Refined Palate

It is now at

We were so happy to hear that Bread Bar extended the guest chef event with Chef Sugie. The only downside of the evening was finding a parking space at Westfield Shopping center in Century City. We resorted to valet parking.

I had made the decision to get there early so we could be ahead of the rush and really have some one on one time with Chef Sugie. Unfortunately, Chef Sugie wasn’t there and I was slightly worried that this would be a dining disaster. Chef Rogelio was more than up to the task; he had worked with Ludo during Ludo’s guest chef event and he has certainly mastered Chef Sugie’s signature dishes.

Unfortunately, many of the dishes I wanted to try were not on the menu i.e. the monkfish liver and foie gras terrine, uni, shima aji, mirugai.

We told Chef Rogelio we wanted omakase, had no food allergies or dislikes and we were in no hurry.

1. Pickled Beets (several varities of red and striped), micro chives, walnuts and almonds – a great first nibble

 

2. Salmon croquettes with a Tomatillo dipping sauce – excellent

 

3. Lobster seviche served in an upside down hollowed out lime, with young coconut, jalapeno, red onion, coriander, tapioca, lime juice – this was listed on the menu as mirugai seviche, But Chef Rogelio explained that the Century City crowd were afraid of mirugai and wouldn’t order it. What do they know??? Still an excellent dish, although I would have preferred the mirugai.

 

Empty Lime Shell

Bread was then presented – a flat bread selection with shichimi pepper, nori and white sesame seeds.

 

4. Blue Fin Tuna Tartare, pickled fennel, dry capers, pistachios, sushi rice puree, extra virgin olive oil and topped with crispy fennel. This was sensational and the quality of the tuna superb. There is absolutely no stinting on ingredient quality.

 

A word on the service – it was exceptional – we didn’t want for anything – Chef Rogelio’s timing of the dishes was perfect and every server was quick to meet any and all of our needs.

 

5. Hamachi sashimi, grated lemongrass, daikon radish, hijiki, pea shoots, hibiscus ponzu – another winner.

 

6. Crab guacamole, wild rice puff, lemon confit, preserved lemon puree – a thinly sliced avocado served as the bottom and cover for the crab with the puffed rice adding the textural crunch – also excellent

 

7. Shishitou pepper, edamame, lime salt – this was boring – after a couple of bites, I had enough.

 

8. Beef Carpaccio, grated pecorino (aged and smoked in grape leaves), extra virgin olive oil, mizuna. The beef had been spiced with Chinese 5 spice and then seared. Again ingredient quality was superb.

 

9. Beet tartare (roasted), goat cheese, olive oil, cornichons. golden beets, mache salad and a tapenade sauce – good

 

10. Lobster soup with Crispy Chickpeas. This was a surprise – delicious. Chef Rogelio and I then had an extended conversation about tomalley – they have been tossing theirs. Oh No!!! One of my favorite things

 

Jasper White has a wonderful recipe for Tomalley croutons:

From Jasper White's Cooking from New England |June 1998

Recipe:

ingredients

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons chopped onion

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/2 cup cooked lobster tomalley

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 baguette (long French bread)

preparation

1. Sauté the garlic and onion in 1 tablespoon butter. Let cool somewhat, then mix with the remaining butter and parsley. Whip in the tomalley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the French bread 3/8 inch thick and toast on both sides. Spread each piece with the tomalley-butter mixture. Place on a sheetpan and put in the pre-heated oven or under a broiler until croutons are crispy and hot. Serve immediately.

 

Back to the meal:

11. Ricotta Gnocchi, brown butter, deep-fried sage. The ricotta is sourced from Norbet of the Cheese Shop in Beverly Hills, LA’s best cheese shop – again quality ingredients. The gnocchi were as light as air.

 

12. Shoestring fries (Yukon gold potatoes) with rosemary, garlic, hickory salt – this was just not good -  the potatoes were cold and basically a let down given the inventiveness of the other dishes.

 

13. 4 different Sliders - Lamb Meatball,  Crab Cake, Salmon and Beer-battered Brie served with mizuna, pickles, spicy red chimichurri – these were OK, but other than the lobster soup and the gnocchi, I much prefer the raw bar more than the cooked items. However, I have heard that the Black Cod slider is sensational.

 

14. As we had more red wine left, we decided to have a second beef carpaccio.

 

15. Sake Panna Cotta, Strawberry Coulis, granita – delicious

 

16. White Chocolate Risotto, dried fruit, almonds – also very good

 

Wines:

NV Champagne Herbert--right on delicious.

2003 Meursault, Martenot-Talbot--clean, spicy, very full bodied, great finish.

1999  Gevery Chambertin, Raphet--excellent, great nose, full of raspberries and flowery fruit...drank beautifully.

 

This was an amazing, wonderful evening – fun, good food and we were treated like the King and the Queen. We are hoping to go back when Chef Sugie is there and have him do a special meal for us, but Chef Rogelio was and is a dedicated and passionate chef. 

I was not at this meal, but my husband was. This is his take on Wolfgang's.

Disappointing is the only word for this meal.  The room is nice, very New York. The service was good and the waiter was experienced, previously he had worked at The Palm  

We were two guys out for a business-social evening and to watch the Laker game.  I had been told that the back room has big TVs and we were set up to sit there.  When I arrived, I was told by the manager that the back room was not open as they did not have that much business and did not have the staff to open it.  Oh well.

I got a table with a good view of the TV’s in the bar.  No sound, but able to see well. (My comment – Laker versus Celtic game was a must see.)

 We started with an assorted seafood platter, certainly "ok" but nothing special.

The shrimp [not pictured as we ate them before I got the shot taken] crab and lobster were fine, but nothing to get excited about.  The cocktail sauce was adequate, but I missed the mayonnaise mustard sauce that is so good at Morton's.

 

Second appetizer of Canadian Bacon that was touted as fabulous was very good with great flavor. However,  it was a bit chewy for me and I don't really see it as a appetizer with a steak dinner.

 

We ordered the porterhouse steak for two.  The maitre d' also thought we should have the creamed spinach and German potatoes as sides. The waiter brings to the table a sizzling platter of pre-sliced steak. He places one edge of the platter on the turned saucer so all the juices accumulate at one end. He and a helper served each dish.  I got a few pieces of steak. Several were better done than I wanted so I traded them in.  We clearly had much more steak than we could ever eat.  I did not get a piece from the tenderloin side.

The steak that I had was very chewy, flavor more like Kobe than New York Porterhouse. I was unimpressed.  I did not like the steak.  I'm used to very high quality, Prime New York Strip or Prime Porterhouse with age.  This steak was definitely aged and was intense in flavor, but it was very heavy on the palate so you did not feel like eating very much. 

 

The creamed spinach was banal--very little flavor, a bit watery and no depth of flavor…useless.  

The potatoes were fried with onions--ok, but I can't get too excited.

Dessert - Strawberries with Schlag (whipped cream) - absolutely delicious.

 

 

Wolfgang's seems to be a crowd from The Palm and Mastro's.  There are lots of 50-70 year old out of shape guys with younger women…and several attractive younger women in pairs or bunches who apparently expect to meet "rich" guys.

 

Bottomline--Wolfgang Steakhouse--why bother?  I will not go again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE restaurant in Los Angeles at the moment is Osteria Mozza. We went shortly after it opened and then again this May. I think we ordered much, much better the second time – more variety and the execution was spot on.

David Rosoff, who we have known for over 16 years, is the GM. He couldn’t have been nicer or more cordial. He is the consummate professional.

Amuse – on a small crostini, fresh ricotta with olive tapenade, basil chiffonade with a drizzle of olive oil – simple, nice

 

First Course – Grilled octopus with cubes of cooked potatoes (they were cold, however), celery slices, mizuna dressed with lemon oil. The octopus was absolutely perfect. It had been marinated in olive oil with wine corks for hours and then quickly grilled.

 

Second Course – Crispy Pig’s trotters with Ciccoria (a type of Italian dandelion grown and used as for Lettuce and in Mesclun mixes) and mustard. This should not be pig’s trotters in the plural as there was one pig’s trotter that was actually a small croquette. Most of the dish consisted of “salad” stuff.

 

Third Course – Burrata from Basilicata with sautéed leeks and grilled country bread drizzled with garlic and olive oil – The burrata was excellent, but a large portion for 2 people and after a few bites, I had enough.

 

Fourth course- Bufala mozzarella with small dishes of Romesco sauce, Tapenade, Basil Pesto and a Caperberry Relish sauce. Only the later sauce was truly outstanding.

 

Fifth Course – Burricotti with Braised Artichokes, Pine Nuts, Currants and Mint Pesto – the artichokes were excellent.

 

Sixth Course - Tripe alla Parmigiana with cecci – John forgot to take a picture of this – good.

Seventh Course – Fresh Ricotta and Egg Ravioli with browned butter – I was really looking forward to this dish as it had been described by many as wonderful with a wonderful runny yolk when you cut into the ravioli – our yolk was more well done than runny yolk – a big disappointment.

 

Second time at Osteria Mozza

 

We decided to try Mozza again and we were to be at a play by 8 pm nearby so this meant an early dinner.

Traffic has become unbearable in Los Angeles and we allowed 1 ½ hours to go 14 miles – ridiculous. In any case, we made it in 1 hour and 10 minutes so we decided to have a drink and an appetizer at Pizzeria Mozza while waiting for Osteria to open.

Even at 5:10, the pizzeria was packed.

Bruschette
with Chicken livers, capers, parsley & guanciale – interesting texture as the liver is roughly chopped. What sets this apart is the guanciale. Great.

 

At Osteria

 

Grilled Octopus with potatoes, celery and lemon – much better than last time – the octopus was still excellent, but this time the potatoes were warm. Delicious.

 

Burrata with bacon, marinated escarole and carmelized shallots – very good

 

Fresh Ricotta and Egg Raviolo with browned butter – 100 times better than last time – perfectly cooked – comfort food and delicious.

 

Garganelli with ragu Bolognese - a one for two portion size - a split portion - John inhaled this dish 

 

Excellent service, delicious food and David Rosoff is a gem.

We really like Comme Ca, David Meyer’s French bistro. One caveat – for us, it is better on the early side as by 8:30 the bar is 3 deep and the noise level can be deafening if you are sitting anywhere near the bar. They know our favorite table, even though we have only have been there once before, a small table by the window, but far from the bar!

 

The chef de cuisine at Comme Ca is Michael David who worked both at Café Boulud and DB Bistro Moderne.

 

Our waiter, Andre was superb and we were able to order one course at a time and have a leisurely meal. Essentially we devised our own tasting menu, ordering from the hors d’oeuvres section of the menu.

 

First Course – a dozen oysters – Fanny Bay and Malpeque. Again, like last time, these are slurping oysters, needing no sauce.

 

Second Course – Scottish smoked Salmon on a shredded potato galette with chive crème fraiche – delicious.

 

Third Course – Brandade de Morue Gratinee – we had liked this so much last time, we decided to have it again – just as good.

 

Fourth course – Escargots persillade – burgundy snails, garlic butter, parsley – this was poor – way too much parsley, chewy snails – I would not order this again.

 

Fourth course - Steak Tartare- hand cut with capers and corrnichons – the tartare was excellent, on a par with Bistro Jeanty’s in Yountville.

 

Fifth course – Roasted Beef Marrow and Oxtail Jam (the meat shredded and reduced to a soft tenderness.) The oxtail jam was served in a separate casserole and I added it to the roasted beef marrow.. Another repeat and definitely worth repeating.

 

Sixth course – Cheese – no picture and no clue.

 

BYO Wines:

1998 Smith Haut Lafite, Pessac Leognan

1998 Chateau d'Ampuis, E. Guigal

 

The sommelier was extraordinary. We had brought a 1998 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Leognan. We try very hard not to bring wines on a restaurant's list. Rory, the sommelier said not a problem at all as they have the 2001 on the list. Well, we shared as always, and a couple of minutes later, Rory arrived with the 2001 and said let's taste this side by side. The 1998 blew the 2001 away, but we weren't charged for our glasses of 2001. We both thought what an incredible "going-out-of-your-way" gesture. That is what I would call going that extra mile.

 

We will definitely go back for a third visit as there are many items on the menu that I want to try i.e. the glazed sweetbreads, the mussels and the duck confit to name a few.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have tried to describe the room as bare bones minimalist and funky, but I think the photos do a better job than just words. Notice the wine bottles on top of the wall that separates the kitchen from the dining area, the tatami screens that shield you from the other diners, the fluorescent lighting, the prints of Hollywood stars from a by-gone era and the exposed pipes.

 

Ashima, Kaz’s wife, is the only server and she graciously showed us to our regular table right next to the entrance of the kitchen closed off by a canvas curtain. We had brought our own wine as well as wine glasses.

Appetizer Plate – A potato salad on a thin slice of cucumber topped with a deep fried anchovy “wafer”, eel on a tofu cube, asparagus with walnut paste, melon and proscuitto, hard boiled quail egg half with caviar, vegetable gelee “terrine”, tomato with mozzarella cubes and seaweed, yellowtail sashimi, baby octopus and a smoked salmon roll wrapped in daikon with avocado.

 

Thinly sliced Beef Sashimi from the throat. Since there were 4 of us, this came from 2 cows instead of just one.

 

Beef Steak Tartar. I am not sure you can tell from the picture, but the beef was cut into thin strips about 1½ inches long and ¼ inch wide, which served to intensify the beef experience. As before, the tartar is mixed by the diner.

 

Beef Liver Sashimi. I am not a fan of liver and was expecting to not enjoy this. Was I wrong – the taste had no resemblance to liver as I had anticipated. It was luxurious, unctuous and in a word delicious.

 

Ashima then set the hibachi in the center of the table. At first, it was not hot enough, but with some adjusting from Ashima, all was right with the world. Now, it is beef orgy as platter after platter of beef is presented and the diner does his own cooking – rare being the optimum choice.

 

 

Some of the beef dishes are served in its pristine state and some are marinated. Depending on the cut as well as how it is “prepared”, we are instructed which sauce to use with each cut.

Beef Tongue – the only dipping sauce to be used is lemon.

 

“Regular” Ribeye with onions, mushrooms and peppers

 

Ashima then presents a marinated tomato salad and a plate of raw vegetables with miso paste (I think) that helps to cut the beef overload.

 

“Inside” of the Ribeye

 

Around this time a bowl of rice is presented.

Short ribs

Skirt Steak

 

Ice cream

  

I am not an expert on beef and the various cuts, but what is extraordinary about this meal is the marked differences in flavor from one cut to the other. Hopefully, I have identified the cuts properly. The quality of the beef is just extraordinary and does come from an American rancher. I also should mention that I am not a beef person and generally prefer fish and small amuse type dishes in the style of Keller or Kinch, but for some reason I find the experience at Totoraku very satisfying. It is not something that I would want to do on a weekly basis, but it is a spectacular way to fully appreciate beef in all its guises.

 

Wines for the evening

1.  '00  Boisson Renard, Puilly fume, Dagueneau...classic Dagueneau flavor, forward and assertive...clean, perfect finish.

 

2.  '00 Y. Gangloff, Cotie Rotie, La Barbarine--great, dense, full bodied Rhone.  It doesn't get any better.

 

3.   '97 Ridge Mataro, this classic Mudeverde, was very well made and perfectly aged in our cellars.   It was very fullbodied and assertive, great flavors.

 

All in all, a wonderful evening with great company, food, and wine.

 

 

 

 

At 6:45, John, a friend and I were seated directly in front of Hiro, completely ready for our adventure. I am hoping that I have identified most of the sushi correctly, but by the sushi portion of the meal, I had already had enough wine so please forgive me if I misidentify an item.The front of the house problems have been solved as Hiro’s sister, Yoshie, is now handling everything; she is wonderful. Hiro’s Korean sous chef has left and is now working at The French Laundry (Corey Lee spirited him away!) Hiro has enlisted his brother-in-law as his sous so Urasawa is truly a family affair.

Hiro-san was as friendly as ever – down-to-earth, warm and willing to explain each and every dish. (As I said earlier, any mistakes in descriptions are my fault entirely.)

Flower Arrangement

1. Okinawan Spring Seaweed with tiny, little shrimp and topped with Gold Flakes. This was to be consumed in one gulp – spring in a bowl!

2. Kinuta Maki – this was a very labor intensive preparation. Red Snapper and Shrimp is laid on nori with shiso and then very thinly sliced daikon encases the fish to resemble a traditional maki roll. It is topped with finely grated yuzu and a slice of pickeled ginger.

3. Goma tofu, Kyoto-style. Tofu made from sesame seeds, stuffed with sweet Uni (urchin "roe"), topped with freshly grated wasabi and gold leaf, served in a light dashi seasoned with shoyu and mirin. I love this dish.

4. Toro Tataki- Ohtoro, from Spain, lightly seared topped with Shiso no Hana flowers, Shiso buds, Radish and Gold Leaf

5. Uni Nikogori – absolutely unbelievable.  Fresh Uni, Small Shrimp, Red snapper, Fish eggs served atop Yama no Imo (Japanese Mountain Yam), topped with Pure Gold Flakes.

Hiro working on a sashimi

 Incredible Ohtoro.

His brother-in-law working on the uni

6. Sashimi served in a hand carved ice bowl. The Sashimi consisted of Ohtoro, Red Snapper and Santa Barbara Uni placed in a manila clam shell. The wasabi is freshly grated, Hiro’s soy sauce is made by him and the gorgeous Iris flower again defined the beautiful seasonality of this dish.

7. Asami Age, a tempura "sandwich" of Fresh Bamboo, Shrimp Paste and more Fresh Bamboo. Many tempura dishes can be greasy – never at Urasawa.

8. The next dish was absolutely amazing. Thinly sliced Hokkaido Beef was topped with Matsutake mushrroms, uni and shiso. Then Hiro rolled up the beef in a roll. We were then presented with a bowl to which Hiro added water so that steam immediately erupted. The beef was being steamed in front of us. The beef sat on a grate and obviously the stones had been heated to piping hot. It was served with a “radish” mixture and Hiro insisted that we use a generous amount of radish.

9. Hoba Yaki - On a giant Hoba Leaf was fresh shrimp, scallop and Hokkaido beef and miso sauce. The dish was being lightly roasted in the Hoba leaf for a couple of minutes over the coals. Yoshie removed the Hoba leaf from the coals to prevent overcooking. Unbelievable.

10. Shabu Shabu with Sweet Shrimp (the shrimp were alive and kicking minutes before), Boston scallop, Hokkaido Beef and Foie Gras. Our waiter did the cooking for us – the scallop took only a second with the foe taking the longest. We were given a soup spoon after the foie had been consumed and then had the Shabu Shabu broth as a soup course.

Sushi next. Hiro was very specific that he wanted us to eat the sushi within 10 seconds of plating. This became quite a challenge for John as he was snapping the photos and I was trying my best to keep up with the proper descriptions. Hiro also explained that he uses less rice than Masa, about 175 grains of rice per piece of sushi. (Again, if I have mislabeled the fish, I apologize.)

Toro

I wrote beef, but it sure doesn’t look like that.

Kanpachi

Tai with Sudachi

Spanish Mackerel

Squid

Uni

Razor Clam

Mushroom

Kohada

Needlefish

Abalone

Giant Clam

Scallop

Spanish Mackerel Tataki

Hokkaido Beef

Baby Shrimp

Eel

Tamago

My notes are a mess on this first dessert – all I wrote was Japanese Plum and Jelly

Sesame Ice Cream with Azuki (Red Bean) and Gold Flakes

Musha – Finely Powdered Green tea

It was an extraordinary evening– certainly not inexpensive, but an experience unlike any other.  

Wines:

1990   Champagne Krug

 

 

 

 

This was a pleasant surprise both in terms of cuisine, ambiance and the over-all hospitality of the place. We arrived and the doorman immediately handled the luggage issues. Escorted to the lobby, a concierge person poured us each a glass of wine and explained the numerous amenities of the property. What a nice beginning!

All of the mini bar items in the room from water, to more bottles of wine and snack bar items are free. The property also has a spa and the staff couldn’t be more cordial and accommodating.

We have known the Chef Cal Stamenov of Marinus for years; he was sous chef under Michel Richard at Citrus. He knew we were coming and had planned a menu for us. There was one preparation for John and one for me. Of course, we shared. Generally, I will let the photos tell the story. Over-all this was a delicous meal that was marked by excellent execution (particularly the fish), "sunshine" ingredients and enough creativity without being fussy.

Amuse #1 - Lobster, Brik Croutons, Avocado Juice

Amuse #2

Poached Beau Soleil Oysters, Potato-Horseradish Gnocchi, Oyster, Shallot, Sherry Veloute and on top a potato crisp topped with California Oscetra Caviar

 Amuse #3

Fava Bean Vichyssoise and Black Truffles with a Grilled Cheese Brioche Sandwich with Black Truffle Slices – This reminded me of Rostang’s famous black truffle sandwich and was delicious.

 

First Course

Blue Fin Tuna Tartare and Foie Gras with yuzu emulsion (the dots) and Meyer lemon confit with truffles

 

Seared Monterey Bay Spot Prawn with Fresh Citrus, Cucumber, Tomato, Brioche Croutons and Chilled Cucumber/Avocado Soup poured on top.

 

Second Course-

Asparagus Ravioli, Parmesan Foam, Asparagus Tips, Cherry Tomato, Parma Proscuitto Breadsticks and Orange Zest

 

Seared Day Boat Scallop, Lobster/Prawn Stuffed Dumpling Topped with Truffles, Braised Leek, Black Truffle Beurre Blanc Sauce

 Third Course

Olive Oil Poached Scottish Salmon with English Pea Risotto, Apple-wood Smoked Bacon, Carbonara Sauce (bacon, cream, butter), English Pea Puree, Baby Garlic

 

Loup de Mer, Saute of Monterey Bay Squid, Cippolini onions, Coco Beans, Green Garlic Puree with Oven-dried Tomatoes

 

Fourth Course

Soft Poached Duck Egg, Duck Proscuitto Cubes, Truffles, Creamy Spinach, Croutons

 

Foie Gras, Duck Breast, Arugula, Duck Gizzard, Duck Jus

 

Fifth Course

Rabbit Loin, Black trumpet Mushrooms, Tomato, Parsnip Puree and a Terrine of Rabbit Shoulder, Leek/Fava Beans, Whole Grain Mustard, Red Wine sauce

 

Japanese Kobe Beef, Black truffle Vinaigrette, Wine Cup Mushrooms, Roasted Beets

 

Sixth Course-

Cheese Course –

Tomme du Berger – cow’s milk, marcona almond

Bleu de Severac – sheep’s milk, quince jam

Correzon – goat’s milk, honeycomb

 

Seventh Course

Meyer Lemon Sorbet, Caramel sauce, Poached Meringue, Tonka Bean

 

Chocolate “Something”

Obviously, this was a superior meal - hopefully the photos tell the story.

Providence is our go to restaurant for a fine dining meal. From the fine cuisine to the gracious service, this is a wonderful experience. Personally, it is our favorite restaurant in Los Angeles.

Amuse #1

From left to right – Greyhound Vodka and grapefruit, Gin and Tonic and Mojito – we have had this before but it is an excellent way to start a meal at Providence – whimsical, refreshing and fun.

 

Close-up of Greyhound

 

Close-up of Gin and Tonic

 

Close-up of Mojito

 

Amuse #2

From left to right – house-cured Tasmanian trout salad with small brown rice "crackers" that resembled puffed rice, goat cheese wrapped in pickled hearts of palm and topped with chopped pistachios, and a mug of warm saffron syrup on the bottom and cold fennel soup on top to be taken in one gulp – delicious with the nod going to the trout.

 Close-up of fennel soup

 

 Close- up of Goat Cheese

Close-up of trout

 

 

First Course - Scallop Sashimi

On one scallop slice was compressed cucumber and oscetra caviar and on the other the cucumber, caviar topped by a sour grass blossom. In the middle was a strip of wasabi cream. Just returning from France and having numerous scallop dishes, this version was definitely the equal of those in France.

 

Second Course - Monkfish Liver terrine.

Underneath the monkfish liver was pickled watermelon radish. To the left were shitake mushrooms and on top of the liver a shitake mushroom and cherry blossom. Then our server poured a bit of soy consomme into the dish. An excellent course.

 

 Third Course - Uni 3 ways

Chef Michael is well aware of my love for uni and this trio was stupendous. Of course, I am going to have to try to that hollowed out egg ‘trick.” The uni was absolutely top-notch quality.

1. In a hollowed out egg, uni almond elmusion to be drunk through a straw

2. Uni with soft scrambled eggs with chives

3. Uni egg custard

Close-up of uni almond emulsion

 Close-up of uni with scrambled eggs

Close-up of uni custard

 

Fourth Course - Abalone

The abalone had been cooked at 110 degrees for 7 hours in a sea bath. It was served with tiny fava beans, seaweed and Meyer lemon. The abalone was melt in your mouth tender plus a wonderful nod to spring with the favas.

 

 

Fifth Course -Salmon Belly

The salmon belly was cooked a la plancha with very crispy skin. In the middle of the plate was braised rhubard with liquid gel, to the left morel mushrooms, smoked spring onion at the top of the plate, and on the far left sour grass and micros lettuce. Absolutely delicious.

 

Sixth Course – Foie Gras

Sauteed Foie Gras with chive blossoms, Porcini Mushrooms, White Asparagus and Aged Balsamic – John started to be attacked by some intestinal problems at this point so he was slowly disintegrating in front of my eyes. The foie was good, but the best foie I have had recently was Passard’s grilled foie.

Arpege foie

Seventh course – Wagyu

A5 Wagyu with Shimeji mushrooms, Peas, Vadouvan Spiced Foam and Jus de beouf – John forgot to take a picture and as I mentioned above, I was losing him. These are pictures of the leftovers that we took home. My personal preference is for the fish courses at Providence.

 

 

We were suppose to have cheese and dessert, but we were forced to call a halt to an excellent meal due to John’s health issues.

Providence is head and shoulders above any restaurant in Los Angeles so it is definitely qualifies as our favorite restaurant.

 

Mai House is one of Drew Niporent [Myriad Restaurant Group] restaurants. We were with a friend of the house, so obviously she was in charge of ordering.

We started with a special cocktail - Tiger Tails - pepper vodka, passionfruit purée, and a pickled Thai chile

Then we basically ate the menu.

 Chinese Sausage Summer roll in rice paper

 

Hot Mushrooms Spring Rollls – Chanterelles, Shitakes, Wood Mushrooms, Soy Cham Sauce

 

Salt and Pepper Cuttlefish - Sweet and Sour Kiwi sauce

 

Spicy Beef and Pomelo Salad - Rau Mam Herb, Chilies, Lime

 

Raw Artichoke Salad - Rau Ram, herbs

 

BBQ Quail, Sticky Rice, Kaffir Lime, Crispy Shallots

 

Clay Pot Organic Chicken, Quail eggs, Lemongrass, Ginger, Chilies

 

Braised Berkshire Pork Belly, Pickled Red cabbage, Coconut Juice

 

Thin Sliced Sizzling Lemongrass Skirt Steak Pandan Scented Sweet Onion 

 

A special of striped bass

 

Stir Fry Saigon Noodles, Bean Curd, Bean spouts, Garlic Chives

 

Dessert –

pandan panna cotta with a layer of curry gelée on top

 

Sorbets

 

An excellent meal.