ink. (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

Ink Restaurant
8360 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
323.651.5866
www.mvink.com
Thu 10/27/2011, 07:30p-09:45p



After my first visit to Michael Voltaggio's Ink, the Chef facetiously asked me to "give him at least a week" next time. Well, I gave him much more than that for this latest visit.


The menu this time around, fortunately, was nearly completely different than that of my previous dinner, and I applaud the Chef for the velocity at which he's changing things up--makes for great replay value. Click for larger versions.


rum [$12.00] | lime, house grenadine, green chartreuse
Devon Espinosa's cocktails, too, have changed, and we started out with his new rum-based one. It was quite fetching, with the herbaceous zing of the Chartreuse playing off the lime nicely, all while the rum added weight and gravity to the drink.


kale [$12.00] | burrata, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin preserves, yuzu
We kicked things off with a non-traditional salad of sorts. There were some really smart flavors going on here, with the creaminess of the burrata deftly balancing out the astringent kale, all under overarching notes of tangy yuzu. My favorite part here though was the smokiness imparted by the pepitas, as well as the pumpkin purée, which served to ground the dish with a restrained sweetness.


octopus and hiramasa [$16.00] | romaine hearts, fried caesar dressing
Both the octopus and the yellowtail amberjack were delightfully textured, and perked up by some great tart flavors. I loved the crispness imparted by the lettuce here, while the cuboids of caesar imparted a delicious depth and body to things, tying everything together. A standout dish for us.


bigeye tuna [$15.00] | parsnip-sesame cream, grapefruit, soy gel
Big eye tuna was mild and clean, with the soy gel providing a touch of umami-soaked flair that recalled the eating of sashimi, though some bites were overly salty. I appreciated the complexity and lusciousness imparted by the parsnip cream here, while the bits of bread helped moderate the dish. The key, though, was the grapefruit, which provided a much needed levity to things.


charred avocado [$11.00] | hen of the woods, whipped fish sauce, mushroom chicharrón
Another highlight of the evening was the avocado, which showed off a fantastic creaminess that went surprisingly well with the earthy relish of the maitakes, while the fish sauce added savory, yet ethereal overtones of pungency to the dish that I really enjoyed. The best part of the course, however, were the mushroom chips--I wanted an entire bag to myself!


beef tartare [$15.00] | horseradish, hearts of palm, sea bean chimichurri
Next up was perhaps the most fascinating beef tartar that I've had. The meat itself here was actually pretty mild, so what was interesting were its various accoutrements. The sea beans contributed a marked salinity to things that amped up the beef nicely, while the horseradish supplied pricks of piquancy to the dish. I also liked the tartness of the red onion gelée, as well as the rye tuiles for texture.


aviation gin [$13.00] | red bell pepper, agave, parfait amour
Our next drink was Espinosa's take on the classic Aviation cocktail, which conveyed a great interplay between the gin and the floral tang of the Parfait d'Amour, while the agave added body and sweetness to things. I didn't get too much from the bell pepper, though.


brussels sprouts [$10.00] | pig ears, house-cured lardo, apple
Brussels sprouts and pig ears, two of my favorite things to eat, together at last. The sprouts' innate astringency was adroitly augmented by the bitterness of char, while a veil of lardo served to provide a palpable gravity to the crisp veggies. If that wasn't good enough, strings of fried pig ear showed off a superb mix of crunchy and supple textures, while providing a shot of saltiness to the fray.


bay scallops [$14.00] | lamb neck and chickpea poutine, yogurt curds
Here was Voltaggio's version of poutine, substituting chickpea for fries, lamb for gravy, and yogurt for cheese, while also throwing scallops, fennel, and chive into the mix. The whole thing taken together was actually pretty delicious. Amazingly, the scallops weren't overpowered by all the other ingredients at play, and still were able to convey their inherent sweetness and salinity just fine. The lamb, of course, served up dark, meaty flavors, tempered a bit by the relative austerity of the garbanzo cylinders, and I appreciated the lightening effect of the herbs as well.


berkshire pork [$22.00] | charcoal crust, macaroni and cheese, leeks
Pork was undeniably tender, with a delectable porcine goodness balanced by a substantial amount of astringency from the meat's charcoal crust. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but I quickly warmed up to the countervailing bitterness at play. What I wasn't as keen on was the onion, which I found a touch sweet.


pinot noir [$18.00] | soliste, "narcisse", sonoma coast 2008
In preparation for our final savory course of the night, we opted for a wine, the 2008 Narcisse Pinot Noir from Soliste in Sonoma County. It was delectable, with a light body and plenty of cherry and berry flavors, laced with a bit of smoky savoriness.


wagyu hanger steak [$25.00] | turnips, coffee-cardamom soil, mustard, vadouvan
Hanger steak, not surprisingly, was stupendously beefy. It actually paired pretty well with the vadouvan, which imparted an Indian-inspired flair to the dish that was further enhanced by the coffee-cardamom combo. Meanwhile, the turnips, mustard, and greenery worked hard to counteract the strong flavors at play, sometimes succeeding in the effort.


apple [$9.00] | crème caramel, burnt wood sabayon, walnut
Desserts haven't witnessed as much turnover as the rest of the menu, but they have been refined. Take, for example, Voltaggio's apple dessert, which now had burnt wood sabayon in place of burnt wood ice cream. I thoroughly enjoyed the previous iteration, but this was arguably even better. The apple and caramel formed a wonderfully sugary complex together, while the frozen nitro sabayon contributed a restrained savoriness to the mix that filled out the dish perfectly. Very nice.

Ink appears to be still going strong. What's interesting is that Voltaggio seems to have veered toward the more adventurous in terms of taste. Previously, despite the progressive technique and plating utilized, many of the flavor profiles here were relatively familiar, comforting even. Now, it seems like the Chef is trying for the more experimental, more ambitious, and from what I've eaten, it appears that he's pulling it off. I'm very curious to see how the restaurant and its food progresses in the coming months, especially with the implementation of the omakase option in January.

'Pri-ve at Tiato (Santa Monica, CA)

Prive Molecular Pop-Up Restaurant at Tiato
2700 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404
323.460.2645
www.chefryancarson.com
Thu 12/15/2011, 07:00p-11:30p



Regular readers may recall Ryan Carson's 16-course degustation at AnQi earlier this year. It was, without a doubt, one of the best meals that I've had in Orange County, and as such, I wasn't terribly surprised to find out that the Chef recently left the restaurant to pursue his own venture. Carson is in the midst of planning a boutique eatery, to be opened somewhere in Los Angeles in the middle of 2012. However, he'll be popping up here and there in the meantime (initially at both AnQi and Tiato--he's still very friendly with the An family), and I was very curious to see what the Chef had been up to.

About the Chef: A California native, Carson began his culinary career at the age of 15, working as a dishwasher at PCH Grill in Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel. He excelled under the tutelage of Executive Chef Bill Orton, and eventually became a Sous at the resort. Following, Carson was recruited by Andrew Sutton (from Napa's Auberge Du Soleil) to open Napa Rose, and after two years there, went to work under Adam Baird at Robert Mondavi's Golden Vine Winery. At this point, Carson decided to pursue formal training, and thus enrolled at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. During his tenure there, he worked stages at a number of notable eateries, including Gary Danko, Aqua, Farallon, and Jardiniere.

After graduation, Carson went back to Napa Rose, where he would meet Sous Chef Michael Rossi. The two eventually became inseparable, and when Rossi left to become Exec Chef at Ambrosia in Santa Ana, Carson followed suit. Their relationship there lasted three years, but Rossi eventually left the restaurant, leaving the 27-year-old Carson as Ambrosia's new Executive Chef. Given the freedom of running his own kitchen, the Chef began incorporating avant garde flourishes into his food, which eventually caught the eye of Elizabeth An, who subsequently brought Carson over to run things at AnQi, replacing former chefs Jacob Kear (ex-Lukshon) and Daniel Barron.


Tonight, Carson dished up an eight-course tasting menu with wine pairing for a not-too-unreasonable $100. Click for a larger version.


Canapé: welcome dish | cherry tomato, crab and cucumber soup
A quick bite to start the meal came courtesy of "Mama" Helene An. It was a refreshingly tasty morsel, with the inherent sweetness of the crab playing off the tomato nicely, while the cucumber provided an overarching lightness to the mix.


Amuse Bouche: champagne & caviar
Next up was a reworking of a dish that I'd had before at AnQi, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to the previous version. There was a nice interplay going on between the unabashedly salty tang of the caviar and the sugary, vinous Champagne gelée. However, the amuse was missing its chocolate "fizzy" tab, and as a result, lacked the effervescence that I was hoping for, as well as the soothing effect of the chocolate.


1: octopus mosaic | squid ink noodle, tomato dashi, eggplant, white asparagus, chorizo
'09 domaines merlin cherrier, sancerre
Octopus was rather lovely, with a supple, snappy consistency and a subtle flavor that was deftly augmented by the paired dashi jelly. I also appreciated the hint of spice and savoriness imparted by the chorizo, as well as the bright crunch of the asparagus spears. However, the coldness of the eggplant ice cream was too jarring for me, and the noodles were somewhat lost in the fray. There was a lot going on here, so perhaps the plate just needed a bit of editing.


2: iberico ham | tuscan melons, manchego, soy-balsamic gel, sour olive oil, black sesame
'10 domaines ott, bandol
Jamón Ibérico formed the base to this classic, but reinvented pairing of ham and melon. The interaction between salty and sugary flavors was on point here, and I especially enjoyed the piquant counterpoints provided by the soy-balsamic and olive oil. My favorite element in this course, however, were the sesame chips, which imparted a fantastic, earthy, nutty essence to the dish that wrapped things up beautifully.


3: all things oyster | chicken, plant, mushroom, mignonette, coconut pearl, sea vapor
'10 belleruche, cotes-du-rhone
The ocean-y aromas of "sea vapor" set the stage for this next course, which was a sort of a play on words. Chicken oysters are two small chunks of dark meat on the bird, and here they were put to great use--supple, immensely savory, delicious nuggets of goodness. They were complemented by the roots of the oyster plant, as well as the subtle sweetness of the coconut globules. However, I really wish that the essence of actual oyster was more forcefully conveyed.


4: head to tail | radishes, wax beans, sea bean, brown butter, sweet & sour tangerine
'10 kings estate, pinot noir, oregon
Head to tail brought us a pig's head terrine and a pig's tail fried fritter. I began with the fromage de tête, and found it rather enjoyable, with a delightful mix of simultaneously sweet, tangy, and salty flavors. As good as the head was, the tail was even better, probably my favorite bite of the entire meal in fact, a gorgeous mix of lush and crispy textures with a profoundly porcine relish that, when paired with the sesame, gave it a fantastic Asian flair--yum!


Intermezzo: beet & lemon
A palate cleanser countered the innate sugariness of beets with the tartness of lemon foam, while grapes served to moderate the course and add some textural variation.


5: steak & potatoes | celeriac creamed spinach, black garlic, bone marrow, truffled 'tater tots'
'09 bodega colone, malbec, mendoza, argentina
Our final savory course comprised the Chef's take on "steak and potatoes," and boy did it deliver. The steak itself was flawless, utterly spot on, cooked to a perfect temperature and brimming with plenty of bovine savor. However, it also went well with the tempering taste of the spinach, and I appreciated the mushroom as well. The "Tater Tots," meanwhile, were almost gnocchi-esque with their pillow-y consistency, and paired swimmingly with their sauce of bone marrow.


6: chocolate | banana emulsion, 'chewy' peanut butter ice cream, iced celery, pretzel
alcyone, urugyuan tannat
Carson lacks a pastry chef at the moment, so he's currently doing all the desserts by himself. His presentation of the now-ubiquitous flexible chocolate ganache was very respectable, with the rich, dense chocolate playing well with the classic combination of peanut butter and banana. At the same time though, I really enjoyed the levity imparted by the celery, as well as the crunch and slight saltiness of the pretzel powder. Quite nice, actually.


Chef Ryan Carson, along with Chef de Cuisine Matt Ranney (AnQi, Fleur de Lys, Daniel Boulud Brasserie, Crow Bar & Kitchen, Ambrosia) and Sous Chef Erick Lee.

Although this meal didn't reach the lofty levels of his previous dinner at AnQi, Carson still managed to deliver an intriguing dining experience, but not without a couple of quibbles. I think his cooking is best when he doesn't try to do too much or overreach with the molecular modernist flourishes, but instead strikes an oft delicate balance between taste and technique. Nevertheless, I'm curious to see what the Chef comes up with at his own place. It'll be a small, ~30 seat affair, replete with an omakase counter (think Ink), so I'll definitely be on the lookout for that.

Picca (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

Picca Peru Restaurant
9575 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035
310.277.0133
www.piccaperu.com
Wed 12/14/2011, 08:30p-11:00p



On December 20th, Opinionated About Dining released its annual recounting of Best Meals from various chefs and other food influentials, and I was honored to be included in that list. If you're unfamiliar with OAD, it's a New York-based dining survey and restaurant guide, founded by Steven Plotnicki and based on user-submitted ratings (go here to partake). OAD has always had an East Coast slant, but Plotnicki and company are aiming to relieve some of that bias. You might recall that they hosted a dinner at Providence in June, and to garner even more participation for next year's guide, Plotnicki recently organized a couple of dinners in LA, including one at Ricardo Zarate's perpetually packed Peruvian, Picca.


Picca's latest menu is shown above. Now, we didn't go through all 50 or so courses like last time, though we did manage 16 dishes and a corresponding number of libations. Click for larger versions.


causa snow crab [$6.00] | cucumber, avocado, huancaina sauce
causa spicy yellowtail [$7.00] | spicy mayo, green onions, wasabi tobiko
We kicked things off with dual octets of causa "sushi." I began with the crab, and appreciated the sweetness of the meat, intermixed with the creamy Huancaína sauce and moderated by the base of potato. The yellowtail was just as tasty, with a delightful prick of heat that balanced out the inherent salinity of the fish nicely.


albacore ceviche | cucumber, rocoto
A special of the evening, albacore tuna arrived lightly cooked and accompanied by a rocoto-infused leche de tigre and cucumber. The fish worked well with its tangy, slightly spicy marinade, while the cucumber imparted a refreshing note to the dish.


chicharron de costillas [$10.00] | crispy pork ribs crostini, sweet potato puree, feta cheese sauce, salsa criolla
I've had this dish a couple times before, and it never fails to impress. Not surprisingly, the pork was the hero here, with its lovely, caramelized crunch and beautiful pork-y flavor. It melded flawlessly with the sweet potato and cheese, while the salsa served to balance out all this weight with a touch of acidity. Just a great medley of disparate tastes and textures.


choritos [$12.00] | steamed mussels, pancetta, aji amarillo butter
Mussels were delicious as well. Plump, snappy, and supple, they showed off a marked brine that was perfectly countered by the combination of salty pancetta and tangy aji flavors.


conchas a la parmesana [$11.00] | scallops, parmesan cheese, spinach, lemon sauce dressing
The scallops, unfortunately, weren't quite as good as I'd had previously. The conchas themselves were solid, as was the countervailing astringency of the spinach and tartness of the lemon. However, the Parm here was just too much for me, masking a lot of the other nuances at play.


anticucho black cod [$14.00] | miso anticucho, crispy sweet potato
Here, Zarate presents his take on the ubiquitous dish of black cod and miso. The fish itself was suitably tender and fatty, with a refined sweetness from the miso that was balanced out by a nice bit of smokiness. The potato, meanwhile, served to add a different textural element to the course.


anticucho tomatoes [$7.00] | burrata, black mint pesto
Juicy orbs of cherry tomato arrived mated with burrata mozzarella and mint pesto, making for a bite that I found reminiscent of a Caprese salad.


anticucho eggplant | aji amarillo
Grilled eggplant formed another special of the night. Given that I'm not a fan of the vegetable, this was about as good as it could've been, with a nice mix of smoky and savory flavors to balance out the eggplant's sweet, dense flesh.


anticucho corazon [$8.00] | beef heart, rocoto walnut sauce
I first fell in love with Zarate's corazon at 2010's Plate by Plate tasting. If anything, his beef heart has only improved since then, with its snappy, satisfying, and somewhat chewy bite and incredible bovine sapor, all bound by a perfect application of heat from the accompany rocoto pepper condiment. Delish.


arroz con erizo [$17.00] | peruvian paella, mixed seafood, sea urchin sauce
Next up was the so-called "Peruvian paella," and boy did it not disappoint. I loved how each item of seafood here--clam, scallop, shrimp--was thoroughly and completely distinct in nature, a perfect showcase of ocean-y, saline savors amped up by the inclusion of sea urchin sauce. A highlight of the evening.


32oz rib eye bone in [$72.00] | marinated in anticucho sauce
And now, Zarate's plato principal: a massive 32-ounce ribeye steak, bathed in anticucho sauce, sous vide'd for eight hours, sliced, and served with a Huancaina condiment. It was an awesome sight to behold, and even more amazing to eat. In fact, it was one of the best rib eyes that I've ever had, with a profoundly beefy character that remained always at the fore, but which also took on different dimensions when complemented by a hint of bitter char and a touch of spice from the rocoto. The accompanying dipping sauce was nice to have, but wasn't even necessary--the steak easily stood on its own.


seco de pato [$15.00] | duck leg confit, black beer sauce, cilantro rice
Rounding out our savories was another one of my favorites. I absolutely adored the duck's supple, luxurious flesh, along with its bold, heady flavors and beautifully crisp skin, all perfectly paired with the accompanying beer sauce and fragrant cilantro rice. A must try.


alfajores [$7.00]
Picca has a new Pastry Chef in the form of Dadi Revivo (formerly of Darioush), and we were excited to try out some of his new desserts. First up were the alfajores, which were basically two cookies joined together here by either dulce de leche or chocolate ganache, then topped with powdered sugar. I found the biscuits nicely crisp, with a mild taste that went well with the dense, sugary centers.


vanilla bean pisco flan [$7.00]
Classic flan flavors were kicked up a notch by a very nuanced hint of pisco tang, then accentuated by a bevy of fruity and floral notes. Beautiful, velvety consistency on this one as well.


bonbon churros [$7.00]
Churros are always a good bet, and here, they arrived light, crisp, and smelling of sweet spice, bursting with their filling of passion fruit cream. Dipping sauces, meanwhile, included dulce de leche, mixed berry, and dark chocolate varieties.


quinoa pudding [$7.00]
We ended with what could be compared to a crema catalana-arroz con leche hybrid. It really was reminiscent of a crème brûlée with its hard, caramelized top and conveyed plenty of sweet, ricey flavors, balanced by the application of fruit. I actually liked it, though some of my dining companions found the gritty texture of the quinoa a tad disconcerting.

Not surprisingly, we enjoyed another strong, satisfying meal from Zarate and company here at Picca. The place was jam-packed, and given the food, that fact shouldn't be surprising at all. Many thanks to Steve Plotnicki and Opinionated About Dining for organizing the event!

CR8 Texture Lab (Los Angeles, CA)

CR8 Texture Lab Underground Dinner
Los Angeles, CA 90021
310.569.4738
www.robertocortez.com
Tue 12/13/2011, 07:00p-12:00a





Particularly astute readers may remember Roberto Cortez from his stint two years ago at the Hatchi series, held at BreadBar. Since then, he's been private cheffing and holding various dinner parties, but mostly in the Santa Barbara area. However, Cortez is in the process of transitioning to Los Angeles proper, and aims to establish himself here via a series of innovative underground dinners. As such, I was invited to attend Cortez's CR8 "Texture Lab" event, held December 13th-15th at a non-descript loft in Downtown LA's Warehouse District. The focus of these dinners was to, in the Chef's own words, highlight the experimentation and exploitation of textures in harmonic and non harmonic balances, in effect using various textures to provoke and stimulate the mind and senses.


For this dinner, Cortez utilized a building currently serving as home to a series of underground brunches (I was previously unaware that such a thing existed!). Therefore, the location came fairly well-equipped in terms of kitchen space. As seen in the photo above, assisting Cortez is Phillipe Sautot, who runs Santa Barbara-based event planning company Events by Philippe.



Cortez kicked things off with one of his cocktail creations, the so-called Frida Ahumada, the Chef's tribute to famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (of whom he is a big fan). The libation comprised mezcal, apple liqueur, poblano, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, honeycomb, and a double dose of smoke, courtesy of both a housemade mesquite-smoked ice cube and the application of PolyScience's Smoking Gun. Upon lifting the specially made coaster, I was consumed with the drink's woody essence, which formed a masterful interplay with the simultaneously sweet and peppery flavors in the cocktail, making for an intriguing experience indeed.


1: un sandwich
We began the meal with a whimsical brown paper bag placed before us, every one customized with each diner's name. Lifting the bag, we were thus treated to our first course, the Chef's deconstructed sandwich, featuring liquid sourdough, "frothy" corned beef, Swiss cheese cracker, egg drops, and a small sprig of dill. It was a beautiful opening, a wonderful marriage of cheesy and beefy tastes in a crunchy wrapper, all moderated by the silky sourdough broth. Classic, comforting flavors, just reimagined.


Cortez's dinners are strictly BYOB, so I made full use of that by bringing along a troika of beers to share. First up was the Infinium, a bière de Champagne resulting from a joint venture between the Boston Beer Company (makers of Samuel Adams) and German brewer Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan. Not surprisingly, the beer showed off some wine-like qualities, with a fruity character accentuated by some lovely notes of spice and a tangible bit of heat.


2: texture roll テクスチャロール
Next up was the Chef's abstracted take on a tempura'd sushi roll. The dish was based on a tartar of wild fluke, made with dashi, lemon, soy, and olive oil. This was then joined by BLiS golden brook trout caviar, finger lime, coriander purée, avocado gel, chive, red jalapeño, nigirizushi "shinmai rice cream," and an orb containing tempura-nori powder. The dish really came together nicely, with the fresh, subtle essence of the fluke serving as a fitting stage on which the other ingredients could really sing. I especially enjoyed the salty kick of the trout roe, the crunchy-crumbly texture and umami-rich flair of the tempura-nori, as well as the vegetal accent of the cilantro.


3: minted crab
Here, we were treated to a mound of Dungeness crab, topped with a whipped lemongrass-crème fraiche gel, served with jerusalem artichoke, roasted yellow pepper, and heirloom tomato waters, then accompanied by a Parmesan cracker and a "ghost spoon" of winter mint pesto bouillon. It was delightful, with the sweet, briny crab taking center stage, joined by the bright flavors of the veggies and the creamy weight of the crème fraiche. At the same time, the pesto imparted just a wonderfully green, aromatic counterpoint to the dish that really tied things together for me, while the Parmesan crisp added a lovely crunchiness and saltiness to the mix.


Fitting for the season, I made sure to bring a Christmas beer, specifically the N'Ice Chouffe Belgian dark ale. This was just as you'd expect, with a marked malty sweetness balanced by delectable spicy and herbaceous flavors.


4: apple discovery
The "Apple Discovery" brought us a log of Fuji apple panna cotta, Arkansas Black apple skin meringue, Crimson apple slices, apple juice, shallot, ginger, pine nut, Thai basil, clove, and sesame powder, all served with a jar of smoked pork belly velouté. I really appreciated how the various facets of the fruit were on display here, joined by the savory, nutty, and spicy flavors of all its various accoutrements. What really made the dish, however, was the addition of the viscous, velvety velouté, which conveyed an almost unfathomable porcine goodness that really drove home the classic pairing of pork and apple.


5: painted kahlo flavors
Given that Cortez is a self-proclaimed "Frida freak," it was no surprise to see him pay homage to her in this next dish, which was even served on a specially-constructed tray. Here, the Chef presents oven-roasted black cod, done with an ancho chile escabeche, puffed red quinoa, caramelized endive, pineapple, honey, nutmeg, and canela, garnished by brush strokes of ancho, pineapple, and parsley "paint." The cod itself was spot on, buttery and soft in consistency, with a subtle savoriness that went well with the sweet spice of fish's multiple accompaniments. My favorite element here, though, was the quinoa, which added an absolutely fantastic crunchiness and earthiness to the dish that just wrapped things up perfectly.


My last beer was the Melange a Trois, a Belgian-style pale ale from Nebraska Brewing Company that's aged in Chardonnay barrels. As such, the brew was very vinous in nature, with a good amount of woodiness and a marked sweetness, accented by flashes of citrus-y tartness.


6: earth's deep perfumes
Given how much of a risotto fiend I am, it's no shock that I had a hard time resisting this next course, an Acquerello carnaroli risotto with a reduction of Intelligentsia Black Cat coffee and Syrah, paired with a spoon-wine glass hybrid of shiitake-morel cappuccino. Talking about the risotto alone, it was tremendous, with a perfectly al dente texture along with a wonderfully rich, luscious character. Somewhat to my amazement, it worked marvelously with the wine-coffee glaze, with the simultaneously sugary and bitter flavors of the sauce playing off the weight of the rice flawlessly. The crunchiness of the bits of coffee bean was a gratifying surprise as well. At the same time, the cappuccino conveyed the pure, earthy, umami-rich essence of the mushrooms to great effect, and linked together with the risotto in wondrous fashion. Très cool.


7: jidori ortolon ceremony
For our final savory course, Cortez was inspired by the famously taboo culinary delight that is the ortolan. Now, given the difficulty of acquiring the bird in the US, the Chef substituted Jidori chicken in three forms: legs confit'd in duck fat then made into rillettes, breast cooked sous vide, and skin fried. To evoke the fattening process of the ortolan, in which the bird is force-fed millet and figs, we had here a fig spherification and pressure cooked millet and hazelnuts. Giving a nod to the process in which the ortolan is killed by drowning in brandy, Cortez includes an Armagnac gelée. And finally, to convey the flavor of the internals of the bird, foie gras is used here as well. If that wasn't enough, a jar of roasted chicken bone-black truffle jus was thrown in for good measure. The end result of all this was something rather special, just an amazing mélange of wonderfully savory flavors, augmented by the heady relishes of the liver, yet punctuated by the piquant counterpoints of the brandy and fig, with the truffle jus providing overtones of earthy opulence that deftly integrated the dish.


A lavender towel set the stage for dessert, enrobing us with its delicately floral bouquet.


8: velvet tenderness
Dessert comprised a rice pudding cremeaux with Indonesian cinnamon, resting atop a citrus brown butter cake, surrounded by five points of mango and lemon pith/peel sauce, all accompanied by an orb of warm salted liquid toffee caramel and a spoonful of almond lavender milk. I began with the milk, and my god, it was fantastic--I wanted an entire pint of its sugary, floral goodness. The toffee caramel was similarly addictive, and served as a faultless foil to the comparatively subdued nature of the rice pudding and cake combo. Meanwhile, the lemon purée added a bittersweet component that definitely helped balance out the saccharine flavors at play.

Compared to what I experienced at Hatchi, I can only say that Cortez has stepped up his cooking dramatically. The food was delicious certainly, but was so much more than that. I loved the whimsy and thematic nature of his plates, as well as the inventiveness and creative blending of tastes and textures going on. This truly was one of the most intriguing, memorable meals that I'd had in a while, and if the Chef can keep executing on the level, he'll be a force to be reckoned with on the underground dining scene to be sure. He might even give Wolvesmouth a run for his money!