrity Cuisine]
2009 Francois Cazin Cour-Cheverney Romorantin
Hailing from the two-star Celebrity Cuisine was Cheng Kam-Fu, who's known for his classic Cantonese stylings. Braised beef was just as you'd expect: almost falling-apart tender, with a good depth and richness to it, along with a subtle undercurrent of spice. The fried rice served as a fitting accompaniment, not too greasy, not too soft, with a classic flavor profile thanks to the egg, shrimp, and ham (Jinhua I believe) folded in.


5: Barley Cream | coffee streusel, aprium, cherry, banana sorbet [Sang Yoon]
NV Philippe Bornard "Tant-Mieux"
Dessert, finally, didn't disappoint either. It was a smart, modern presentation, the barley cream forming a base on which the interplay between the coffee and fruit flavors could really sing, with the banana notes creeping in and out. Very cool.



A toast, thanks, and gift giving from HKTB's Executive Director Anthony Lau.


One of the nicest, and most useful swag bags I've encountered. I know I've been saying it for years, but I really do need to get my ass over to Hong Kong sometime.

Mori Sushi (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

July 17, 2013, 2:42 am

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Mori Sushi
11500 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
310.479.3939
www.morisushi.net
Sat 07/13/2013, 08:00p-10:20p





Since debuting in 2000, Morihiro Onodera's eponymous restaurant has firmly established itself as one of the premier sushi spots in the Southland, second or third behind the epicness that is Urasawa. My last visit back in 2011 was spot on, really great, and, coincidentally, occurred right before Mori-san sold the place to his second-in-command, one Masanori Nagano. Now, Nagano had been a chef here from almost the very beginning, so I'm sure that the restaurant was left in good hands. Two years into this new ownership regime, a revisit made sense.


To drink, I started off with the Allagash White [$7.50], a refreshingly crisp, spicy witbier that paired quite well with the food.


1: Tofu
As before, things commenced with a block of homemade tofu, topped with a dollop of freshly-grated wasabi and accompanied by a thimble of shoyu. The tofu, unsurprisingly, tended toward mild, with the soft, silken curd playing off of the dark flavors of the soy sauce, all while the wasabi added a crucial accent to the dish.


2a: Edamame
Next was a long plate holding five little bites (the zensai). I worked my way right to left, and first up was the edamame, a "special" preparation that was exactly what I wanted, with the soy beans melding with the tangy strands of miyoga in laudable fashion.


2b: Tomato to Okura
A singular tomato (from the Santa Monica Farmers Market) set in a vinegar-y sauce, meanwhile, was superb: utterly juicy and sweet, but with a bit of tartness, as well as a texture that was quite unlike anything I'd experienced before. The okra was similarly on point, subdued and almost dainty, restrained in its mucilaginous qualities.


2c: Awabi
Abalone arrived satisfyingly chewy, with a great bite to it and an umami-laced brine that was augmented by the earthiness of the gastropod's liver.


2d: Ichijiku
Figs were also excellent, their sweetness commingling beautifully with the nuttiness of the accompanying black sesame condiment.


2e: Mehikari
We ended with my favorite item of the quintet, a fried preparation of a deep sea fish known as "round greeneyes." It was fantastic, a symphony of disparate textures (as the mehikari was eaten whole, soft bones and all) joined by a delicate, yet completely satisfying ocean-y relish.


3: Sazae
This impressive looking specimen is known as the horned turban, or turban shell. It was cooked tsuboyaki style, and topped with a quail egg. The resulting dish was quite something, the flesh of the sea snail coming out firm, snappy, and satisfying, with a delightfully subtle bitterness to it, all moderated by the lushness of that egg. When we were all done with the meat, we eagerly supped down the remaining "liqueur," all briny and umami-laden, from the shell.


4: Ayu no Shioyaki
Sweetfish from Japan was grilled simply in the shioyaki manner. As the name would imply, its soft, delicate flesh conveyed a certain sweetness to it, one that melded seamlessly with the salty, savory notes and bitter char nuances present. Note, too, the wavy shape formed by the fish, a traditional flourish meant to evoke the act of swimming. Yum.


5: Tai no Kobujime
Wild Japanese snapper came out kobujime style, which means that the fish was treated with kelp. Indeed, the essence of the kombu was very apparent initially, but then gave way to the lingering heat of wasabi over an austere, complex base of tai.


6: Hotate
Hokkaido scallop was pure and sweet, with a bit of wasabi spice at the beginning along with a fantastic ocean-y taste on the close.


7: Hiramasa
Yellowtail kingfish from Japan was a summertime treat, firm with a bit of bite and a delicate, slightly sweet taste that played off the 'sabi commendably.


8: Kuromaguro
The first of three tunas was a wild blue fin varietal that was delightfully melty on the palate, with a focused flavor that was duly enhanced by the murasaki drizzled on top.


9: Mebachi
Big eye tuna came from Ecuador, and was even silkier in consistency, with a lighter, livelier taste to it vis-à-vis the preceding cut.


10: Kuromaguro Chutoro
Bluefin toro was of the "medium-plus" type, and was indeed wonderfully fatty, creamy almost, and verging on melt-in-your-mouth.


11: Kamasu
The kamasu (oft described as "barracuda") was fantastic, with a pretty profound richness and depth to it that was joined by a delightful smoky component.


12: Kohada
Gizzard shad was beautifully presented, its silvery skin glistening. It was cured in vinegar, as is typically done with the fish, and was firm to the bite, with a strong, assertive salinity to it that paired well with the tangy notes present.


With the beer gone, we went with a bottle of sake, specifically the Koshino Kanbai Muku Junmai [$87], brewed by Ishimoto Shuzo out of Niigata. The "Pure Realm" came recommended by our server, and he didn't lead us astray. Think a base of rice-y goodness, very balanced, with an omnipresent, yet restrained fruity sweetness and just a touch of boozy heat toward the end.


13: Iwashi
It was great to see sardine presented, the fish coming out wonderfully slick on the tongue, with a focused brine to it that mixed beautifully with the bright combo of ginger and scallion.


14: Aori Ika
Japanese bigfin reef squid was creamy and sticky, with a very subtle taste to it that was nicely complemented by the soy sauce.


15: Mirugai
Crisp, crunchy geoduck came with a sprinkle of salt and a splash of yuzu, perfect accoutrements to the clam's inherent sea-like savor.


16: Ikura
Salmon roe was marinated in a soy-based broth, which did a great job augmenting the natural salinity of the eggs. These had a lovely "pop" to them as well, and the nori wrapper was great in tempering the strong flavors at play.


17: Karei Engawa
Now, as we all know by now, engawa usually refers to the chewy fin muscle of halibut. However, in this case, we had the fin of Japanese flounder, or karei. To me, this one was all about texture. I found it even crisper, even more tendinous than halibut fin, with a very subtle flavor.


18: Kinmedai
Golden eye snapper from Japan was delicious, with a fantastic char-like bitterness to it that made for an eminently balanced bite.


19: Santa Barbara Uni
Mori is somewhat known for its presentation of two types of uni back-to-back. In this corner we had the Santa Barbara variety, which was cool and creamy, though not as sweet as I was expecting. Quite nice, especially when taken with the seaweed.


20: Hokkaido Uni
The Hokkaido version was sharper, with a more focused brine and a steelier consistency. I'd actually have to give it the victory on this night, a reversal from the decision last time.


21: Anago
The Japanese sea eel was quite unlike any other I've had. It was literally falling-apart tender, with a marked sweetness to it that transitioned to a more ocean-y character on the close.


22a: Tamago
The appearance of tamagoyaki almost always signifies the end of a sushi meal, and tonight we were presented two varieties. The first was the more traditional preparation, arriving cool, sweet and eggy, with a firm, juicy, somewhat dense texture.


22b: Tamago
The second was Urasawa-esque, almost cake-like and made using shrimp purée. It had a more multifaceted taste to it, with less sugariness and more salinity.


23a: Tofu Blancmange
Our first of two desserts was a blanc-manger, which perfectly blended the essence of tofu with a wonderful sweetness, all balanced by a sort of overarching piquancy.


23b: Shoyu Aisukurimu
The soy sauce ice cream, meanwhile, was something else, and by something else, I mean all sorts of awesome. There was a chocolate-y sweetness at first here, but the crux was the whisper of shoyu savor that really underscored the dish. Could this be the new salted caramel?


Chef/Owner Masanori "Maru" Nagano in the middle, flanked by Yoshiyuki "Yoshi" Inoue (who made the desserts) and Taketoshi "Take" Azumi (our capable itamae for the evening).

I'm very happy (and relieved) to report that Mori's going as strong as ever under Nagano's leadership. The meal tonight was near-flawless, and the new owner's doing a great job executing Mori-san's original vision here, turning out top notch traditionalist sushi and some stellar cooked dishes to boot. If that wasn't enough, Maru-san seems to have instilled a bit more fun into the demeanor of the chefs here, whom I found lighthearted, easy to deal with, and not afraid to crack a joke. For all you sushi fiends out there, this place still needs to be on your bucket list.

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Plate by Plate 2013 Ticket Giveaway

July 25, 2013, 7:20 pm

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[UPDATE 2013-07-25: Out of the 51 entries received, only 34 were valid. Stella M. Lee, GRACE, Anonymous{Amy}, Catherine Hsu, Nerissa N, and Anonymous{randy b}, you all submitted after the deadline unfortunately. Meanwhile, Tam Truong, 1000steps, Hillary Hon, Leah Newman, asdfqwerty, DonutLee, jonathans, and Rachel Marks didn't include an email address. A shame really, as there were some promising comments there. Also, Jonathan Lee submitted a verbatim copy of what Ada Li wrote, so I'm not sure what was going with him. In the end though, there were some great submissions this year, and it was a tough choice, but the final winner I have to say is Jane. For the rest of you however, all is not lost. Since there were a number of strong entries, I'm working on seeing if I can get a discount code for the "runners-up." I will be contacting you separately, so be on the lookout. Thanks for playing!]

On the evening of Saturday, August 3th, Project by Project (Facebook, Twitter) will be hosting its 11th annual tasting benefit: Plate by Plate. Project by Project is a national 501(c)3 non-profit centered around issues relating to the Asian-American community. Each year, the group chooses a particular theme to focus on (whether it be health, education, or the arts), and partners with a charitable organization in that space. This year's partner is East West Players, the country's premier Asian-American theater troupe.

As always, the upscale event will showcase the gastronomic talents of some of LA's top restaurants, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic libations from a variety of leading purveyors. VIP attendees will also be treated to a cocktail competition judged by Matt Biancaniello and Devon Espinosa and featuring contestants Deysi Alvarez (Paiche, Mo-Chica, Picca, Fraiche, Rivera), Dino Balocchi (Littlefork, Longman & Eagle in Chicago), and Brittini Rae Peterson (Goldie's, Ink, The Tar Pit, Fig & Olive, Soho House).

The benefit will be held at the beautiful Vibiana cathedral in Downtown, future home of Neal Fraser and Bill Chait's long-awaited Redbird. Be sure to check out my report from last year's event.

.EATS(31). Allumette Alma Bashan Bestia Charlie Palmer Chaya Downtown Chef Jet Tila Church & State Circa Guelaguetza Hamasaku Lazy Ox Canteen Lexington Social House Little Bear Lukshon Mills + Co 9021pho The Oinkster Paiche The Park's Finest Patina Petty Cash Phorage The Raymond Rivera Saddle Peak Lodge Scratch|Bar Seoul Sausage Co Starry Kitchen Stella Barra Taberna Arros y Vi

.VIP(3). Kali Dining Redbird 1886 Bar   .SWEETS(2). Fluff Ice Patina Pastry   .DRINKS(18). Asahi Bird Pick Tea & Leaf Boutique Sake The Bruery CNS Enterprise Corazon Maya Tequila Gekkeikan Sake Joto Sake Ketel One Kirin (Frozen Foam) Monster Energy PIL Sake Rebel Coast Winery San Vicente Cellars VeeV Ventura Limoncello Voss White Lion VSOA

Tickets are currently on sale at $150 for general admission. However, I'm giving away two VIP tickets (giving you access to the preview hour, cocktail competition, VIP lounge and bar), valued at $250 each. To win, just leave a comment with your name, email, and a brief blurb about what you're looking forward to most about the event (the food, the open bar, the women, the men?), and why. Please submit entries by noon PDT, July 24th. I'll select the best entry and announce the winner Thursday. Good luck!

Badmaash (Los Angeles, CA)

July 29, 2013, 1:49 am

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Badmaash Restaurant
108 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
213.221.7466
www.badmaashla.com
Mon 07/22/2013, 09:30p-11:20p





I'm beginning to get sick of the whole gastropub thing by this point, but one that's caught my attention in recent times in Badmaash ("naughty" or "badass" in Hindi, roughly) in Downtown. Set inside the former site of The Charcoal Grill, the DEX Studio-designed restaurant opened on May 13th and is helmed by Executive Chef Pawan Mahendro, along with his two sons Nakul and Arjun. The goal here is to present a sort of Indian gastropub, churning out Indian-inflected cuisine as seen through a casual, cliché-busting, "kids of immigrants" type of lens.

About the Chef: Born to a food-centric family in the Punjabi city of Amritsar, Mahendro was trained in classic cuisine at Mumbai's Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition. After graduating in 1977, he secured a job at the Taj Mahal Intercontinental, then moved to the Centaur Hotel. In 1978, he formed a business running a corporate cafeteria in Mumbai, then came to Canada in 1982 to train at the Holiday Inn. Mahendro decided to stay, and went on to work at several restaurants in Toronto, including the well-regarded Daily Planet. In 1995, he opened a French restaurant in New York's Rockland County, then traveled the world as a restaurant consultant before returning to Toronto. He served as Corporate Executive Chef at events company ByPeterandPauls.com before starting Jaipur Grille in October of 2002, which was widely lauded for its refreshing take on traditional Indian cuisine. Following the Chef's retirement, the family moved to Southern California in 2010, and by July 2011, had severed ties with the restaurant. Nakul and Arjun convinced their father to come out of hibernation, however, to help them realize their vision for a neo-Indian eatery, and Badmaash is the result of that collaboration.


Badmaash's menu may be the first I've seen with hash tags, a nod to the influence that social media has on food these days. It features a good number of Indian classics, but also some more fusion-y, gastropub-y dishes as well. We also sampled items off of the special dineLA menu that was being offered this evening. To drink, think a smattering of surprisingly-interesting beers (almost always a good decision when it comes to Indian), as well as a handful of wines as well. Click for larger versions.


Speaking of wine, we opted for the Malbec The Show 2012, Mendoza, Argentina [$30]. I'm not sure if I've ever had Malbec with Indian before, and I'm not really yearning to have it again. The wine was fairly typical for the varietal, spicy and jammy, with a certain earthiness to it. There wasn't anything wrong, I'm just not sure it paired all that well with the food. Maybe a Kingfisher would've been a better idea after all.


2-Bite Fish Fray (machhi amritsari) [$8.00] | daily select fish golden brown in chickpea batter with carom seed, dried mango dust
We began with the restaurant's take on macchi amritsari, basically fried fish fritters. They were well-spiced, with a nice crunch on the crust, though the fish itself tended toward the dry side. I did appreciate the levity imparted by the herbs here, though.


Homemade Punjabi Samosas [$8.00] | short rib with pineapple and cilantro
Samosas were quite good, and were the first ones I've had to feature beef. The meat was hearty and satisfying, and went surprisingly well with the slight sweetness imparted by the pineapple. Lovely texture on the pastry here, too.


Chicken Wings a la Badmaash | #fuckingawesome; chickpea dusted and flash fried to a crisp, with homemade 5-pepper and tamarind glaze
The wings weren't necessarily as awesome as their hashtag would imply, but they were tasty nonetheless: nicely crisp, with an appealing combination of sweet and spicy flavors. I wouldn't mind a bucket of these.


Tomato & Watermelon Gazpacho | garnished with masala shrimp - plum tomato, fresh watermelon, red and green sweet peppers, red onion, serrano chili, cilantro
Serving as a sort of intermezzo in the dineLA menu, the gazpacho arrived tasting much like a salsa, a blend of cool, subtly spicy flavors underscored by a trace of watermelon-y sweetness. The shrimp actually worked out quite well here, adding a bit of textural interest to the pseudo-course.


Chicken Tikka Poutine [$12.00] | crisp masala fries topped with chicken tikka and cheese curds, doused in brown gravy
The poutine was unquestionably the star of the show this evening, and quite possibly the best poutine I've had (the owners' Canadianess showing through I suppose). The combo of the masala fries with the gravy and curds was spot on, and if that wasn't enough, the chicken was beautifully cooked--coming out tender, flavorful, juicy, and with a slight char bitterness--the perfect topping to the dish. An absolute must try.


Chili Cheese Naan [$6.00] | tandoori naan stuffed with hot chilies and aged american cheddar - with yogurt raita
Cooked in the traditional tandoor, the chili cheese naan functioned as your basic preparation of the bread, but with a subtle incorporation of the headlining ingredients that made it much more interesting. Very nice when taken with the raita.


Spiced Lamb Burger [$13.00] | ground and spiced in house - with spiced mayo, onion, lettuce, tomato on brioche bun
Another item that should be on your short list here is certainly the lamburger. The meat arrived properly rare, with a great Indian-inspired spice to it that should make it palatable even to you lamb haters out there (and I know there are a lot of you). It went swimmingly with the cilantro, various veggies, spiced mayo, and even with the sweetness in the brioche, making for a deft marriage of disparate culinary traditions.


Ghost Chili Lamb Vindaloo [$14.00] | lamb and potato braised in a spicy curry of bhoot jolokia and other chilies
The classic vindaloo was done up here with the much bandied about Bhut Jolokia. The dish was spicy, but not ridiculously so, the heat arriving on the palate fast and focused, with a particular quality to it that worked wonders with the sweet, almost tart flavors in the dish--a smart accent to the lamb. I will point out that the potatoes here were undercooked, resulting in a sort of firm, crunchy texture, but I actually enjoyed it against the near falling-apart tenderness of the meat.


Cheese Dumplings in Sweet Cream (ras malai) | traditional indian dessert - fresh paneer cheese dumplings soaked in sweet cream and whole milk, with rose and salted pistachio
Time for the sugary stuff. Chef Pav's version of ras malai (my favorite Indian dessert) was on point: cool and creamy, with a floral, sweet spice that really hit the spot.


Alphonso Mango Mousse | light and airy; fresh mango mousse that has had the aunty-ji's singing Chef Pav's name for years
The Alphonso mousse was sweet and tart, showing off a focused blast of fruity mango goodness accented by those blueberries.


Peddler's Creamery Daily Selection [$5.00] | local DTLA icecreamery! made with organic, fair-trade, local exotic ingredients... BICYCLE CHURNED IN SMALL BATCHES!!!!
Tonight ice cream selection from local producer Peddler's Creamery was a fantastic cardamom-cocoa nib variety. The spicy, aromatic nuances of the cardamom were on proud display, a perfect accompaniment to the smooth, sweet ice cream, all while the nibs added a touch of crunch and bitterness to the fray.


We closed with a wonderful preparation of warm cutting chai, a beautiful blend of sweet, spicy flavors that might've been the best chai I've ever had. I appreciated the brightly-colored wire holder here, reminiscent of the ones used at roadside stands in India.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect coming in here, but overall I was pretty happy with the experience. Barring a couple quibbles, the food was on point, sort of blending traditional Indian flavors with a fun, casual, youthful swagger befitting Badmaash's environs. I applaud the Mahendros for doing something different with the genre, and am curious to sample more of the menu and see where this all goes.

Mari Vanna (Los Angeles, CA)

August 2, 2013, 2:27 am

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Mari Vanna Restaurant
8475 Melrose Pl, West Hollywood, CA 90069
323.655.1977
www.marivanna.ru/la
Fri 07/26/2013, 08:30p-11:55p





We all wept (or rejoiced, conversely) when the sixth iteration of Joe Pytka's Bastide closed its doors in May 2011. With that chapter of 8475 Melrose's story sealed, we were left wondering about who would take over this seemingly cursed spot. Well, we didn't have to wait long until it was announced that Russian hospitality group Ginza Project was opening up an outpost of their Mari Vanna chainlet here. Co-Owner Tatiana Brunetti originally wanted to launch the place in May 2012, but the restaurant blew way past its projected opening and debuted just this June.


The old Bastide space has been thoroughly revamped, but fortunately the patio remains.


A former dining room has been cleared to make way for a cute little bar/lounge area, which the old Bastide never had.


We also have a covered "sunroom," which is adjacent the old kitchen table, now converted to a wine room-cum-karaoke lounge(!).


And of course, we have the main dining room, replete with fireplace, meant to recall an archetypal, rustic Russian residence filled with trinkets, figurines, and other such Russian-y things.


Mari Vanna's menu features all your favorite old-school Russian classics, executed with precision. There's also a family-style tasting menu option called the Russian Table (call ahead for this), and be sure to check out the rotating list of chef's specials as well. Click for larger versions.


To drink, vodka, unsurprisingly, is the star of the show here. Mari Vanna features a reported 70 different bottles of the stuff, and also infuses its own vodkas in house. The resulting liquors are then used in the restaurant's vodka-centric cocktail list, and also served neat. Click for larger versions.


Bread is a key part of the Russian table, and here, a black variety was presented with sea salt, sunflower oil, chopped radishes, and green onion. The rye tended toward full-flavored, hearty, and I especially appreciated the intensity of the salt here, as well as the lightness and crunch of those radishes.


Olivier Salad [$12.00] | Mélange of Roasted Vegetables, Pickles, Hard Boiled Eggs and a Touch of Mayonnaise
Regular readers may know that I'm quite the fan of potato salad, the this high-class version was surely one of the best I've had. Think utterly balanced, with a great interplay between contrasting notes of egg, vegetable, and hammy savor, all augmented by a bit of spiciness toward the close.


Herring under a Fur Coat (Shuba) [$10.00] | Layers of herring, Potatoes, Carrots, Beets and Onions topped with Egg with a touch of mayonnaise
Here before us was a plate of dressed herring, or shuba (the Russian word for jacket). I don't think I've had anything quite like it, but the dish worked. The sheer fishiness of the herring was apparent, especially upon first taste, but its various accompaniments really moderated its potency, providing a blanket of cool, mild sweetness that really integrated the dish.


Chicken Kholodetz [$12.00] | Chicken Aspic served with Horseradish, pickles and spicy Russian mustard
The kholodets was probably the most challenging course of the evening. The chicken itself was quite tasty, with a really appealing spice to it, but the aspic-to-meat ratio seemed off. There was just too much jelly, which didn't have much flavor on its own, and sort of overwhelmed the bird. Fortunately, the fantastically spicy mustard here did help bring things together, adding a sharp, potent jab of heat to the dish.


Fish plate [$19.00] | House cured Salmon, Cold Smoked Paddlefish and House Smoked Sturgeon
Next, we moved on to some housemade platters, the first featuring three types of fish. Salmon was on point: slick, fatty, and very nice with a touch of lemon-y tang. The paddlefish, meanwhile, was soft, almost pillow-y, with a lovely, forceful saltiness to it. However, the most fascinating item here was clearly the sturgeon, which I found firm and even a bit crunchy, with a growing, lingering brine.


Homemade Assorted Meat plate [$19.00] | Roasted Pork Loin, Chicken Roulette and Beef Filet
"Charcuterie" was also made in house. The pork was fairly benign, a bit salty here and there, but not particularly interesting. My favorite was actually the chicken roulade--cool and supple, with a wonderful hit of pepperiness. Lastly, we had the beef, which was flaky, appropriately dry, and somewhat reminiscent of the Chinese cold cuts one sometimes finds on banquet menus.


Rosolnik Soup [$11.00] | Chicken Barley soup with Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, pickles, Garnished with fresh dill, sour cream on the side
The rassolnik soup was delicious: hearty and home-y, with a satisfying savoriness from the chicken-root veggie combo that was deftly offset by the slight tang of those pickles. Sour cream was optional, but added an additional point of the interest to the potage.


Sunny - Seaberry Martini [$12.00] | House infused Seaberry Vodka, St. Germain Elder Flower, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Orange Juice
Klubnichka - Strawberry Martini [$12.00] | House infused Strawberry Vodka, Strawberry Puree, Fragoli, Fresh Lime Juice
Grusha - Pear Martini [$12.00] | House infused Pear Vodka, St. Germain Elder Flower, Pear Puree, Fresh Lime Juice, Splash of Sparkling Wine
Our first troika of cocktails began with the Sunny - Seaberry Martini. The astringency of the sea-buckthorn was expertly countered here, resulting in a pleasant citrus-y disposition with a hint of booziness. The Klubnichka - Strawberry Martini, on the other hand, had no traces of alcohol at all, instead coming out thick and sweet, with a very pure, unbridled strawberry essence. The Grusha - Pear Martini, finally, was even more viscous, with the brightness of the pear really coming through in the drink--not particularly complex, but delicious nonetheless.


Roasted Cornish Hen [$12.00] | Topped with garlic and served with pickled cabbage
The tsyplionok tabaka was another highlight of the meal. It was basically a perfectly roasted, spatchcocked Cornish game hen (a small chicken), simply seasoned but superb, and arriving at the table tender and succulent, with a great depth of flavor. At the same time, the pickles worked here in providing a bit of balance against the heft of that bird.


Handmade Veal Pelmeni - Russian Dumplings [$16.00] | Topped with Herbs, Butter and served with Sour Cream
The pelmeni were actually sent out by mistake, but we didn't complain when they told us to just keep them at the table. I found the dumplings very straightforward, with an agreeable savoriness from the veal stuffing to go against the herb-y overtones in the dish. Pretty simple, humble, and even a bit Chinese-y in essence.


Blini With Red Caviar 50 grams [$29.00]
Seeing as how we were in a Russkiy restoran, we felt compelled to order at least one form of fish roe. The red caviar here was markedly different from the ikura one typically finds. Instead, it reminded me of the sujiko that I'd had at Shibucho, being much saltier, much more in-your-face. I actually quite liked it, especially when taken with a dab of smetana and a shard of crêpe-like blini.


Ukrainian Borscht with Pompushka [$12.00]
The borshch, of course, was something that we just had to try given where we were. I quite liked the soup despite the preponderance of beets, finding it hearty and comforting, with its savory broth pairing swimmingly with a mix of root vegetables and a whisper of pepper. Even better, though, was the potage's traditional accompaniment of pampushky, baked little spheres of garlicky goodness.


At this point, our server brought out complementary shots of Mari Vanna's much bandied about house-infused vodka, in the following flavors:

• Apricot - My favorite of the bunch, with a very true-to-life apricot sweetness paired with a slightly herbaceous tinge.
• Seaberry (Oblepiha) - Tart and astringent, with an interesting savoriness to it.
• Lingberry - Also known as lingonberry (the IKEA staple), this was super, super sour, puckeringly so in fact.
• Pineapple - The pineapple, meanwhile, had an almost candied sweetness to it backed by copious amount of booziness.
• Olives - This one was akin to alcoholic olive juice, basically an olive hater's worst nightmare.
• Pepper - Quite tasty, with bright, peppery nuances leading to a growing, creeping burn on the close.

Kalinka - Malinka Martini [$12.00] | House infused Raspberry Vodka, White Peach Puree, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Raspberries
Moscow Mojito [$14.00] | House infused Honey and Oats Vodka, Mint, Fresh Lime Juice, Aged Dark Rum, Splash of Sprite
Lolita Apricot - Martini [$12.00] | House infused Apricot Vodka, Vanilla Black Tea Syrup and Fresh Lemon Juice
Time for more cocktails (as if we needed more after the shots). The Kalinka - Malinka Martini came out utterly fruity (and thick), with a berry fruit laden intensity that was easy to like. Our only non-martini drink was the Moscow Mojito, which was pretty similar to the standard variation, but with a more pronounced booziness to it along with the requisite mint and citrus notes. Finally, we had the Lolita Apricot - Martini, my favorite of the threesome with its soft, balanced vanilla and coconut-y flavors.


Beef Stroganoff [$27.00] | Thinly Sliced Filet Mignon in a light sour cream sauce, fresh Thyme, Pickles and Potato Puree
Mari Vanna's befstroganov is the restaurant's unofficial signature dish, and it did not disappoint. The earthiness of the mushrooms here paired perfectly with the sour cream in setting the stage for the beef to shine, while the thyme served as a great accent piece. I appreciated the countering crunch of the pickles as well, and loved the mashed potatoes here, which was fantastically smooth and buttery (even Robuchon would be proud).


Chicken Kotletki [$19.00] | Pan Seared Chicken patties Served with potato puree
The kotletki were sort of like mini hamburger patties. Or, think of them as the best chicken nuggets you've had: utterly juicy, and pretty profound in the flavor department too. I thoroughly enjoyed 'em alone, but the creamy potatoes here definitely made sense as an accoutrement.


Assorted Pirozjki - Beef, Cabbage, or Rice, Egg and Scallion [$3.00/each]
We ended the savory portion of our meal with a basket of pirozhki, basically bite-size stuffed buns that are not to be confused for pierogi. They come in three varieties at Mari Vanna, all distinguished by their shape. The beef preparation was quite nice, the filling almost stroganoff-esque in nature, with a certain tanginess to it. Cabbage, meanwhile, was more austere, unsurprisingly, while my favorite was the egg and scallion variant. Tasty overall, but a little on the dry side.


Birds Milk [$12.00] | Traditional Russian Dessert, very light sponge cake covered in melted dark chocolate
Both desserts from the specials menu were sent out on the house, presumably because of some of the long waits we endured in between courses. Our first was a cake-ified version of ptichye moloko candy, which I really enjoyed. The cake itself I found light, pleasantly sweet, and nutty and nougat-y on the palate, a great foil to the rich, slightly smoky chocolate drizzled on top.


Medovik [$12.00] | Traditional Russian Honey Cake
The medovik was similarly delicious, a blast of viscous, honeyed sweetness that was beautifully tempered by the layers of cake. I seriously want to bring a whole one of these to my next birthday party.


Finally, we enjoyed complementary shots of pear-infused vodka, a fitting, fruity conclusion to the evening.

I'd never really experienced Russian cuisine prior to this dinner, so I don't really have a sound basis for judgment here, but I can say that I quite enjoyed the meal. The food was hearty, full-flavored, straightforward in essence but somehow still very interesting at the same time, with a trace of refinement on the edge of rusticity. I think there's probably a lot of misconceptions or simply lack of awareness concerning Russian cookery around these parts, so I think a meal here could definitely help change some of our perceptions; it certainly did for me.

ink. (Los Angeles, CA) [3]

August 16, 2013, 1:14 am

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Ink Restaurant
8360 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
323.651.5866
www.mvink.com
Mon 07/29/2013, 08:30p-01:10a



It'd been a while since I last visited Ink, and I was curious to see what the restaurant was up to these days. For better or worse, I felt compelled to do it proper like I did my first time here and order the entire menu, a much more challenging proposition now due to the presence more items as well as larger portion sizes.


gin [$13.00] | oro blanco, aperol, kefir lime, ipa foam, salt
mezcal [$14.00] | floc de gascogne, celery, lemon, cucumber
The bar (now run by Gabriella "Gabby" Mlynarczyk) ended up sending out every single cocktail on the menu, kicking things off with these two. The gin cocktail was pretty neat, with a salty, citrus-y blast on the attack that really tempered the booze, all while the drink decreased in intensity leading toward a short, clean finish. The mezcal, meanwhile, was rather nice as well, with the smokiness of the spirit well balanced by the contrasting sweet, sour, and cucumber-y notes present. Very subtle for a mezcal drink.


oysters [$19.00] | half dozen, mignonette ice
Oysters were really, really nice, with the sour-sweetness of the mignonette playing perfectly off of their inherent brine, making for an utterly balanced and nuanced presentation of the bivalves, replete with some textural contrast to boot.


little gems [$13.00] | burrata, anchovy cracker, lemon dressing
Here was what could be viewed as a thoroughly reworked Caesar salad. The lush, cool, creamy nature of the burrata made sense against the lettuce, while the lemon-y dressing added a bit of tartness to the fray. However, the key was the use of those anchovy crackers, which contributed an integrating salinity that really brought the dish together (while adding a lovely crunchiness in the process).


blended scotch [$14.00] | toasted coconut, thai basil, cardamaro
manzanilla [$9.00] | sherry, house rhubarb soda, strawberry lambic ale
Next, we had a veritable herb garden in the form of a blended scotch cocktail, its refreshing, fragrant aromatics leading to a silky smooth booziness from the whiskey cut by the sweet spice of Cardamaro--very cool. The manzanilla was also appealing, with a sweet, soft, floral, fruity nature to it that went beautifully against the sherry--almost apple juice-y in nature.


asparagus [$12.00] | cooked in hay, goats milk ice, medjool date
Asparagus arrived cooked in hay, giving it a cool smoky, almost meaty character that just worked with the lushness of the goat's milk. Also crucial: the dates, which imparted barely enough sweetness to keep things interesting.


cuttlefish [$16.00] | melon tenderloin, jalapeno jello
The Chef is somewhat known for his cuttlefish noodles, and it's easy to see why. Texturally, they were pretty amazing, with a soft, silken consistency to them, and worked wonders as a base to the dish. The slight spice of the gelatin paired gorgeously with the sugary, succulent fruit as well, while vesicles of finger lime added pin pricks of tartness into the mix. Even better? The fantastic savory bits tossed in--overall, a symphony of subtleties.


islay scotch [$16.00] | ginger, yuzu, honey (chef's favorite)
bourbon [$12.00] | cocchi rouge, campari, chocolate bitters, strawberry lambic
The islay scotch is ostensibly Voltaggio's favorite drink, and I can see why. It's a riff on Sam Ross' Penicillin, but is made completely with Laphroaig, leading to a stronger, smokier character than usual, but one that's still eminently balanced by the sweet 'n' sour notes present. Sticking with the whiskey theme, the bourbon cocktail also worked, with a strong bittersweet bouquet leading to a viscous body imbued with counterbalancing fruity and tart notes, all set against an apparent background of bourbon.


hamachi [$18.00] | citrus kosho, smoked buttermilk, tomato, oaxacan cheese
There was a bit too much going on for me here. The fish of course was on point, and the contrasting thrusts of salty, sweet, creamy, tart actually worked with each other, but the combination of that and the hamachi tended to over shadow the latter.


charred avocado [$16.00] | dungeness crab, almond sponge, smoked oil
This was another tricky, yet effective dish, with the sweetness and brine of the crab beautifully matched with the contrasting forces of astringent char and creamy lushness in the avocado. I really appreciated the light, almost ethereal quality of the sponge, too, which served as a moderating element in the course.


la quercia berkshire ham [$16.00] | beets, yogurt, nutmeg oil
Next was quite possibly the coolest presentation of sliced ham I'd ever encountered. Taken in isolation, the La Quercia was exactly what it should be: slick, fatty, nutty, and oh-so tasty. However, combining it with the creaminess of yogurt and sweetness of beets resulted in some pretty amazing flavor profiles that just made perfect sense.


beef tartare [$15.00] | hearts of palm, sea bean chimichurri, horseradish, rye
The beef tartar was a bit of an improvement over the previous version of the dish I'd tried. Texturally, the meat was flawless, and I liked the countervailing levity and intensity brought on by the hearts of palm and sea bean combo. However, the crux was that horseradish, which really did a fantastic job in providing a blast of heat that just tied everything together in stellar fashion. Lovely crunch and counter from those rye chips, too.


tequila [$14.00] | sherry, pineapple, orgeat, lime, mole
vodka [$14.00] | watermelon, aloe vera, gentian, lemon, sweet tart rim
I rather fancied the tequila cocktail, with its wonderful sweet spice from the orgeat-mole combo that really formed a unified front with the spirit. And the vodka? I swear it tasted of Sour Patch Kids, not necessarily a bad thing mind you.


duck rillette [$14.00] | charred leeks, kumquats, charcoal waffle
Duck rillettes came in an untraditional presentation, but the flavor was there in spades. The depth of the duck took center stage, faultlessly paired with the smoky savor of those leeks, all while the kumquats gave up a hint of tartness. I liked the "hat" here too, which was key in providing a modicum of texture to the course, along with additional complexity of flavor.


corn [$12.00] | housemade doritos, nori, green onion
Here was a fun, novel preparation of corn. Its sweetness was keenly displayed, yet at the same time, expertly tempered by the green onion. It would've been tasty enough as-is, but the incorporation of "Doritos" is what made the dish, with the chips adding a wonderful crunch and savor to things.


potato charcoal [$10.00] | housemade sour cream, black vinegar
You could almost call this a throwback to the papas arrugadas from Voltaggio's days at The Bazaar. Potatoes arrived pitch black and wonderfully salty, a great complement to the dab of sour cream in the bowl. However, what made this really special was the included spray bottle of black vinegar, which imparted a crucial piquancy to the taters that really made the dish work.


monterey squid [$14.00] | coconut-onion soubise, chanterelles, miso
Squid was deftly prepared, coming out supple and springy to the bite, with a delicate flavor that was augmented by the intensity of the mushrooms and miso here, all while the onion gave us a bit of countervailing astringency over a base of subtle sweetness.


white whiskey [$12.00] | popcorn, cornmilk, lemon, liquorice bitters
aquavit [$13.00] | grüner veltliner, chamomile, honey, orange oil, bee pollen
white rum [$14.00] | banana, brown butter, curacao, lime
Our final round of cocktails was a keeper as well. The white whiskey conveyed a strong notion of booziness, set against the sweet and tangy notes present while the liquorice-laced foam served to moderate the drink. On the other hand, the aquavit was much more subtle, with a floral, soft sweetness that melded wonderfully with the spiciness inherent in the spirit. Finally, we had the white rum, which I found a little tropical-tasting in nature, yet light and easy-drinking, with a smart component in the form of that brown butter.


soft shell crab [$19.00] | sea bun, miso mayo
During his stint at The Dining Room, Voltaggio put out the best version of soft shell crab I've had. Here, he shows his facility with the ingredient once more. The SSC was spot on--crispy and just bursting with briny goodness, with the miso mayo adding even more depth and complexity to the crustacean. I loved the levity imparted by the veggies here too, as well as how gnarly that bread looked.


octopus [$22.00] | ink. shells, young fennel, pimenton
Voltaggio has always had a way with octopus, and this dish was no exception. The octopod came out delightfully supple, with a lovely char and a savoriness to it that worked alongside the pleasantly firm shell pasta and zesty fennel, while the pimenton added a tinge of warmth to the dish.


halibut [$34.00] | liquid falafel, greek yogurt, sumac onions
Halibut came expertly cooked--mild, firm, and flaky, with a nice tanginess imparted by the sumac here. My favorite part, though, was that liquid falafel, which served as an excellent exclamation point to the course.


egg yolk gnocchi [$15.00] | mushroom brown butter, hen of the woods
Gnocchi were creamy, rich, liquid-y, and yes, a bit eggy, a luxurious pasta that was rightly heightened by the in-your-face earthiness of the mushrooms.


lollipop kale [$14.00] | crème fraiche, pig ears, togarashi
Next was a possible variation on the ubiquitous kale salad that was certainly one of the highlights of the dinner. The bright, verdant bitterness of the veggie was proudly conveyed, yet offset masterfully by the saltiness of those pig ears, all while the crème fraîche-laced broth contributed an enveloping richness that really brought all the elements together utterly cohesively.


lamb neck [$16.00] | fried egg, yogurt curd, potato, wild herbs
Braised lamb neck was exactly what you'd want: unabashedly, falling-apart tender, with deep, dark, ovine flavors. The meat was satisfying alone, but the crunchy "basket" and herbs were what really made it shine. And the runny egg? It pretty much makes everything better. Yum.


branzino [$33.00] | roasted cauliflower, caper, fermented grapes
Branzino was pretty divine, delicate in body, with a wonderfully saline relish and delightfully crisp, savory skin. Cauliflower served as a fitting accompaniment, but the combination of caper and grape veered toward overly piquant, stealing some of the attention away from the fish unfortunately.


lamb belly [$21.00] | salsify, mushroom hay, garlic ricotta
Time for more lamb, this time the vaunted belly. It came out luxurious and fatty (but not overly so), with a whisper of smokiness to it that paired swimmingly with the mushroom. Salsify served to balance out some of the heft of the meat, and there was even a bit of a citrus-y overtone in the dish that I liked.


heritage pork [$26.00] | cranberry beans, lardo, blackberry vinegar
The pork was a winner, coming out soft and succulent, with a delectable porcine relish to it that was further intensified by the veil of lardo draped on top. Beans, meanwhile, served to ground the dish, and I quite appreciated the sweetish tang of that vinegar as well.


At this point, we popped a bottle of 1996 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque that one of my dining companions had graciously shared. This was, of course, the late-disgorged version of DP, and was very young tasting: tightly wound and fresh, with plenty of tart, lemon-y notes to it, along with a lively acidity and interesting saltiness even. This one should develop nicely.


beef cheeks [$25.00] | turnips, onion caramel, beef threads
Beef cheeks were downright tender, gelatinous even, and chock full of bovine goodness. They were actually quite heavy taken alone, so the turnips were key in imparting a modicum of levity to the dish. Lovely crunch here from the tangles of beef threads, too.


beef short rib [$30.00] | radish noodles, puffed tendon, pho broth
The savories concluded with a superb rendition of pho. The meat itself verged on decadent, with a fantastic beefiness to it and a wonderful crust. It blended both sweet and savory flavors in a mouthwatering package that paired in commendable fashion with the aromatics of the herbs here, all while the radish contributed a counterbalancing crunch and lightness to the fray. The included tendon chips were great fun as well.


elderflower [$10.00] | greek yogurt, citrus confetti, hibiscus curd
You could almost think of our first dessert as an elevated version of shaved ice. It was completely refreshing and light, with a fantastic blend of fruity, floral flavors accented by the tanginess of that yogurt. Very nice.


mountain yam [$12.00] | caramelized white chocolate, popcorn, coconut
Yamaimo is well known for its mucilaginous consistency, and here that texture was proudly displayed against a backdrop of multifaceted sweetness, the caramel notes being particularly apparent. Quite cool.


apple [$10.00] | caramel, walnut, burnt wood semifreddo
I think this is probably the only item on the menu that's been here since day one, and there's a good reason for that. The dessert was as marvelous as ever, with the apple melding beautifully with the caramel while the walnut and semifreddo added opposing smoky and nutty notes to the mix. A masterful amalgam of disparate tastes and textures.


chocolate [$11.00] | coffee cake, chicory, raw milk, cream cheese frost
Last up was Ink's take on the requisite chocolate dessert, this one deftly balancing out its richness with contrasting hits of coffee, mint, and bitter notes, with the cream cheese contributing an enveloping lushness to the course.


fernet | branca, fernet vallet, vanilla, cherry heering, cola cream
Finally, we had mini versions of the fernet cocktail, an explosion of herbal, woody, minty flavors bound by the soft sweetness of vanilla, cherry, and cola. Quite delicious actually, and a fitting close to the meal.

It's been a while, but the restaurant is going as strong as ever. Initially, a lot of people probably dismissed Voltaggio as a serious chef, but I think by this point--almost two years in--he's proven himself. This place is legit, and there's even more maturity in the cooking here now, especially with the very capable Cole Dickinson at the helm as Chef de Cuisine. Ink has become sort of a quintessential LA restaurant, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the place evolves.

Plate by Plate 2013 (Los Angeles, CA)

August 8, 2013, 3:41 am

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Plate by Plate 2013
214 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
www.platebyplate.org/la/
Sat 08/03/2013, 06:00p-10:00p





This past Saturday, August 3rd, Project by Project hosted its 11th annual Plate by Plate tasting benefit at the beautiful Vibiana cathedral in the heart of Downtown. For the uninitiated, Project by Project is a nationwide non-profit focused on issues relating to the Asian-American community. Each year, the group chooses a particular theme to concentrate on--whether it be health, education, or the arts--and partners with a charitable organization in that space. 2013's partner is East West Players, the country's premier Asian-American theater troupe. As always, the Plate by Plate showcased the culinary chops of some of the City's most popular and up-and-coming eateries, all washed down by unlimited, free flowing booze of all varieties. And of course, I'm continuing on as PbP's Manager of Restaurant Relations, my third year in the role.


Left: Former PbP legal counsel Annie Lin running the show at the check-in table.
Right: Marketing Team members Eve Yen and Alison Ma, with Manager of Public Relations Mayly Tao (of DKronuts fame).


Left: Director of Events Risa Abarientos, alongside President Marian Bacol-Uba.
Right: Bacardi Portfolio Manager Jaymee Mandeville and colleague.


The Raymond, helmed by Tim Guiltinan (from Leatherby's down in OC), kicked things off with a Bonito Cured Sirloin, Jalapeno Salsa & Pitchfork Dressing along with Cantaloupe Ice Cream, Raspberry Streusel for dessert. Also present were Special Event Managers Teresa Brown and Emely Cubias.


Coincidentally, the Rare Beef Salad from Chef Perry Cheung's Phorage was a similar dish. That's Partner Jesse Duron in the suit there, who also happens to be the GM over at Hamasaku.


Left: The Raymond's Teresa Brown again, with eventual Instagram contest winner Katie Buntsma.
Right: Walter Manzke and Neal Fraser in the mix.


The Park's Finest brought some Filipino flavor with Mama Leah's Coconut Beef & Rice and Ann's Cornbread Bibingka. Rockin' the shades is Co-Founder & BBQist Johneric Concordia, along with Christine Araquel-Concordia.



Lazy Ox Canteen had their Octopus Curry with Ratatouille and Lazy Ox Hand Whipped Rice Pudding. Chef Hiroyuki Fujita (formerly of Fat Spoon) is working there now, and was joined by Assistant Manager Shana Dysert.


Taberna Arros y Vi, Michael Cardenas' newest project, was repped by Executive Chef Verite Mazzola and GM Wes Zelio. What did they serve? Some dainty Shrimp Gambas.



Starry Kitchen's Nguyen Tran was without his Kitchen Ninja tonight, but still managed a hearty dish of Singaporean Chili Crab Gumbo & Buttermilk Beer Beignet, with Black Sesame Panna Cotta with Green Tea Lemon Latte Cookies for dessert.


Director of Partner Outreach Eden Tol and Manager of Campaign Partner Kayla Vu with representatives from East West Players.


Bill DiDonna and Charles Kelly's ambitious Echo Park eatery Allumette gave out tasty little bites in the form of a German Butterball Potato Chip, Coconut-White Soy Marinated Salmon Roe, Yuzu Cream. Interestingly, Chef Miles Thompson was joined tonight by Derrick De Jesus, whom we last saw over at Alma.


Rivera's Columbian Chocolate Torte with Habaneros and Citricos was quite a sight to behold.


From Hamasaku, Executive Chef Wonny Lee and Executive Sushi Chef Yoya Takahashi joined forces to produce a Pork Belly Handroll with Gochujang Moromiso.


Bashan, meanwhile, gave us a delightful nibble of Sword Tip Squid, Red Pepper Chutney, Mango.


Left: National Director of Operations & Secretary Eleanor Lem with National Leadership Development Director Jason Ho and PbP NY Director of Finance Sunny Chiou.
Right: President Marian Bacol-Uba shows off a golden plate signed by all the restaurants, the prize for the winner of the PbP Instagram competition (attendees were encouraged to post photos with the hashtag #playwithfoodla).


Chef Neal Fraser (whom you may recognize from the current season of Top Chef Masters) is opening up Redbird at Vibiana early next year, and gave us a tantalizing preview with his Dungeness Crab Salad with Curried Cauliflower and Micro Shiso.



Joining Fraser in the VIP was Kali Dining's Kevin Meehan, who produced a one-two punch of Dungeness Crab, Avocado, Tomato, Cilantro and Vanilla Curd, Strawberry, Pistachio, Balsamic.


Left: Director of Volunteer Management Yulree Chun taking charge.
Right: Former PbP LA member Jennifer Chen is now Manager of Team and Leadership Development up in San Francisco.


Thai sensation Jet Tila gave us a hearty Khao Soi, though unfortunately I managed to miss snapping a photo of the Chef. Tila, of course, just opened up Kuma Snow Cream in Las Vegas.



The Oinkster (Andre Guerrero, Jan Purdy) had a very substantial Hand Cut House Made Pastrami Sandwich, followed up by brownies.


Left: Director of Events Risa Abarientos and Events Team member Sarah Mendoza.
Right: Eric Tung brought a much more attractive date than he did last year in the form of Melissa Lee.


Downtown Italian hotspot Bestia had Grilled Beef Tongue, Green Garbanzo Bean Puree & Pickled Eggplant & Salsa Verde. Chef Ori Menashe, meanwhile, was looking as smoldering as ever.



Stella Barra Pizzeria had Chef/Partner Jeff Mahin (whom you may recognize from The Taste) and Special Events and Catering Manager Kaitlin Leard on hand for their duet of Summer Tomato Salad, Arugula Pesto, Fresh Burrata, Smoked Almonds, House-Made Bread and Madagascar Vanilla Bean Custard, Cognac infused Preserved Peaches, Hazelnut Crumble.


Headed by GM Bobby Caravella, Saddle Peak Lodge served up Duck Mousse, Brandied Cherries, Cornichons atop toast.


Fluff Ice offered two variations of its shaved ice: the LAMILL Coffee Organic Black Onyx Blend and a loose-leaf steeped Thai Tea Fluff, both topped off with Cream & Sugar and Condensed Milk.


Left:DJ Shy kept us going throughout the evening.
Right: Props to Patina for not being shy about busting out the liquid nitrogen canisters.


Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's (Executive Chef Seakyeong Kim) was the lone Orange County restaurant at the event, but that didn't stop them from plating hefty House Made Mini Korean-BBQ Sausage Rolls, Jalapeno Potato Roll, Caramelized Onion, Wasabi Aioli, Kimchi Sauerkraut. I really would like to get some more OC representation going, but what else is worthwhile down there? And yes, I did ask Playground (they ended up donating to the silent auction).



Dessert slanger Ramekin had perhaps the widest array of treats for us tonight: a Key Lime Tart with Whipped Cream, Nectarine Tart, Chocolate Chip & Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, three sorbets (Ambrosia Melon, Blueberry, Tangelo), and even more ice creams (Banana Choco Chip, Chocolate, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Jasmine Green Tea, Vanilla). Note that Chef Jason Park has just opened up Maru in West LA as well.


Downtown LA grande damePatina was on hand with Chef Charles Olalia's signature Tamarind Braised Lamb Shoulder, Feuille De Bric, Whipped Yogurt, Little Gem Lettuce, arguably the schmanciest dish of the night.



Next door, Top Chef: Just Desserts finalist Carlos Enriquez and Patina Pastry made waves with their modernist trio of Nitro Cotton Candy (probably the most oft referenced dish of the night), Coconut-Mango-Passion Fruit Squeeze Pop, and reimagined black forest cake.


Left: Two thumbs up from the dynamic duo of Stephane Bombet and Ricardo Zarate.
Right: Director of Marketing Aliyah Wong, Director of Fundraising Sunny Chung, Marketing Team member Alison Ma.


Heading outdoors, we see Executive Chef Byron Freeze and Circa's Tunisian Chili Marinated Prawn.


Micheladas were the just what the doctor ordered from Guelaguetza.


Left: Devon Espinosa with Bill Chait's entourage: Zoe Chait, Julie Mills, Tanya Holt.
Right:Mole queen Bricia Lopez, as ebullient and effervescent as ever.


Tony Esnault is, of course, the latest chef to take over the kitchens at Yassmin Sarmadi's venerable Church & State, and presented a rather striking Salade Paysanne Fraicheur, Farmers Market Tomatoes, Eggplant, Zucchini, Sweet Corn, Herb Vinaigrette. Note that the Chef is also planning on opening up a new restaurant called Spring, located on Spring Street, next Spring.


Seoul Sausage Co cornered the ball market tonight (apologies to Starry Kitchen) with their Lil' Osaka Ball, Japanese Curry Ground Kalbi and Potato Rice Ball served with a Shoga Aioli. Badass.


Left:MasterChef Season 3 finalist Felix Fang. I was really rooting for her to win the whole thing.
Right: Artist William Zin enthralled us with a live chalk art demo.



I believe Star King BBQ is the first KBBQ joint to make an appearance at Plate by Plate, and owner Jackie Yoo had both an Acorn Jelly Salad and Sweet Potatoes Noodles with Veggies to go along with her Piedmontese Marinated Short Rib.


More Top Chef Masters love came in the form of Lukshon. Sang Yoon and Ted Hopson presented a Hawaiian Red Prawn & Tea Leaf Salad, Chana Dal, Sesame, Marcona Almonds, Peanuts, Crispy Prawn Head, Chile Aioli, which just so happens to be the same dish that gave team Lukshon the win on last week's episode (and which I also tried during my last dinner at the restaurant). Very cool.


Left: Matt Biancaniello, with his trademark basket of farmers market produce.
Right: I don't know how this guy managed to steal my name tag.


Restaurant Row newcomer Scratch|Bar is already making a name for itself, and tonight Chef Phillip Frankland Lee and Pastry Chef Margarita Lee (can you tell she's a former model?) prepared one of their signature bites: Pork Belly & Raw Oyster.


Longstanding PbP participants Ricardo Zarate and Stephane Bombet repped their latest restaurant, Paiche, by giving attendees a taste of Yuquitas: Stuffed Yucca Beignets, Manchego Cheese, Grated Parmesan & Serrano Sauce.


Left: Sponsor Ketel One always does it up proper while running the main bar. A favorite of almost all the attendees.
Right: With Co-Masters of Ceremonies Susan Hirasuna (Fox 11 News) and James Kyson (Heroes).


Executive Chef Atsushi Kenjo and Marketing & Creative Manager Cindy Choi were here for Chaya Downtown. Their dish? Brie Cheese Tempura, Yellow Peach Marmalade.


Chef de Cuisine Sainegee Wong from Andre Guerrero's Belgian beer cafe Little Bear opted for an appealing Fried Oyster Gougere Slider.


Director of Volunteer Management Yulree Chun gets chummy with Walter Manzke and David Féau.



Gavin Mills (Tavern, Wood & Vine) was here with wife Jessica Lauricella Mills to debut their new charcuterie project, Mills + Company. If the Chicken Liver Mousse and Country Pate were any indication, they're off to a good start.


Lexington Social House won the "best dish" competition with their Yellowtail Tuna, Compressed Watermelon, Yuzu Tobiko, Candied Wasabi, Ponzu Crème Fraiche. And yes, that's none other than David Feau, who's consulting for the restaurant currently.


Viva La Art was on deck with live artwork demos from John Park and Hans Haveron.


Chef Kimmy Tang's 9021pho had two types of its namesake soup available: Pho Ga (Chicken), and Pho Chay (Veggie & Tofu).


Last, but certainly not least, were Walter and Margarita Manzke with Petty Cash Taqueria. The Chef's Ceviche Negro was a dish that I really enjoyed during my last visit there. For those keeping count, Republique (in the old Campanile space) should be opening up in the coming months, so be on the lookout for that.


Left: The line on Main Street.
Right: Violet Kim from the K-Town reality show, with new beau Blair Tudas.

This year, we made a real effort to beef up the mixology portion of Plate by Plate, and thus organized a cocktail competition judged by Matt Biancaniello, Devon Espinosa, and Bacardi rep Jaymee Mandeville. The goal was to have three contestants create a cocktail on the fly that would best incorporate Bombay Sapphire East gin. Originally, we'd confirmed Deysi Alvarez (Paiche, Mo-Chica, Picca, Fraiche, Rivera), Dino Balocchi (Littlefork, Longman & Eagle in Chicago), and Brittini Rae Peterson (Goldie's, Ink, The Tar Pit, Fig & Olive, Soho House). However, none of the three competitors would end up actually competing. Dino dropped out the day before Plate by Plate for unknown reasons, but fortunately we quickly found Nate Oliver (Harvard & Stone, Ink, Church & State) to take his place. Then, Deysi fell sick and had to pull out while we were setting up for the event; thankfully, Brady Weise from 1886 (who was here to run the VIP bar) agreed to replace her. And finally, if that wasn't enough, Brittini Rae went AWOL, so Marcel Vigneron (yes, Marcel) had to step in at the last minute. With everything finally in place, we were free to begin, albeit a bit behind schedule. First, the mandatory introductions. The competitors get going; they only had 10 minutes to come up with their drink. Marcel is the last to finish, while his fellow competitors look on in apparent consternation. Since judging was done blind, the drinks were rearranged in haphazard order before the judges tasted and rendered a verdict. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Brady Weise and his concoction of Bombay Sapphire East gin, bianco vermouth, peach, lime, simple syrup, and various herbs, garnished with chamomile and heirloom tomato. For his efforts, he received a commemorative etched Plate by Plate trophy, a limited edition bottle of Bacardi 1909 rum, and a $50 Sugarfish gift card. In addition, all of the contestants and judges each received a $25 gift certificate to use at Bar Keeper in Silver Lake as a token of appreciation.

Left: President Marian Bacol-Uba and the new boyfriend.
Right:Eater LA Editor Kat Odell. And yes, I'll be watching Eat Drink Love.


Left: Fundraising Team member Clayton Tran: VIP area bouncer.
Right: VIP guests were also treated to a magician. Here, Eric Tung is utterly bewildered.


This year, Plate by Plate turned up the wick in the VIP by having 1886 at The Raymond tend the VIP bar (using products donated by various participants, including Ketel One and Bacardi). This arrangement proved quite popular, with the cocktails coming out of here really taking things up a notch. I was particularly fond of their Maime Taylor (Dewar's Highlander Honey, Fresh Lime, Ginger, Angostura).


Left: PbP SF represent: National Leadership Development Director Jason Ho, Manager of Restaurant Relations Mary Zhang, Director of Events Yatman Kwan.
Right: Manager of Auction Donations Nami Han taking care of business in the silent auction area.


Left: MC Susan Hirasuna, with Margaret Lin and Events Team member Sarah Mendoza.
Right: Bill Chait, his daughter Zoe, and Tanya Holt lounging in the VIP.


Left: Director of Operations Ray Warriner with Theresa Kiang.
Right: A word from Tim Dang, Artistic Director for East West Players.


Left: Project by Project National President JT Kim and PbP LA President Marian Bacol-Uba, with Outreach Team member Kayla Vu.
Right: Lily Yip (whom I first encountered at a dinner at Night+Market) and friend.


Left: Tuyet Nguyen, Phil Cheng, Elizabeth Yang, and friends.
Right: Marcel Vigneron and his latest squeeze.


Patina's nitro cotton candy proved to be quite popular for obvious reasons.


Left: Production Manager Vickie Chan regulating.
Right: Carmel Mayol and friends resting after a long night.


Left: Oanh Nguyen, 2012 National Director of Events as well as Director of Events for 2011's event (and the person who initially introduced me to the organization), with Kayla Vu and friend.
Right: Oanh with Project by Project National Director Nirendran Kathirithamby.


Left: None other than Darin Dines bidding (rather surreptitiously, seemingly) on a Bestia gift card. He would go on to win cards from both Bestia and The Royce.
Right: Speaking of Darin, that's Marcus Lo, the winner of his ticket giveaway, to the right, along with real estate maven Michael Hsu.


Left: Plate by Plate mainstay Sherwin Goo (I first encountered him back at the 2010 event), with requisite ladies in tow.
Right: Former PbP Manager of Campaign Partner Relations Jackie Fung with former Manager of Leadership Development Emi Fukuoka.


Left: Manager of Beverages & Winery Relations Danny Li with Manager of Design (and fiancée) Margaret Lin.
Right: Starry Kitchen's Nguyen Tran mixing it up with Patina head toque Charles Olalia.


Left: Elizabeth Yang (whom I first met at Alma) seems to be having fun waiting in line for the always-popular photo booth, provided this year by Sutando.
Right: Yes, that's Marcel Vigneron, tongue out, a headstand, a gilded toilet, a fitting way to end this recap.



Previous Plate by Plate posts: 2012, 2011, 2010

Maru (Los Angeles, CA)

August 16, 2013, 1:09 am

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Maru Restaurant
12400 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
310.820.7240
www.marusantamonica.com
Thu 08/08/2013, 08:15p-01:05a



Coming hot on the heels of his appearance at Plate by Plate, Matthew Biancaniello's latest project is entitled "Boozy Oysters," and, as the name implies, features alcoholic takes on everybody's favorite mollusk. The one-night-only affair was held at the new Santa Monica-adjacent Maru in collaboration with Maru's chef, Jason Park. Park, of course, is also the man behind Ramekin dessert shop in Los Feliz, and previously ran the original Maru in Valencia for 11 years (it closed in December).


Here, we see Biancaniello and Park at a station set up at the end of the sushi bar.


The evening's Boozy Oysters menu featured eight different varieties of the alcoholic bivalves, all priced at $5 each, in addition to an always-tempting uni ice cream. Click for a larger version.


Raicilla [$5.00] | blueberry juice air, papalo oil and borage flowers
Our barrage of oysters began with Biancaniello's personal favorite. It was one of mine, too, with the boozy heft of the raicilla tempered by the sweet, tart blueberry, all while the combination of Bolivian coriander and borage added a cucumber-y, herb-y brightness to things.


Hatch Chile [$5.00] | infused Aloe Liqueur shooter with garlic flowers
The sole shooter of the bunch, this one brought together a Kumamoto with contrasting notes of tart, cool, and sweet, all of which integrated well with the oyster's inherent brine.


Wheatgrass Saint Germain [$5.00] | foam with Dolin Blanc infused Cape Gooseberries
Here, wheatgrass imparted a vegetal tanginess to the Kusshi that was moderated in part by the base of vermouth and the sweetness of St-Germain, though overall, this one didn't "click" as well as some of the others.


Laphroaig [$5.00] | with salmon eggs infused with sake, passion fruit and blood orange
This was another standout for me, with the smoky weight of the scotch melding well with the salinity of the ikura, while the fruit added just enough levity to the Beau Soleil.


Watermelon juice served as an effective, and delicious palate cleanser in between courses.


Holy Santa [$5.00] | infused Rose Cocchi American granite and Smith Cross Rum
Yet another favorite of ours featured Kumamoto and hoja santa, the aromatic, spicy nuances of the herb pairing beautifully with the sweet, floral flavors in the course, all leading to a lingering blast of brine on the close.


Suze [$5.00] | with habanero brittle
A Beau Soleil with Suze was pretty neat, with the softly bittersweet nature of the apéritif playing well with the salinity of the oyster, all while the habanero made itself known right at the end.


Wild Toyon berry [$5.00] | infused Cachaca with mouse melons and thai basil
Next, a Kumamoto arrived paired alongside the tart, acidic, bright flavors of Toyon berry and mouse melon, with the Thai basil adding an overarching aromatic component to the mix.


Campari [$5.00] | infused with Passion fruit and peach pits and cherry tomatoes
We finished strong with this Campari-infused Kusshi, the bittersweetness of the liqueur and peach pits making perfect sense with the saltiness of the oyster. And we can't forget the passion fruit either, which added a delightful sweetness that really brought everything together.


Eight oysters, even boozy ones, hardly make for a complete meal, so we continued on with dinner by ordering off of Maru's regular menu. Click for larger versions.


Ankimo Sashimi [$19.00] | Monk fish liver. Japanese foie gras.
The oft-referenced foie gras of the sea was prototypical for the ingredient--rich, silky, and yes, liver-y, with its heft classically counteracted by the combination of ponzu, negi, and momiji oroshi.


Cherry Tomato Salad [$13.00] | Cherry tomatoes w/ our own house made ricotta cheese, shiso pesto, & a sherry vinaigrette.
Moving on, the cherry tomato salad was sort of like a reworked Caprese, with the sweet, tart tomatoes balanced by the weight of the ricotta, all while the shiso pesto made for some more interesting flavors.


Sword Lettuce Salad [$13.00] | A long & thin lettuce w/ an Asian green goddess dressing & a pan roasted runny egg w/ prosciutto.
Here, the richness and salt of the ham-runny egg combo was certainly enjoyable, with its potency balanced by the green goddess and the bitterness of the lettuce.


Tomato & Cucumber Salad [$12.00] | Organic Japanese tomatoes & cucumbers w/ avocado tossed in a fire-roasted red bell pepper dressing.
Our final salad was pretty straightforward, the tart, succulent nature of tomatoes pairing well with the light crunch of cucumbers, while the greens added the requisite astringency to the dish.


Scallop & Risotto [$22.00] | Seared divers' scallops over a creamy oven roasted tomato risotto. Finished w/ a warm verjus-olive sauce.
Scallops came out perfectly cooked: supple, yet satisfying to the bite, with a nice sear and a tasty blend of sweet and saline flavors that made sense against the tartness of the accompanying risotto. I just wish that the rice were a bit firmer.


Curry Lamb [$29.00] | Colorado lamb loin roasted med-rare w/ crispy-shiitake rice & marinated onion w/ cilantro & a Japanese curry.
Lamb was tasty--not overtly gamy but with a satisfying depth to it, although the meat could've stood to be more tender. The Japanese curry component was quite intriguing here, adding an additional complexity to the dish that worked out surprisingly well. The key, though, was the lightness and acidity imparted by the cilantro-onion combo, while texturally, the nurungji-esque rice cake on the bottom was much appreciated.


Time for some beer. The Ommegang "Rare Vos" Red Ale [$8] was an apt pair to the steak, with a strong malty backbone and a dry, subtly fruity character to it.


Ribeye for Two [$65.00] | 42oz. USDA Prime grilled med-rare w/ fingerling potatoes in crème fraiche & tempura buna shiimeji.
This impressive looking steak arrived sweet and smoky, with a nice crust to it. Flavors were robust, but I would've liked the meat cooked to a rarer temperature, so that I could've better appreciated its inherent goodness. Potatoes served as a fitting counterpoint to the ribeye, though I found the tempura'd buna shimejis to be even more effective.


Fingerling Potatoes [$9.00] | Velvety organic potatoes w/ maple smoked bacon tossed w/ crème fraiche.
These potatoes, meanwhile, were more interesting, with a great hit of salt from the bacon and a subtle tang courtesy of the crème fraîche.


Uni Ice Cream [$9.00] | With sake and sweet corn kernels
At this point, the kitchen was running out of uni ice cream (unsurprisingly), so we quickly had our fill of the stuff, a collaborative effort between Park and Biancaniello. It really was something special though, with the smooth, lush ice cream doing a fantastic job in capturing the sweet, saline essence of sea urchin, all while the corn added an additional, counterbalancing sugary component to the fray.


We followed up the Rare Vos with The Lost Abbey "Avant Garde" [$20], done in the Bière de Garde style. This one was very bread-y, with a slight herbaceous tinge to it and some sweet, fruity components as well, overarched by just a trace of bitterness.


Pork Belly [$16.00] | Braised in sake & soy over garlic black kale w/ marinated shallots & roasted tomatoes.
Pork belly was fork-tender, and not overly fatty, with boatloads of deep, dark, sweet flavors. Meanwhile, the astringent shards of kale here served as a fitting temper to the meat, as did the tart, citrusy shallots up top.


Pork in Puff Pastry [$21.00] | Tender braised pork in puff pastry. Served w/ grilled asparagus & a soy reduction sauce.
Our last savory course was a riff on the traditional Beef Wellington, and one of the highlights of the meal. Braised pork was almost char siu-ish in nature, showing off a certain sweetness along with plenty of piggy goodness. The flaky, buttery crust was a perfect accompaniment to the meat, and I appreciated the levity and crunch of the asparagus spears here as well.


Passion Fruit Panna Cotta [$9.95] | Organic passion fruit over a velvety panna cotta surrounded by a guava bellini.
Moving on to desserts now, the panna cotta was one of the better ones I've tried, with the tartness of passion fruit working beautifully over the dish's lush, smooth, creamy base.


Chocolate Bread Pudding [$8.95] | An adult bread Pudding w/ Valrhona semi-sweet chocolate. Served w/ vanilla ice-cream. Baked to order.
The bread pudding made sense with its interplay of chocolate and vanilla ice cream flavors, but what made it unique was its texture, with all the crispy bits thrown in.


Melon Soup [$8.95] | Frozen ambrosia melon juice w/ a watermelon soup, strawberries, grapes, & blueberries.
The melon soup, meanwhile, was utterly refreshing and light, with the central mass of sugary melon juice melding well with the lighter, more subtle nuances at play.


Peach Tart [$9.95] | Reiger Farms Elegant Ladies baked w/ an almond cream & crème fraiche ice cream.
A peach tart lived up to expectations, its fruity, sugary heft working alongside the deceptively light crème fraîche commendably.


Peach / Berry Cobbler [$8.95] | Organically grown fruit baked to perfection & topped w/ our Tahitian Vanilla ice-cream. Baked to order.
Finally, a cobbler arrived hot (very hot, actually) and hearty, a mélange of batter and fruit interjected by the cool, silky smoothness of that ice cream.

Biancaniello's latest foray into non-cocktailian realms was largely a success. There were some inventive, well-thought-out flavor combinations going on with the oysters, and I liked how he was able to present boozy, creative interpretations of the bivalves without masking their inherent goodness and character. Biancaniello often refers to himself as a sort of "cocktail chef," and clearly this experiment was another step in that direction.

In addition, I was glad that I got to sample some of Maru's regular menu items as well. There's a sort of classic Franco-Japanese fusion thing going on here, and the results were generally effective. I think it's a fitting replacement for the old Sasabune, offering up sushi in addition to more "Western" fare. And speaking of that sushi, I'm a bit curious about it as well, because from what I saw, the nigiri here looked pretty legit, too.

Scratch Bar (Beverly Hills, CA)

August 19, 2013, 3:46 am

≫ Next: Opus Sushi (Arcadia, CA)

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Scratch|Bar Restaurant
111 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
310.289.8010
www.scratchbarla.com
Thu 08/15/2013, 08:30p-11:55p





The newest denizen on Los Angeles's famous Restaurant Row is quite unlike any of its neighbors, eschewing the glitz of The Bazaar, the vastness of Lawry's, and the sheer hackwork that is The Stinking Rose. Instead, Chef/Owner Phillip Frankland Lee's curiously-named Scratch|Bar serves up some of the most inventive, creative cuisine La Cienega has ever seen, all in a cozy, unassuming setting. The place debuted on June 25th after a two week soft opening period, and has been garnering a loyal following ever since.

About the Chef: An LA native, Phillip Lee attended the Le Cordon Bleu program at the CSCA in Pasadena (where, apparently, he even won a scholarship contest put on by the National Honey Board). After graduating in 2009, he worked at Stefan's at LA Farm, and also staged at Providence. In February 2010, he started at Hatfield's, but would leave in December that year for Chicago. In the Windy City, Lee worked the line at L2O until February 2011, then apprenticed at Alinea and Blackbird before landing at The Park Grill, where he was Exec Sous.

Lee returned to SoCal in September 2011, launching Wolf Cuisine (a pricey tasting menu home delivery service) with partner Sylvain Allard. During this period, he also wrote a script called COOK: The Movie. Toward the end of 2012, Lee took the reins at D'Cache, a small Basque restaurant in Toluca Lake, but would leave soon thereafter to work on his own concept. The Chef debuted Scratch|Bar inside Santiago Garfunkel's Tiago Espresso Bar + Kitchen in May this year, but quickly outgrew the spot. As such, he partnered up with Darioush Danesh and moved into the Danesh's restaurant space, the former home of The Grill Pit, Restaurant 111, Tak, and the eponymous Darioush.

Chef Lee is joined here by Chef de Cuisine Joel David Miller (Cleo), Sous Chef Ryan Duval (D'Cache, Animal, wd~50), Pastry Chef-slash-actress-slash-model-slash-spouse-slash-business partner Margarita Lee (née Kallas), as well as Bar Manager Dave Fernie (Pour Vous, Harvard & Stone, Playa, Test Kitchen, La Descarga, Church & State).


The menu is divided into sections of increasing intensity, while reasonably-priced tasting menu options are also available (though the flagship 12-courser is still in work, pending completion of the kitchen-facing tasting bar). To drink, Davidson Fernie has put together a small cocktail list (mostly sake-based, due to the place's lack of a full liquor license), and you'll find a smattering of wines, beer, and even housemade sodas to boot. Click for larger versions.


Bangkok Dangerous [$13.00]
Speaking of those cocktails, we started with the Bangkok Dangerous, a concoction of nigori and junmai sakes, pineapple juice, ginger syrup, turmeric, cayenne, cardamom, and lemon juice that managed to be my favorite of the bunch. There was a blast of pineapple-y, citrus-y tartness on the attack that belied the sweet 'n' spicy overtones in the drink, while the heat of the cayenne really made itself known on a slow burning finish. Masterful.


Kale Chips [$3.00]
Chips of dehydrated kale were kissed with lemon and Parmesan, the bitterness of the vegetable expertly balanced by the tang of the citrus while the cheese added a smart base of savoriness to the course.


Honey Fried Olive Stuffed Olives [$5.00]
A plate of honey-battered and fried olives was fun--sweet at first, but with the piquancy of the fruit coming through toward the close. A great olive dish for all the olive haters.


Sourdough w/ Uni Olive Oil [$12.00]
A sea urchin-infused olive oil was divine, the lushness and brine of the roe really melding beautifully with the tangy, tart notes in the oil. Excellent when taken on top of the housemade bread (the product of a decades old starter I understand).


Supplies [$10.00]
In Memoriam [$10.00]
Next up for cocktails was the Supplies, made with nigori sake, pineapple, lime, and salt. This one could be thought of as a sake-based piña colada, a soft, fruity libation with just a bit of a kick. The In Memoriam, on the other hand, was like a riff on a sangria-calimocho-mulled wine combo, one made with Tempranillo, Coca-Cola, spiced apple, and other fruit. I found the drink utterly delicious: fun and easy-drinking, with a wonderful smoothness and hints of sweet, autumnal spice to it.


1/2 Dozen Oven Roasted Oysters [$18.00]
A half dozen (Kumai?) oysters arrived topped with a vividly-colored beet emulsion that reminded me of a similar preparation I'd had last year at The Amalur Project. It really worked though, with the subtle sweetness of the beet really moderating the inherent salinity of the mollusks.


Smoking Goat's Milk Cheese [$16.00]
Housemade two week-aged goat cheese came to the table ensconced in a glass terrine alongside charcoal-smoked Timothy hay. The chèvre was intensely smoky upon first taste, with the lushness and sweetness of the cheese only coming through toward the close. It was superb spread over the included bread, while the pickled veggies added a fantastic crunch and acidity that really brought everything together wonderfully.


Puffed Smelt [$5.00]
Here, in one of Scratch|Bar's most visually-arresting courses, smelt was dried then fried into "fossilized" rice cracker form. It was delightfully fishy and salty alone, and went laudably with the sugary tartness of the beet mustard and bone marrow smear on the bottom.


Bone Marrow Box [$5.00]
Next was a delightful mélange of bone marrow, shimeji, and onion, all encased in sourdough. The richness of the marrow formed the base to the course, with the tanginess of the mushroom making for a great counterbalance, all while a slight trace of heat underscored the entire bite. Tasty.


Pork Belly & Raw Oyster [$5.00]
The first time I'd had pork belly and oyster together was at Corey Lee's phenomenal Benu, but this version was probably better. The crux here was the undeniably smart combo of belly and Kumai, which really conveyed two facets of salinity that play off each other in stellar fashion, while texturally, the oyster's soft, slick consistency melded with the fattiness inherent in the pork. If that wasn't enough, the coconut-chamomile foam really topped things off gorgeously with its light, floral, countervailing character. This is quickly becoming Scratch|Bar's signature dish, and it's easy to see why.


Cobbler [$11.00]
Hero Heat-o [$10.00]
Our last round of cocktails brought us the Cobbler, which was described by our server as a sherry-based Old Fashioned, one composed of Amontillado, curaçao, maraschino, bitters, and orange. It was the booziest of the bunch, with the wine really showing through, yet deftly tempered by the delectably bittersweet flavors present. We also had the Hero Heat-o, comprising junmai sake, salt, lime, cane syrup, and cayenne. This one was likened to a sake-based daiquiri, a tart, balanced, and somewhat spicy drink that integrated the nihonshu nicely.


Shaved Vegetable Salad [$9.00]
The requisite salad dish was well played, a multifaceted presentation of sundry veggies that combined sweet, tart, and bitter nuances commendably under a veil of overarching nutty savor.


Blackened Cauliflower [$10.00]
The roasted cauliflower was another winner, with four different varieties joined by cauliflower chips, a cauliflower purée, red onions, and pistachios. It was great to experience the different faces of the vegetable, its mild, yet always satisfying relish joined by disparate smoky, tangy, and nutty flavors. Lovely textures, too.


Trio of Raw(ish) Salmon Belly [$13.00]
Next came six rosettes of salmon in various forms, all set in a dashi-inspired kombu-bonito broth that seemed to intensify the experience. Going right to left, we started with a raw preparation with lemon, sea beans, and green tea salt, the various accoutrements making perfect sense with the fattiness inherent in the belly. Number two was a blueberry-infused version, which had a tart, sugary thrust that worked surprisingly well with the fish. Last up was my favorite, a torched presentation that showed off a simply delectable char to it.


Cured Pig's Head [$11.00]
Lee's two week-cured pig head was somewhat like a fromage de tête in essence, gritty and loaded with a pork-y goodness that went just swimmingly against the piquant streaks of beet mustard on the plate, with the whole dish enveloped by just a whisper of sugary spice.


Chicken Livers & Sweet Corn Agnolotti [$14.00]
I definitely enjoy my chicken liver, but this was even a bit much for me. The dish was intense, the heady, earthy smack of the liver really taking center stage, with the agnolotti adding an apparent sweetness to the fray while the greens tried their best to impart some levity. Approach this one carefully.


With the cocktails all drunk up, went opted for a bottle of bubbly in the form of the Mont Marcal Brut Reserva (Spain) [$48]. It was a pretty prototypical Cava, a tart, acidic, citrus-y wine with a light backbone of yeastiness and just a smidge of minerality.


Sea Urchin & Crispy Pork Belly Cobb [$17.00]
The so-called Cobb salad was almost nothing like a Cobb salad (coming out more like a bibimbap), which is probably a good thing. Rice was substituted for lettuce, and in place of the traditional toppings were avocado purée, uni, ikura, and pork belly. We opted to mix everything together and the resultant mass was really quite neat, with the rice serving as a stage on top of which the various elements could really mesh. I especially appreciated the pork, which added wonderfully salty, crunchy bits to the mix that really drew your attention.


Potted King Crab [$18.00]
You could almost think of this next dish as the best seafood salad you've ever had. It was one of my favorites of the night to be sure, with the cool, sweet crab forming a great base to the dish that really allowed the other ingredients to sing. There was a lot going on, and I was especially fond of the cucumber-y zing of the borage. Fantastic textures here too, with the crunchy "crust" of the course being particularly appealing.


Warm Hamachi w/ Sweetbreads & Grapefruit [$15.00]
Hamachi was quite fetching, arriving to the table supple and fatty, its brine tempered by the combination of artichoke and the astringent Bloomsdale spinach. Sweetbreads, meanwhile, were poached in white wine and imparted a subtle weightiness to the dish that was almost easy to miss.


Charred Octopus Pasta [$16.00]
I'm a sucker for octopus, but this dish fell a bit short. What we had was a chermoula-charred octopus set in confit Yukon gold potato "noodles," with parsley, tomatoes, red onion, lemon, and a kalamata olive cream. My issue was that the octopus verged on tough, with a somewhat rubbery quality that wasn't terribly appealing. That was a shame, as its flavor was on point, with a good depth and sweet spice to it that paired well with the Mediterranean-inflected forces present. I even liked the noodles as well, which had a great snap and crunch to them.


Dry Aged Hanger Steak [$21.00]
At this point, we moved on to the larger courses. First up was the hanger steak, which managed to be pretty tender given the cut, and, of course, showed off plenty of bovine goodness. Interestingly, there was an undercurrent of sweet spice here that I couldn't quite put my finger on.


A Box Full of Squid [$17.00]
The name of this dish really needs to be changed to squid in a box for obvious reasons. What was interesting here was how the textures of shrooms and squid mimicked each other, giving us a sense of simultaneously supple and snappy consistencies. Unfortunately, I found the potato "box" overly salty, while the tartness of the tomatoes as well as the charred eggplant tended to mask the main ingredients.


Roasted Salmon Salad [$16.00]
Lee's kale salad was a refreshing take on the seemingly ubiquitous dish, and was a winner in my book. The briny notes from the fish were proudly conveyed here, but effectively tempered by the bitterness of the kale and the otherwise bright, nutty flavors at play. Lovely crunch from the crispy salmon skin, too.


A Box Full of Vegetables [$15.00]
Surprisingly, the veg in a box (try saying that three times fast) was more effective than the cephalopod version above. Here, I appreciated how the veggies were each distinct in texture and flavor, yet flowed together seamlessly, bound by an almost Asian-y savoriness that overarched the dish.


Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast [$18.00]
Here, in our last savory course, the Chef showed us what he could do with the most prosaic of ingredients. In fact, one of my dining companions even deemed this the best chicken breast he'd ever had. The breast was clearly the star of the show, coming out juicy and just teeming with chicken-y goodness. I really enjoyed it alone, but the spinach served as a nice counterweight to the bird, which also had a spicy complexity to it from what I believe was cayenne.


To go with dessert, we ordered two of the restaurant's housemade sodas. The Scratch Cola [$4] was pretty fantastic, with an endearing sweet-spicy quality to it that was reminiscent of a Coke-cream soda-root beer mash-up. The Scratch Ginger Brew [$4], meanwhile, was almost as good, with an utterly refreshing, bright, bracing, true-to-life ginger-y relish that reminded me of a similar drink I'd had at Alma.


Cream of Orange Soup [$9.00]
Lee's cream of orange soup was pretty neat, the "hot OJ" melding nicely with the savory, almost garlicky nuances at play. Non-traditional, and almost cerebral in nature.


Dark Chocolate & Cayenne Candy Bar [$9.00]
We ended with a dark chocolate ganache, one paired with lemon curd, salted whipped cream, EVOO-laced chia seeds, cayenne, mint, and sugar cookie crumbles. This one was more approachable, but still complex, with a lot of moving parts that somehow came together to make a cohesive whole. The chocolate was the hero here, but had a strong cast of supporting players.

Chef Lee likens his cooking to "a new approach to an old sport," and that's sort of a fitting description to the food here, which verges on a combination of fun, whimsical, and modern, with some really unexpected, multilayered flavor combinations and unique presentations to boot. There's a certain hunger and verve to the cooking here that's particularly refreshing, especially given the environs. Scratch|Bar's probably the most ambitious cooking Restaurant Row has seen in a while, and I really hope it can stick around longer than some of its predecessors (I'm looking at you, Tak).

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Opus Sushi (Arcadia, CA)

August 23, 2013, 2:34 am

≫ Next: Saam at The Bazaar (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

≪ Previous: Scratch Bar (Beverly Hills, CA)

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Opus Sushi Restaurant
1027 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
626.447.1027
Fri 08/16/2013, 08:15p-11:35p





If being a Korean-owned sushi place is a bad sign, then surely being a Chinese-owned sushi place is even worse. That's some sound logic, but those predispositions were challenged in spectacular fashion last year when I experienced a superb dinner at Ootoro in Walnut. With that meal fresh in memory, I took a gamble on Opus Sushi, which just opened last October in the space formerly occupied by Liang's Village Cuisine, and before that, Maru, another Japanese restaurant (no relation to the new Maru in West LA).


The corkage here is a reasonable $12 per bottle, though apparently the number of bottles they actually charge you for can vary wildly (we were charged for six of the nine bottles, though I've heard they've charged a flat $12 in the past, too). In any case, since Charlie Fu was with us, there was of course going to be Burgundy aplenty. First to the gate was the 2011 Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux, one of my favorites of the night. I found it wonderfully light, smooth, almost silky, with soft lemon-y notes and an apparent, but not domineering backbone of minerality. Tasty stuff.


1: Shimasuzuki "Ceviche"
Billed as a sort of "Japanese style ceviche," what we had here was a martini glass of striped bass, ikura, caviar, and cucumber. The fish itself was pretty much flawless, supple, yet satisfying to the bite, with a nice depth to it. I really appreciated the additional punch imparted by the two types of roe as well, and the veggies provided a fitting lightness and crunch to the course. One nit: the fish-to-cucumber ratio was a bit off, as there was far more of the latter than needed.


One Chablis deserves another, specifically the 2010 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Cote de Bouguerots. This one didn't quite reach the lofty levels of the former for me, but was enjoyable nonetheless. I found it tighter, more mineral driven and grassy, with more acidity to it. Overall, a bit more contemplative, austere even.


2: Amaebi/Uni/Kaki/Hamaguri Sashimi
Next up was a quartet of shellfish sashimi. I tried the Kumamoto first, and appreciated its trademark brine and how it paired with the tanginess of the tobiko (or was it masago?). The sweet shrimp (which was still moving, mind you), meanwhile, was spot on, crisp and snappy, with a clean taste that went superbly with a pinch of salt and a squirt of lemon. Sea urchin was also on point, with its sweetness nicely matched with the salty oyster hidden underneath. Finally, we had the cherrystone clam, the biggest surprise of the group. I really enjoyed it, particularly its firm, meaty, yet yielding consistency, and appreciated how the sweetness of the bivalve matched the subtly spicy tones present.


Moving on now to a red Burg, we had here the 2008 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays. It was a nice change of pace: bright, vivacious, and peppery on the nose, showing off more of an apparent berry character joined by a subtle undercurrent of earthy, herby, and meaty nuances. A bit tannic and spicy on the back end, too.


3: Madai/Kinmedai/Akamutsu Sushi
The first nigirizushi of the night brought us three relatively rare specimens. I went with the madai (red sea bream) to begin, and found it silky, supple, and delicate in flavor, with a fantastic accompaniment in the form of that piquant yuzukosho. The splendid alfonsino was even better, with its tinge of smoky char that went along with the tart, tangy notes present. Last up was the akamutsu, which I'd had only twice before at Shunka and Bar Masa. This was another winner (my favorite of the bunch), with an even more apparent char to it to go along with the richer, more substantial weight of the fish.


Our next wine was a gift from a seemingly inebriated old Chinese guy sitting next to us at the bar (they really do give the best gifts). For me, this 1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve was past its prime, though still drinkable. Think musty, savory, herb-y, and smoky, with lots of faded fruit in a thin, water-y wine. More interesting than good.


4: Mirugai/Aoyagi Sashimi
Next, more clam action. The geoduck was some of the strongest I've had, with its focused, ocean-y savor on proud display, deftly counteracted bit just a hint of citrus. The orange clam, meanwhile, was a different story, with a much softer consistency and milder flavor, accented by the bit of burn from the sprouts tossed in.


Speaking of wines past their prime, here was another example: the 1982 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Cuvée Fleur de Champagne Rosé. This one was pretty much undrinkable (due to a faulty cork), and we barely managed to down a glass of the stuff. The bubbly was utterly oxidized, giving it a tart, nutty, puckering quality that verged on disconcerting. We were actually planning on giving a glass to the aforementioned drunk Chinese gentleman, telling him it was sherry, but unfortunately never got around to it.


5: Shima Aji/Hamachi/Kanpachi Hara Sushi
Here was a tasting of three belly cuts of fish (note that the plates used here are the exact same ones seen at Ootoro!). The striped jack was my favorite of the troika, with its wonderfully sweet flavor interjected by the salty kick of yuzukosho. The yellowtail, conversely, was much fattier, lusher, and more luxurious, while the amberjack was the firmest of the group, with more austerity on the palate.


Switching gears now, we went for some beer, and first up was the Foret Blanche from Brasserie Dupont. It was sort of a classic witbier--crisp and refreshing, with a citrusy, spicy character to it joined by some malty funk.


6: Hotate
Live scallop sashimi was sweet and briny, and accented by a sharp prick of citrus-y tang, though the sweetness of the miso could easy overwhelm it. The key, thus, was to incorporate the scallion, which added a wonderful astringency to the mix that really brought everything together.


Our final Burg was the 2010 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières, which was pretty fantastic, easily larger in scale than the two preceding Chards. It was velvety, almost viscous on the tongue, with delectable thrusts of slate and citrusfruit cut by a pleasing acidity.


Here, we see Chef/Owner Ken-san torching our uni. I understand that he used to work for Ootoro's chef Kai Wei Chen, which may explain some of the similarities in the food.


7: Uni Tataki
This might be the only occasion where I've had seared sea urchin, and I must say, the results were pretty fantastic--I'm surprised more restaurants don't do this. The sweetness of the roe was rightly conveyed, but the counterbalancing char bitterness here just added another layer of complexity that took the sushi to another level.


The lone Bordeaux entry this evening came in the form of the 2005 Chateau Talbot. It was sort of what you'd expect from the wine, with its young tannins and pleasant mix of herbaceous and fruity qualities. Not particularly cerebral, but quite enjoyable nonetheless.


Ken-san proudly shows off his Miyazaki wagyu strip loin. Dat fat!


8: Miyazaki Gyu Sashi
And here we see the aforementioned meat presented in sashimi form, a silky, delightfully marbled celebration of real-deal Japanese beef, nicely offset by its zesty topping of negi.


Now, Ken-san presents to us an impressive tuna collar for our next course.


9: Kamatoro
Arguably even more impressive than the wagyu was the kamatoro, a wonderfully fatty, slightly chewy sliver of fish that was perfectly accentuated by its yuzukosho topping. If you haven't had kamatoro before, you need to.


10: Miyazaki Gyu
Even more wagyu! Here, it was presented in steak form, a trembling mass of near gelatinous beef, uncompromisingly rich and utterly fatty--just look at the marbling. It was about as close to melt-in-your-mouth as you can get, and was served with accoutrements that did the best they could to contain the intensity of the cut.


11: Kama Yaki
Now, we were given the roasted version of the collar above. It was a heavy, heavy dish, with an almost beef-like quality to it and a pretty profound depth.


Back to beers now with Uinta Brewing's Tilted Smile Imperial Pilsner. This one was much more aggressive than I expected, with a really apparent, sweet-ish malty quality to it counteracted by just enough hop bitterness and a trace of booziness.


12: Ebi No Misoshiru
The heads from the shrimp above were incorporated into a miso soup, the ocean-y goodness of the crustacean adding just that extra bit of flavor to the already wonderfully aromatic, comforting, umami-laced flavors here.


Uni Sushi [$15.00]
An extra course of uni, just because.


With dinner coming to an end, we saved the Mikkeller Nelson Sauvignon for another day (was really looking forward to trying it, too) and instead went for the 1991 Glenlivet Triumph "Nadurra" 18 Year Old. This was a limited edition bottling made solely with Triumph barley, distilled and casked 22 years ago and bottled in 2009. I found this surprisingly approachable given its proof, and quite liked its honey-vanilla sweetness and woody characteristics, all finished by a pronounced spiciness. Very nice.


13: Reishi No Aisukurimu
Finally, to close, a refreshingly light, bright lychee ice cream.

The off-menu omakase that we enjoyed rang in at a not-too-unreasonable $150 per head, and I gotta say that the meal was very solid. The food was pretty much spot on throughout the entire night, and the quality of ingredients didn't leave much to be desired. Being able to enjoy true wagyu and kamatoro was a real treat as well, and the fun, jovial nature of our itamae certainly didn't hurt, either. Eating at a Chinese sushi place is certainly a bit of a change from the norm, but it's something that's actually worth experiencing, at least here.

Saam at The Bazaar (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

August 28, 2013, 12:44 am

≫ Next: Benu (San Francisco, CA) [2]

≪ Previous: Opus Sushi (Arcadia, CA)

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Saam at The Bazaar
465 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
310.246.5555
www.thebazaar.com/beverly-hills-saam
Thu 08/22/2013, 08:00p-12:50a



Ever since my first visit back in 2009, Saam has remained my preferred way to dine at The Bazaar, as it affords patrons a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the main dining room and instead presents a more serene experience focused almost solely on what's on the plate. Given that I quite enjoyed my last meal here, I'm a bit surprised that it's taken me over four years to return, but here I am. Back then, Michael Voltaggio was still in charge, but Saam is now run by Holly Jivin, with assistance from Barcelona native Aitor Zabala (Assistant Director of R&D for José Andrés' Think Food Group) as well as The Bazaar's main chef Joshua Whigham.


Saam's menu is usually 22 courses at $120 a head (with an optional $100 beverage pairing), but tonight we opted for an extended tasting priced at $160 for 29 courses. Click for a larger version.


1: Kaviar Kir Royale
As always, a meal at Saam begins with a welcoming cocktail, and tonight it was a riff on the Kir Royal made with Cava, crème de cassis, and crème de cassis spherifications. It was a fitting apéritif, classic in essence, with the sweetness of the blackcurrant working well with the dry, crisp nature of the sparkling wine.


2: Peking Dumpling
One of the highlights of the meal for me were these cotton candy dumplings stuffed with hoisin and chicharrón, then topped with microcilantro and gold foil. The sweet-savory interplay here was pretty genius, and I loved the herby overtones present as well, which served as the perfect exclamation point to the course. Definitely a "wow" factor here.


3: Peanut
The "peanuts" were actually comprised of praline and red Thai curry in a sugar shell, dusted with lime zest and ginger. Think fun, nutty, crunchy, and sweet, with just a hint of piquancy from the curry and a whisper of ginger-y tang.


4: Parmesan Pie
The world's smallest pie was composed of a Parmesan crisp, Parmesan cream, and basil. I really liked this one, with its mildly savory nuances on the attack leading to stronger, cheesier notes toward the back end, all with the herb adding an overarching, countervailing aromatic component to the bite. Yum.


5: Nuts & Yogurt
Here were "ravioli" of pistachio and pine nut encased in rice paper, all set in a yogurt powder. I first tried the pistachio variation, and found it creamy and tangy, with a surprisingly subtle undercurrent of nuttiness. The pine nut version was more interesting, with a particularly intriguing depth to it, but overall, the flavors didn't meld as much as I was hoping for.

Instead of going with the standard wine pairing, we opted for bottles given our large party size (a dozen people). Starting things off was the 2003 Viura, Viña Gravonia, Rioja, R. López de Heredia. I quite liked this one, finding its oxidative quality a fantastic counterpoint to the dry, nutty character of the wine. Surprisingly refreshing, with just a hint of fruit toward the back.


6: Oyster & Jamon
Next, a combo of savory ham, bright cilantro, and tangy lime segments formed a fitting complement to the inherent salinity of the Luna oyster. Particularly satisfying when taken with the paired wine.


7: Ibérico Arlette
This curious looking course was an Ibérico cracker dusted with gold and thyme. It was very light on the palate initially, with the savoriness of the ham only coming through toward the lingering finish, though I would've liked the lushness and unique character of the Jamón to have been more readily apparent here--it was a bit too subtle.


8: Cod & Honey
Cod espuma was wrapped in brik dough, then topped with a line of honey-truffle purée. This was another winner, with the earthy, unabashedly sugary nature of the condiment working wonders against the creamy, fishy base of the dish.


9: Yeye's Carrot
This faux carrot was comprised of a carrot meringue hiding a carrot-ginger sorbet, all garnished by sea grass. It was a classic pairing of the sweet-n-spicy ingredients, and I found the dissolving nature of the meringue particularly interesting here, though quite a few members of my dining party didn't care for this one at all.


10: Carrot & Coconut
Sticking with the carrot theme, here was a dish of coconut-cauliflower purée, nasturtium, coconut crisps, carrot air, and fermented carrot. It was positively fascinating, a lovely mélange of disparate textures and contrasting bright, savory, spicy, and sweet flavors that were almost Asian-y in essence when eaten together (even recalling Korean namul with one of my dining companions).

Keeping with the oxidative bent, next was the 2008 Orange Pinot Grigio, Ram, Venizia Giulia, Italy, Malina. This was to my liking as well, with a smooth, soft fruitiness to go along with the more austere flavors present.


11: Avgotaraho
Here, in a nod to the Greek mullet roe dish of the same name, we had sturgeon roe and burrata in a seared bun, topped with a sprinkle of Maldon. It was a tasty morsel, salty and heavy and satisfying, though I would've preferred a slightly lighter, smaller bun.


12: Teriyaki Rib
Just about the daintiest rib ever featured the sushi staple of kanpachi, joined by wasabi, red curry, and black sesame. It was a delectable offering, with the sweet, smoky nuances here playing well with the ocean-y flavors of the amberjack. I'd have no problem demolishing an entire rack of this!


13: Uni Mango
Arguably my favorite course of the night was this reimagined nigirizushi. We had uni, of course, over a mango sphere, with yuzukosho, cilantro flower, and nori. The key here was how the sweetness of the fruit melded flawlessly with the complementary flavors of the sea urchin, forming a complex of sugary, briny goodness that was dutifully tempered by the umami-laced relish (as well as crunch) of the seaweed on the finish. Masterful.


14: L'Eggo
Next, a throwback to my childhood favorite Legos, reinvented here as a sort of Negroni, one composed of Campari, orange, and orange zest. It was a bright, bracing bite, with a deft blend of sour and bittersweet flavors that definitely jolted the palate.


15: Chicken "Ham"
Eight-hour cured chicken was accompanied by prawn praline, figs, black garlic, and everyone's favorite, chicken skin. It was an unconventional, but effective combo, sweetish at first, with the savoriness of the bird coming through strong toward the close, all with a sort of overarching, moderating herbiness.


16: Garbanzo con Jamón
A potage of garbanzo came with jamón cream and parsley purée. I found it hearty and garlicky, with an almost ramen-like savoriness and an effective, counterbalancing zing from the parsley.

At this point, we moved on to a beer, the Imperial Black IPA, Dubhe, Urah, Uinta Brewing Co. This one was pretty cool, with plenty of dark, malty, chocolate-y flavors tempered by a great touch of hop bitterness.


17: Dark Egg
Another standout was this sort of reworked century egg, one made of a sous vided yolk spherification encased in a truffle gelatin with Parmesan, all set in an olive oil base and paired with a tableside carbonara sauce. It was all that you'd expect: rich, lush, and luxurious, with the runny goodness of that egg beautifully matched by the heady nuances from the truffle, all while the carbonara served to tie everything together. Delish.


18: Chanterelles
Chanterelles formed a natural pairing for chicken oysters, along with fennel and a mushroom cream. The heady, earthy taste of those 'shrooms made for a seamless complement to the immensely flavorful bird, all while the fennel added a wonderfully zesty foil to the dish.


19: Norwegian Lobster
Langoustine was super briny, really tasting of the ocean with a subtle sweetness to it that worked hand-in-hand with the tempering potato espuma, all while the paprika added just a tinge of spice to the dish.

Our sole red wine was the 2001 Rioja, España, Reserva Señorío de P. Peciña. This one had some nice age on it, and showed off pleasingly tart, but silky fruit notes bound by some mild tannins and a nice bit of earthiness and alcohol toward the end.


20: Spanish Octopus
Poached octopus was accompanied by piquillo, corn, aioli, guindilla pepper, and nasturtium. The tentacle tended toward mild, and I would've liked more of a savory, charred (and crisp) character to it, though the Spanish influenced flavor combinations definitely made sense.


21: Sturgeon with Sturgeon
Another favorite of mine was the sturgeon, which arrived wrapped in pancetta and topped with Almas Ara caviar and sprigs of sea grass. The fish was really a shining example of sturgeon: soft and succulent, with a wonderfully salty character to it that I found immensely satisfying. Very nice.


The lamb shank for our next course, presented tableside before being taken back to the kitchen and plated.


22: Lamb Shank
For our last savory course, sous vide lamb shank came with eggplant, yogurt, and za'atar. The meat itself was peppery and deep, with an apparent ovine relish to it, thought it really could've stood to be more tender to the bite. That being said, the smoky, creamy notes here really worked with the lamb, and I was especially fond of that yogurt.


"Philly cheesesteak" | Air bread, cheddar, Wagyu beef
At this point, we requested a supplemental course featuring The Bazaar's signature Philly cheese steak. It was hard not to like, a blast of beefy, salty, and cheesy flavors, offset just a bit by the airy nature of the crunchy bread.

To pair with the desserts, we were provided the 2008 Vidal Ice Wine, Canada, Konzelmann. It was just as you'd expect from an ice wine, coming to us viscous and sweet, with loads of stone fruit flavors joined by just a smidge of nutty goodness. Nice!


23: Japanese Baby Peaches
Our first dessert was a variation of a dish that's been on the menu since day one. The sweetness of the peaches was nicely conveyed here, expertly complemented by the savory, nutty notes from the Di Stefano burrata, brioche, and hazelnut praline. Some nice textures here, too.


24: Dragon's Breath
The omnipresent Dragon's Breath (basically a sweet, cool bite of liquid nitrogen-dipped popcorn) was as fun as ever, especially for the newbies in the group.


25: Strawberry Gazpacho
A strawberry gazpacho was tangy and sweet, a refreshing course amplified further by the vanilla, lime, and espelette notes present.


26: FlanDesert in the Desert
A bit of a substitution here: the so-called "Desert in the Desert" dessert was served to us in place of the "Flan in the Desert" advertised on the menu. What we had was a chocolate-cardamom ice cream in almond dust, dehydrated cherry, and raspberry purée. There was a lot going on, but everything definitely made sense, with a wonderful sweet spice joined by a multitude of flavors, all offset by a nice crunch to the course.


27: Milk Chocolate & Bergamot
Our final proper course comprised a milk chocolate cremeux, chocolate croquant, pistachio coulis, Greek yogurt, and mandarin oranges. This was a smart reinterpretation of the classic combo of chocolate and orange, all finished with a delightful nutty tint.


28: White Chocolate Air
29: Bubble Wrap
We concluded, fittingly, with our mignardises course. My favorites? The disintegrating white chocolate air and the sweet-nutty, pop rock-infused raspberry explosion bon bons. And to take home: The Bazaar's take on Rice Krispies treats.

It was great to revisit Saam after all this time and see how the restaurant has evolved. To me, the cooking's gotten a little less "molecular" and a bit more ingredient-focused, though the whimsical presentations and inventive flavor combinations remain. The food was as fun and tasty as I remember, and Saam's still one of the most unique dining experiences in LA to be sure. This is the type of place that should be on your bucket list.

Benu (San Francisco, CA) [2]

September 2, 2013, 4:35 am

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Benu Restaurant
22 Hawthorne St, San Francisco, CA 94105
415.685.4860
www.benusf.com
Sat 08/24/2013, 08:40p-11:30p





My dinner at Chef Corey Lee's groundbreaking Benu last year was memorable for two reasons. First, it was arguably my best meal of 2012; and second, it marked the only occasion where I'd forgotten to bring my camera's memory card(!). Given the strength of my experience here, I couldn't let the blog stand with those subpar cell phone pics, so a revisit was in order to give the food its proper due.


Benu's sole menu option this evening was a 17-course degustation priced at $180 per head, plus $150 for the always-superb beverage pairings of Head Sommelier Yoon Ha. Click for larger versions.


1: thousand-year-old quail egg, potage, ginger
prager, grüner veltliner, federspiel, hinter der burg, wachau, austria 2011
We commenced with a course that looked humble, but was anything but. The egg itself was pretty fantastic, a spot on homage to the traditional delicacy, and went superbly with the included potage of bacon, cabbage, and cream, a hearty, comforting liquid that added a bit of heft to the surprising lightness of the pidan. The key here, though, was the use of the traditional accompaniment of ginger, which imparted a brightness that just lifted the entire dish.


2: oyster, pork belly, kimchi
prager, grüner veltliner, federspiel, hinter der burg, wachau, austria 2011
A singular Beau Soleil showed off a masterful interplay between two complementary facets of richness between the belly and the oyster, but with the bivalve always managing to shine through despite the heft of the pork. I also really appreciated the hint of kimchi spice toward the back end, too. A great little bite.


3: salmon roe, eggplant, buckwheat, perilla
matsuura, narutotai, namagenshu ginjo, tokushima, japan
Buckwheat was used to great effect here, imparting a tempering crunch to the smoky, salty combo of ikura and eggplant, while the perilla added well-placed pricks of mintiness to the fray. A harmony of disparate textures and tastes, and one that was particularly apt against the bright, racy flavors of the accompanying namazake.


4: anchovy, celery, peanut
hitachino, red rice ale, ibaraki, japan
Next, we began a procession of four little courses, all presented on the same transparent serving piece and paired with Hitachino's always-satisfying, somewhat-funky Red Rice Ale. The caramelized anchovy was fantastic, capturing the essence of the traditional snack and showing off a deft blend of sweet and fishy flavors that were dutifully moderated by a hit of celery zing, all while the peanut served as the perfect nutty finish.


5: faux shark's fin, dungeness crab, caviar, rousong
hitachino, red rice ale, ibaraki, japan
Chef Lee's famous faux shark's fin soup is off the menu (for now), but the main ingredient was put to good use here. Texturally, the "fin" was fantastic, adding a springy component to the growing intensity of flavors in the course, the sweetness of the crab masterfully offset by the subtle undercurrent of rousong savor.


6: "xo sausage" with basil curd
hitachino, red rice ale, ibaraki, japan
I was tempted to go Alinea-style here and eat this hands-free, but wisely decided not to. The sausage, enhanced with the qualities of the legendary XO, conveyed a very pleasing depth and savor to it, one that paired just swimmingly with the creamy, herby nuances provided by the basil.


7: acorn beggar's purse with black truffle
hitachino, red rice ale, ibaraki, japan
The last of the foursome was Benu's ode to the signature dish of 80's NYC hotspot Quilted Giraffe. Their beggar's purse came with crème fraîche and caviar, and was itself a riff on the French treat aumonieres. This version might've been even more luxurious: unabashedly savory, lush, and creamy on the palate, with a subtle, yet always apparent overtone of truffle that lasted long on the palate.


Bread, of course, was also something to behold. The multigrain variety here was wonderfully nutty, smoky even, with a delightfully crisp crust to it. However, the real star was that ginseng-honey butter, which married the zesty notes of the root with a fantastically lush sweetness that just paired with the bread beautifully.


8: almond tofu, green apple, chia seed
Our next course functioned as a sort of intermezzo, its bright, juicy flavors, herbaceous zing, and apple-y crunch providing a bit of a respite from the hefty flavors that we'd been experiencing.


9: cold noodles, pickled hearts of palm, shrimp roe, mint
von hövel, riesling kabinett, sharzhofberger, mosel, germany 2008
Pairing in stellar fashion with the vibrant acidity of the Kabinett Riesling were some of the best cold noodles I've encountered. I loved the umami-rich base of the dish, courtesy of the shrimp, a focused, almost profound thrust of ocean-y goodness that was keenly countered by the light, delicate flavors of the noodles and palm. Even better? The pin pricks of piquancy that were enabled by the use of ginger and mint. I wouldn't have minded going through a big bowl of the stuff!


10: lobster coral xiao long bao
duchesse de bourgogne, flemish red brown ale, belgium
Next, we come to what has become perhaps Lee's most well-known dish, a masterful homage to the humble xiaolongbao. It was just so utterly, ridiculously xiang, an umami explosion (both literally and figuratively) with an incredible depth to it that satisfies in the basest ways possible. I'm not sure if I liked 'em with or without the vinegar (a wonderful foil to the paired Duchesse, by the way), but no matter, I'd love to demolish a whole bamboo basket of these beauties.


11: pig's head with lentil hozön and bönji
duchesse de bourgogne, flemish red brown ale, belgium
Also fantastic with the Duchesse was this schmancy souse, its stupendously porcine quality joined by countervailing hits of ferment-y, tangy, and sweet flavors, the result of the hozon and bonji now being produced by Momofuku frontman David Chang. Perhaps the best head cheese I've ever had.


12: whiting, crispy mushroom, haiga rice, burdock, charred scallion
cuilleron, marsanne, les vignes d'á côté, rhône, france 2012
The whiting, surprisingly, just might've been my favorite course of the evening. The thing that struck me most about the fish was its texture, which I'd describe as firm, but springy, with an almost gelatinous quality to it that I found immensely satisfying. On the palate, it was delicate, nuanced, and really took on the mouthwateringly savory flavors of the accompanying rice, while the scallion added a fantastic jolt of smoke and astringency to the mix. And those mushrooms? Some of the best I've had--perfect.


13a: roast quail, lettuce heart, mustard
cristom, pinot noir, sommer's reserve, willamette valley, oregon 2011
Getting into the more substantial courses now, quail was roasted beautifully, showing off two distinct, yet complementary facets of the bird in flawlessly done breast and leg presentations. Adding to this was a subtle undertone of sweetness that worked out really well, emphasizing the savory qualities of the quail, while the lettuce imparted a fantastically light, charred, counterbalancing quality to the dish. Delish.


13b: 25 head Kippin abalone from Iwate, 2008, potato purée, tender kale, braising jus [$230 supplement]
el maestro sierra, oloroso sherry, jerez, spain
In place of the quail, diners also had the option of Kippin abalone from Japan's Iwate prefecture, oft considered some of the best in the world. Priced at $230 a pop, it was costlier than the entire rest of the menu, and quite easily the most expensive single dish I've had. The awabi was of the 2008 vintage, and was prepared by braising in a stock of chicken feet and pork neck for 18 hours. The result of all this was the best cooked abalone I've had--meaty and a bit gelatinous to the bite, with a great growing depth and complexity to it that was tempered in part by the potato and greens present. Also of note here was the wine pairing, with the Oloroso coming to us nutty and oxidative, and also super dry on the palate. What was interesting was how the Sherry seemed to become sweeter upon being paired with the mollusk.


14: beef braised in pear juice and charcoal-grilled, lily bulb, sunflower, fermented pepper
clos st. jean, châteauneuf-du-pape, rhône, france 2008
Next, Brandt beef was braised overnight, resulting in a dish that one of my dining companions likened to an "elevated galbi." Texturally, the meat was tender, but not mushy, with still some structure to it, while its dark, bovine flavors worked faultlessly with the sweet-ish sauce and the whisper of spice toward the back end. The lily bulb served to balance out the sheer heft of the meat, and what I liked even more was the use of sunflower seed, which acted as a fantastic accent piece with its nuttiness and crunch.


15: shellfish consommé and raft, Jinhua ham, chrysanthemum
blandy's, verdelho, madeira, portugal 1968
Benu's famed "shark's fin soup" may be off the menu now, but its rather profound broth was put to good use here, serving as a complement to the intensely ocean-y, briny flavors of the shellfish, while the whole shebang concluded with a delightfully peppery tint on the close. The wine pairing here was spot on too, the '68 Madeira conveying a surprisingly youthful exuberance with its trademark oxidative, nutty, and raisin-y qualities.


16: sake lees sherbet, strawberry, yuzu
The sweet stuff at Benu is now the charge of new Pastry Chef Courtney Schmidig, who comes to the restaurant from The French Laundry and replaces Christopher Bleidorn (who went to Atelier Crenn). She got off to a strong start here with this deceptively simple dessert. I adored how the funky, earthy, yet saccharine notes of the kasu was conveyed, set against the sweetness of strawberry with just a smidge of yuzu tang on the midpalate.


17: sesame white cake with salted plum
uroulat, jurançon, southwest france 2011
Let's just say that we were all a bit shocked when an honest-to-goodness, old-school cake was placed on the table for our main dessert. It was a bit dissonant given the hypermodern aesthetic at Benu, but the contrast was pure genius, and we all appreciated the communal aspect here, of slicing and serving the cake to each other "family style." Concept aside, the cake was pretty damn good. The plum, however, really took it to the next level, imparting a salty/sour component that really worked wonders with the sweetness here. I'd love this in a larger size as a birthday cake!

Once again, Benu managed to impress, delivering a virtually flawless meal that showcased Chef Lee's deft hand in marrying his contemporary leanings with Asia's vast culinary playbook. The food effectively conveys and honors those traditions, but never verges on trite or contrived, utilizing just the right amount of modernist flair in the process. At the same time, deliciousness was never compromised, and the comforting, cozy flavors that one expects are present in all their glory, with only occasional dalliances in the overtly cerebral. And, as expected, beverage pairings were spot on as well, really linking up with the cooking in creative and effective ways. The Benu team is doing some great work here, and I'm looking forward to see where they all take this. Time for three stars?

Salt Air (Los Angeles, CA)

September 7, 2013, 2:44 am

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Salt Air Restaurant
1616 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
310.396.9333
www.saltairvenice.com
Thu 09/05/2013, 08:00p-11:20p





Back a few years ago, 1616 Abbot Kinney was home to Capri, an Italian spot that was, by all accounts, pretty horrible. However, the address was brought back to life in December 2011 with the opening of Brian Dunsmoor and Kris Tominaga's much-lauded Wolf in Sheep's Clothing pop-up. The two eventually launched The Hart and The Hunter, leaving the space in the hands of Kevin Kathman's AK Supper Club (interestingly, Kathman would go on to helm the second incarnation of WiSC at Lilly's), and then Benadicto Gell's Cal-Dominican Mangu. All this time, though, the building was actually under the control of Dave Reiss, whom you might know from A-Frame, Sunny Spot, and littlefork. He had plans all along to rework the location into a new concept, and finally partnered with Carol Ann and Moise Emquies to debut Salt Air on June 21st this year.

Running the kitchen here is New Yorker Greg A. Daniels, not to be confused with Greg Daniels of Haven Gastropub fame. The Buffalo area native began his culinary career at Frosty's, his family's ice cream shop, then attended the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. Following graduation, he cooked at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Perry St, working his way up to an executive sous chef position. Daniels was slated to move to Vongerichten's eponymous flagship eatery, but instead ended up relocating to Los Angeles to be with his girlfriend, so here we are.


As far as Salt Air's menu goes, it's a blend of familiar seafood classics as well as some more unconventional dishes such as the oft-talked about fish skin chips. To drink, you'll find cocktails from Brian Butler (though note that there's no full bar here), as well as a pretty nice selection of beers, wines, and even non-alcoholic libations. Click for larger versions.


Tonic [$11.00] | bonal, lemongrass, ginger, tonic
Shandy [$11.00] | sour beer, passionfruit, honey, lemon
Naturally, we had to try all the cocktails on the menu, and first up was the Tonic. Based on Bonal, the drink conveyed a sort of herby, medicinal, but soft bittersweetness to it that went nicely with the ginger-y notes present. The Shandy, meanwhile, incorporated gueuze, giving it a great tart, funky, acidic quality with just a whisper of countervailing sweetness--nice!


Oysters [$26.00/full dozen] | east and west coast oysters, mignonette, cocktail sauce, horseradish, hot sauce, lemon
Oysters were a natural beginning to the meal, with three varieties on offer. First were the Sweet Petites from Martha's Vineyard (the Chef's favorite), which I found surprisingly full-flavored, with a particularly briny finish laced with just a modicum of sweetness. Even more intense were the Sunberry Points from Prince Edward Island (my first time with 'em), while the Wellfleets were the heftiest and largest of the trio, with the most pronounced salinity.


Grilled Octopus [$14.00] | beluga lentils, pickled onion, chorizo
I do love my octopus, and Salt Air's was a prime presentation of the cephalopod. It was beautifully prepared, coming out tender, yet substantial, with a subtle sweetness and a great char bitterness to it. What made this dish for me, though, were the accompaniments, the onions adding a tanginess on the back end, while the chorizo contributed an underlying heat to things. I appreciated the lentils here as well, which imparted an earthy, weighty quality that grounded the course. A table favorite, and one of the best octopus dishes I've had in a while.


Pea Toast [$11.00] | ricotta, pea leaves, caramelized onions
Pea toast is probably something you want to order, with its creamy sweetness (courtesy of the ricotta-onion combo) lending a lushness to the dish that was gorgeously balanced by the brightness of the peas.


Cobbler [$11.00] | peychaud bitters, carpano, hibiscus, lemon, orange
High Ball [$11.00] | cardamaro, lime, house ginger beer, forbidden bitters
Time for more cocktails. The Cobbler was a great rendition of the old-school drink, with a rich base of sweet spice joined by a bevy of delectably tart, fruity flavors. I also really enjoyed the High Ball, with its refreshing, ginger-y base playing off of the aromatic, cinnamon-y nuances from the bitters and the slightly oxidative quality of the amaro.


Fish Skin Chips [$6.00] | smoked onion dip, harissa
Next, we come to perhaps the most bandied-about item on Salt Air's menu: the baked-fried salmon skins. They were salty and briny, sort of like what you'd imagine a fish chicharrón to be like, but with a very delicate consistency. I quite liked the chips on their own, but the harissa and smoky/sweet onion dip had their place, too.


Lobster Roll [$20.00] | connecticut style, scallion, corn relish, potato chips
I don't know if the lobster roll is the new ahi tuna tartar or what, but it seems to be popping up on menus left and right these days. Salt Air's hot rendition is certainly worthy of consideration, with the crustacean arriving warm, utterly buttery, and almost uncommonly sweet--its sugary character only bolstered by the inclusion of corn--while the scallion served to temper the dish (just a bit). And the potato crisps? Salty and spot on.


Fried Oysters [$13.00] | pretzel crusted, frisee, miso mustard
I've had fried oysters before, but never like this. They come coated in pretzel bits, making for a fun, unabashedly crunchy eating experience that did a great job recalling the classic combo of pretzels and mustard. Definitely give these a shot.


Spritz [$11.00] | cocchi americano, dolin blanc, grapefruit bitters, prosecco
Sour [$11.00] | byrrh, punt e mes, strawberry, lemon, demerara
Our third round of cocktails started with the Spritz, a bubbly, citrus-y concoction with a great hit of light, herbaceous, refreshing bitterness from the Cocchi and Dolin. The Sour, on the other hand, was akin to a boozy strawberry juice, with the sugariness of the fruit deftly played against the complexity of Byrrh and vermouth.


House Salad [$8.00] | little gem, endive, avocado, radish, fines herbes, mustard vinaigrette
The generically-named House Salad wasn't much to look at, but the flavors were on point. All the elements actually came together really nicely here--a mélange of textures and tastes, expertly tied together by that tangy dressing.


Carrot & Fennel Salad [$9.00] | kale, quinoa, basil vinaigrette
Our next salad was a bit more ambitious, but not quite as successful. Carrots imparted a pleasant sweetness and crunch to the course, and the kale made sense too, but the quinoa was just a tad discordant, distracting even at times. There were also inedible parts (twigs and whatnot) in the salad, which were vexing.


Olive Oil Poached Salmon [$21.00] | heirloom shelling beans, shishito peppers
At this point, we moved into the mains, specifically the poached salmon. It was a perfect presentation of the fish, the filet coming out still slightly rare and beautifully flaky, with a hint of fattiness to it that went swimmingly with its lush, ocean-y flavors, countered just barely by the bright nuances of the herbs and veggies. If that wasn't enough, I also appreciated the slight tinge of heat from the shishitos, as well as how the beans added a noticeable, moderating heft to the dish. A highlight of the meal for sure.


Whole Fish [$39.00] | fried red snapper
No doubt, the pièce de résistance this evening was the whole snapper, which was coated in flour, fried, garnished with pickled Fresno peppers and scallion, then filleted at the table by our server. It really was one of the tastiest tais I've had, the fish coming out juicy and flavorful, with a delightfully crisp skin and a palpable Asian-y tint to it.


Tiki [$11.00] | angostura bitters, rosa americano, orgeat, lime, pineapple
Our final drink was the Tiki, which, as the name implies, conveyed the tropically sweet, spicy flavors that you'd expect, all over a great base of Cocchi Americano Rosa. Splendid.


Chocolate Cake [$8.00]
Moving on to dessert now, the requisite chocolate cake was nothing to sneeze at, with the richness of the cake nicely balanced by countervailing thrusts of bitterness and smoke.


Peach Cream Poundcake [$8.00]
I was quite fond of the poundcake, which I found surprisingly light, with its subtle sweetness pairing well with the juicy notes of the peach, all while the cream added a great touch of levity to the fray. Beautifully balanced and integrated.


Monkey Bread [$8.00]
We ended with Salt Air's signature dessert, the Monkey Bread. It was as sticky and sweet as it looked, with a caramel-y, cinnamon-y quality to it joined by just a bit of savory flair from the nuts. A must try.

Sure, it would've been nice if WiSC stuck around, but I'm quite happy with its eventual replacement. Daniels' cooking really livens up the area's dining scene I think. He brings a blend of the familiar and the new, effectively taking the skills he acquired under Jean-Georges and translating them to fit the aesthetics of an eclectic seafood joint. It's a combination that works well for me, and, combined with the commendable cocktails (which give the liquorless concoctions at Scratch|Bar a run for their money), makes for a great new dining option on Abbot Kinney.

Hi

September 7, 2013, 2:44 am

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Check out the master Index of Posts to view a list of all the restaurants that I've visited. Or, see the Interactive Dining Map and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, a list of my favorites dishes of all time. Contact me via email at kevin at kevineats dot com.