meat

Taming the Beast at Bestia

June 16, 2014June 17, 2014Leave a comment

I have been wanting to dine at Bestia for some time now. I was lucky enough to attend LA Magazine’s Best New Restaurants event back in January. Bestia served the most delectable duck prosciutto. It was over. I was hooked. I knew that I needed to try everything that Chef Ori Menashe had to offer a curious palate.
Recently, a friend and I have been making a tradition out of Sunday Suppers at the best of the best Los Angeles has to offer. Recently, we expanded our dinner group, adding two more friends that we considered worthy of our custom. With open minds and an equal eagerness to try one of the most talked about new restaurants, we showed up on a Sunday at 4:30PM without a reservation. Since, we were first in line, we were able to garner a coveted four-top table. Leaving celebrities still in line in our dust, we sat down to what was going to be one of the best meals of our lives.

I could go on about the service, the ambience, or the beautiful interior of the restaurant, but we all know what you’re here for. THE. AMAZING. FOOD. First off, we enjoyed two Antipastis. One had figs, arugula, creme fraiche, gorgonzola, and pistachios in a lemon vinaigrette, and the other with grilled octopus and calamari, mushrooms, fennel, arugula, with an aged balsamic chili lemon vinaigrette. Since both had arugula and similar lemon notes in the dressings, these two truly complimented one another. Not to mention, they were both delicious! The figs were sweet with a nice tartness provided by the creme fraiche, and the other, savory with perfectly cooked octopus and calamari.

Next, we enjoyed the Nduja Pizza complete with san marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, black cabbage and fennel pollen. I have an unhealthy addiction to nduja. It is the right amount of meaty and spicy. I was surprised at how wet the pizza was toward the center, but it didn’t take away from the experience. Little did I know, my experience was about to be elevated in so many ways.

We chose two pastas to share between the four of us. This was a mistake; not just because the portions are on the small side, but because they are so unique and delicious. The cappalletti with duck, paremsan, butter sauce, lemon zest, and parsley quite possibly changed the whole course of my life. Confidently al dente, the pasta, duck, and lemon zest combination was out of this world. Equally as amazing, we enjoyed the cavatelli alla norcina with ricotta dumplings, housemade pork sausage, black truffles, and grana padano. Before I move on with the description, make sure your mind is nowhere near a gutter. Good? Great. I love sausage. I have eaten amazing sausage in my days. The pork sausage on this pasta was to die for. There. I said it. I am determined to return to Bestia with the sole intention of ordering every single pasta dish on the menu and nothing else.

For our proteins, we chose the 22oz. Kurobuta Pork Chop served with anson mills polenta, apple fruta di speziate, and fried baby kale, and the Grilled Whole Orata served with rapini ripassati, anchovy paste, baby kale, and chili oil. I can confidently say that the pork chop was the best I have ever had to date. Cooked to perfection, it was the epitome of beautiful pork. The polenta was a game changer. I had never understood the appeal of polenta, but obviously I had never had polenta prepared correctly. Along with the crunchy baby kale, I wanted more.

The Grilled Orata was a beautiful fish stuffed with greens. To my surprise, the fish had been deboned, which made it much more convenient to eat. The fish was garnished with the same greens it was stuffed with, but they were extremely bitter in comparison to their cooked counterpart.

Unable to decide from the tempting dessert options, we narrowed it down to the Strawberry Crostata with Buttermilk Ice Cream and the Lemon Poppyseed Olive Oil Cake with Blueberry Marscapone Ice Cream. I had heard so many great things about Pastry Chef Genevieve Gergis‘ contributions to the menu, and couldn’t wait to try the sweets. The strawberry crostata was the perfect consistency. Flaky, crispy, and the right amount of doughy in the center, the crust was delightful. The strawberries provided a nice brightness to the heavy buttermilk ice cream. The winner of the dessert round has to be the Lemon Poppyseed Olive Oil Cake. That blueberry marscapone ice cream is crazy. I want it on my waffles, with my afternoon tea, with everything. It is everything.

I can’t say enough good things about my dining experience at Bestia. There are no adjectives to describe the unique ingredients and varying dishes that happen to fall in the same category. There isn’t a word to describe how you feel like you have known the chef for years after experiencing his cuisine for the first time. The hype is warranted and my praises fall short. Go and experience the wonder that is Bestia for yourself.

Spring 2014 at Fifty Seven: Chef David Nayfeld

June 5, 2014June 4, 20141 Comment

Opened in late March, Fifty Seven took over the Heinz ’57 loading dock in the Arts District. Their concept revolves around a rotating roster of chefs that will take over the restaurant for a season to showcase their style and unique menu.
I had the pleasure of dining there last Sunday during Chef David Nayfeld‘s turn as Chef in Residence serving, what Fifty Seven described as, Progressive American cuisine. Once you hand over your car to the valet, the first thing you notice is the unique location and space. The copper and exposed brick throughout the restaurant is aesthetically pleasing and seems like it will transition well as the chefs and cuisine change with the seasons.

My dining companion and I opted for the Prix Fixe menu in which you could choose a Starter, Main, and a Dessert for $48. The first thing you notice is that all of the dishes are beautiful. I felt like I had a work of art in front of me, not food. I will be honest with you, the starters were kind of lost on me. While they were delicious, the separation and presentation of the various vegetables, dressings, and accoutrement were a bit overwhelming.
Next, I enjoyed the Heritage Pork served with Spatzle, mustard, beet, and apple. This main course was wonderful. If I could eat spatzle every day of my life, I would. I had only ever had savory spatzle at Suppenkuche in San Francisco, but this offered an entirely different take. The apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar complimented the pork beautifully.
Lastly, we enjoyed the Chocolate and Meyer Lemon desserts. The Chocolate came with salted caramel, wild rice, and Laphroaig 10 year, a single malt Scotch whisky. The consistency was that of a flourless chocolate cake; every bite was smooth and delicious. The Meyer Lemon offered a completely different take on dessert. The lemon and ricotta cake was extremely tart and served with a distinct basil sauce. Alone, the basil was strong on the palate, but with the cake, it provided a balanced and crisp flavor combination.

I felt honored to experience a menu curated by Chef David Nayfeld. He served as senior sous chef at Eleven Madison Park for 3 years. In his time there, the restaurant received three Michelin stars and six James Beard awards. Up to this point, I have only experienced the elevated New York dining scene by watching food related television shows or movies. Enjoying Chef Nayfeld’s dishes made me feel like I was dining at a dimly lit private table on Madison Avenue.

Chef Nayfeld concluded his time at Fifty Seven on June 4th. Chef Josh Drew will be stepping in as the next Chef in Residence at Fifty Seven starting tonight. This menu is said to focus on local seafood, meat, and produce with the summer season as the underlying tone for the dishes. It will be interesting to see how the decor and staff hold up in the midst of the seasonal shake-ups.

Don’t miss Chef Josh Drew while he is at Fifty Seven. Make your reservations, here.

*photos from Fifty Seven

Paella Sunday at smoke.oil.salt

May 20, 2014May 22, 2014Leave a comment

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of dining with a good friend whom I hadn’t seen in a very long time. We decided to go to smoke.oil.salt on Melrose for their Prix Fixe Paella Sunday Menu. This menu includes a rotating menu featuring regular menu items and exclusive dishes with a choice of a starter, a medium plate, choice of a paella (meat, seafood, or vegetarian) to share, and a choice of dessert.

We started by ordering wine flights to pair with our meal. I ordered the Red Flight while my dining counterpart ordered the Sherry Flight. Both were suggested by our very attentive and knowledgeable server.
The first dish to come out was the chilled gazpacho. It was a great starter to the meal, as the portion was very small and the flavors were subtle and crisp.

Next, we enjoyed the Flori-col Amb Allets. In other words, the most delicious caramelized cauliflower and broccoli of my life. The other medium dish we ordered was the Braves Trencades, which was both of our favorites. It consists of fried potatoes, serrano ham, chorizo, and a fried egg on top. It was absolute heaven.

The star of the show was the Meat Paella. Our options were limited in choosing the paella. I am allergic to shrimp, so that eliminated the Seafood option, and I refuse to order anything that has the word ‘vegetarian’ in the title. The rabbit was cooked perfectly and the Rosemary provided depth to the dish. I liked that it wasn’t rice heavy; it allowed the other ingredients to stand out.

For dessert, we ordered both options, the Chocolate Pate and the Almond Cake. I knew I would love the Chocolate Pate, and boy was I correct! The consistency resembled a flourless chocolate cake and the salted caramel dollops were perfect in size and provided just a bite of savory to the dish. Surprisingly, I also loved the almond cake. I am not the biggest nut fan in the world, but I have an open mind. The jam was the perfect topping for the cake and definitely helped balanced the nutty flavor.

I can’t wait to return with my mom, so she can have the Seafood Paella all to herself. Paella Sundays are the perfect way to end your weekend. The portions are perfect, the food is awesome, and the price is fantastic. I recommend coming with someone who is willing to share, as the Prix Fixe menu has 2-3 options per section. With Perfecto Rocher in the kitchen, you know your tastebuds are going to get a proper tour of Spain. This is a great addition to the already bustling Melrose.