Monday, December 30, 2013

Little Sister (Manhattan Beach, CA)

Little Sister Restaurant
1131 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.545.2096
www.littlesistermb.com
Mon 12/30/2013, 07:00p-09:55p




Little Sister Exterior

The launch of David LeFevre's MB Post back in 2011 helped usher in a renewed interest in the Manhattan Beach dining scene, and one of the newest entrants comes in the form of Little Sister, set in the former address of Hamptons and Sun & Moon Cafe. The name makes sense in the context of its "sister" restaurant-slash-brewery Abigaile in Hermosa Beach, a massive, globally-influenced gastropub run by the same partners: Chef Tin Vuong and Jed Sanford. The food here, though, is billed as a sort of pan-Southeast Asian affair, thus more closely reflecting the Chef's heritage.

About the Chef: Chef Vuong traces his roots back to China, but his grandparents had to flee the country when the Communist party seized power, settling in Vietnam. However, the family was forced to relocate once again following the fall of Saigon in 1975, becoming "boat people," first landing in Malaysia, which led to Hawaii, and eventually California's San Gabriel Valley, where Vuong was born in 1980. He grew up in Monterey Park, his mother working as an orthodontist and his father making deals in real estate. The family rarely cooked at home though, preferring to enjoy all culinary delights that the SGV had to offer (and still continues to offer). To please his parents (being a good Asian boy and all), Vuong attended UCLA and attained a degree in economics.

However, upon graduation, he and two friends decided to enroll in culinary school on a whim, and soon found themselves at the California Academy of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. Vuong excelled there, finding cooking a natural fit, and after finishing, took a job at the St. Regis in Monarch Beach, which had opened in July 2001. He quickly made his way up the ranks, eventually reaching the position of Executive Sous Chef after five years. At this point, he transition to Azmin Ghahreman's Sapphire in Laguna Beach, becoming Director of Culinary Operations for the restaurant and all its related business. Vuong then teamed up with friend and fellow Sapphire alum Justin Young (now Little Sister's GM) and Michael Segerstrom (Little Sister's CdC), and the trio started a series of high-end private dinners in the area.

Vuong's next move brought him together with Sanford, who had shuttered his successful Union Cattle Company in Hermosa and replaced it with the considerably more ambitious Abigaile. He replaced opening chef Max DiMare in March 2012, who left after only a month and a half and moved back to San Francisco. Nevertheless, Abigaile was a hit, and the success of that restaurant led the duo to debut Wildcraft Sourdough Pizza in Culver City in February 2013, taking over the old Le Saint Amour spot. Vuong, however, wanted a smaller place, one where he could do the kind of food he really wanted to cook, the kind of food that was close to his heart. Little Sister is that restaurant, and debuted in July to considerable fanfare.

Little Sister Menu
The menu at Little Sister is fairly extensive, extending across multiple categories and spanning the culinary traditions of a wide swath of Southeast Asia (with some of the dishes sounding like they could've come straight from the dearly departed Spice Table), and I'm told that the Chef even incorporates ingredients from his own garden. Click for a larger version.

Little Sister Wine List Little Sister Beer & Sake List
To drink, you won't find cocktails unfortunately, but there is a small but craft-y beer selection (mostly on draught and featuring a number of brews from Abigaile), a pretty good Cali-centric wine list (Vuong has some training as a sommelier), as well as a smattering of sakes (which doesn't seem to make sense given the intensity of the food). Click for larger versions.

ma la beef tartare, pear, pine nuts, quail egg, bone marrow vin
ma la beef tartare, pear, pine nuts, quail egg, bone marrow vin [$12.00]
We had to try the tartar naturally, and I was quite pleased, finding it a really smart update on the classic, with the sweet, tangy elements and creeping spice working hand-in-hand with the beef, all while the nuts added a great crunch to the dish. I was a fan of the salty, crunchy cassava chips as well, though it would've been nice if the mala numbingness were more apparent.

balinese style fried meat balls, banana ketchup
balinese style fried meat balls, banana ketchup [$11.00]
I have a hard time resisting balled meat, so these were a must-order as well. They really were tasty though, just crunchy enough on the outside, yet moist and tender on the inside, hearty and just brimming with a multifaceted spice. The banana condiment was on the sweet-side, yet somehow played near-perfectly with the meatballs, while I appreciated the crunch of those peanuts as well.

grilled pork spring roll
grilled pork spring roll "nem nuong", red leaf lettuce, mint, carrot, cucumber, house sauce [$10.00]
Now, if we're talking about nem nuong spring rolls, nothing really beats those at Brodard, but these came closer than I expected. You had most of the right components in the goi cuon (minus the crispy strip though), but the cohesiveness of it all wasn't quite there, and of course, the sauces, while commendable, didn't reach the lofty levels of Brodard's. That being said, I still enjoyed the rolls a lot, and they're certainly worth a try.

grilled prawns, green papaya, mango, cucumber, onion, cashews, lemongrass-cilantro dressing
grilled prawns, green papaya, mango, cucumber, onion, cashews, lemongrass-cilantro dressing [$18.00]
Vuong's take on the popular papaya salad seems to be a popular dish at the restaurant. It's not hard to see why, with the charred shrimp working well alongside the crisp, refreshing fruit and veggies, while the whole assemblage was underscored by a growing heat and slight minty character. I would've liked a stronger, more assertive dressing to tie it all together though.

red-braised pork belly, crispy shiitake, leek fondue
red-braised pork belly, crispy shiitake, leek fondue [$13.00]
Red-cooked pork belly was a surprise standout, the meat coming out delightfully crisp and full of flavor, with a lovely ratio of lean and fat that I found very satisfying. The use of leek, meanwhile, served to temper the strong flavors at play, and I much appreciated the bitterness of the greens here as well.

vietnamese crepe, 'banh xeo', pork belly, prawns, bean sprout, herbs n' greens, house dressing
vietnamese crepe, 'banh xeo', pork belly, prawns, bean sprout, herbs n' greens, house dressing [$14.00]
I'm generally not a fan of banh xeo, finding the coconut milk that most of 'em have overly sweet. That sweetness, though, was fortunately subdued here, making this one of the best versions I've had, with the prawns and pork really getting a chance to shine along with the crisp, crunchy sprouts. Wrapped in greens and dipped in the accompanying fish sauce, the combination really worked.

bhutanese red rice, dungeness crab, lamb bacon, fried egg
bhutanese red rice, dungeness crab, lamb bacon, fried egg [$17.00]
The red rice reminded me of a similar dish I'd had not too long ago over at Lukshon. The rice itself displayed a really satisfying crispness, chew, and "stickiness" to it that paired well with the salty chunks of lamb tossed in. Also key were the lush bits of egg, not to mention the moderating influence of the greenery present.

saigon lemongrass beef, vermicelli noodle, herbs, cucumbers, chili-lime dressing
saigon lemongrass beef, vermicelli noodle, herbs, cucumbers, chili-lime dressing [$21.00]
Our final savory was a rather large bowl of Vietnamese-style bun thit nuong bo, a worthwhile interpretation of the classic dish. I enjoyed the beef, finding it tender, flavorful, and a fitting foil to the lightness of the noodles and veggies, all while the sweet-sour-spicy nuoc cham-based dressing brought it all together.

Little Sister Dessert Menu
Little Sister lacks a traditional dessert menu. Instead, you get a choice of mini desserts at three for $10, or scoops of ice cream at three for $8. There's also the option of a cheese course, which seems out of place given the food here. Click for a larger version.

earl grey-chocolate chip / malt / fig-almond
earl grey-chocolate chip / malt / fig-almond [$8.00]
Ice cream, unfortunately, isn't house-made, but rather sourced from Pazzo Gelato. Three varieties were offered, and all three were delicious in their own right, with the earl grey being particularly fetching with its great interplay of floral and citrus flavors. Yum.

white chocolate tangerine mousse bar / french macaron of the moment / pumpkin spice mascarpone cake
white chocolate tangerine mousse bar / french macaron of the moment / pumpkin spice mascarpone cake [$10.00]
The dessert trio we chose comprised the mousse bar with its effective blend of chocolate-citrus flavors, a properly autumnal pumpkin spice cake, and two types of macarons: a classic chocolate-hazelnut and a particularly true-to-life blueberry.

You always run a certain risk when doing this type of food in this type of location for this type of crowd, but I think Vuong's done a commendable job translating the cooking of his homeland here. You can argue that some of the finer points might've been lost in the process, but the essence of Southeast Asian cookery remains, plain to see in all its sour, spicy glory. The restaurant sort of represents a much-needed addition to the Manhattan Beach scene, which is exactly what I want to see, and judging by the crowds, I'm not the only one.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Alma (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

Alma Restaurant
952 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015
213.444.0984
www.alma-la.com
Sat 12/28/2013, 08:20p-10:45p




[A Note on Photography: The photos in this report were shot with the new camera and reflect my first real foray into the world of HDR. I used a base exposure of 1/20s + f2.0 @ ISO1600 and bracketed ±1EV, then post-processed in Photomatix Essentials. I'm pretty pleased with the results.]

Alma Exterior

Much has happened to Ari Taymor and his team since my last visit to Alma back in December 2012. LA Magazine named the place one of the Top 10 Best New Restaurants of the year, and in February, it finally received its long-awaited beer and wine license. This was followed up by a three-star review from LA Weekly and a partnership with Venice gardener Courtney Guerra (ex-Meadowood) to supply the restaurant with locally-grown produce (and yes, they're still working on that rooftop garden).

On the personnel front, Chef de Cuisine Brian Maynard (Melisse) replaced Danny Romo, former Beverage Director Chris Yamashiro parted ways, and there's still no pastry chef. Ashleigh Parsons, however, is still running the FOH, as well as heading up the successful Community Outreach Program. The biggest news of the year, though, was Alma's securing of the #1 spot on Bon Appétit's 10 Best New Restaurants list in August. This was the win that made the restaurant part of the national culinary conversation, and one of the most sought after reservations in Los Angeles. Taymor and company have finally arrived; now what?

Alma Tasting Menu Alma Wine List
Well, for starters, Alma switched to a prix fixe-only menu format at the end of November, a move that I'd been wanting to see for a while. Diners are presented with a choice between a five-courser at $65 and a longer, roughly nine-course tasting menu at $110, plus $55 for beverage pairing. Also to drink, you'll now find a compact wine list focused on organic/biodynamic selections, two beers (I'd really like to see more), and one cider. Corkage, meanwhile, is $30, with a limit of two bottles. Click for larger versions.

smoked sturgeon, parsnip & caviar
Instead of amuse bouches, you get "snacks" at Alma, the first of which brought us smoked sturgeon with parsnip pureé, parsnip chip, and caviar. They were tasty little bites, the sweetness of the root veggie playing off of the smoky, salty fish while the parsnip crisp added a nice textural jolt. A promising start.

english muffin with uni, caviar & burrata
Even better were the English muffins with burrata, uni, caviar, and dill. Think a bevy of lush, creamy, salty flavors, all perfectly harmonized and accented by a touch of anise while the muffin gave up a familiar, home-y sort of sensation that made us think of Thomas'. Excellent--I could've used several more of these.

seaweed & tofu beignet, yuzu kosho, lime
Here we come to Taymor's signature starter: seaweed-tofu beignets with yuzukosho-lime. The fritters were a lovely blend of savory, sweet, and salty, loaded with a touch of brine toward the finish and a great pair to the tartness of the accompanying condiment. I've had these a couple times prior, but this time around they just seemed more inspired, more exacting than before, much like the rest of the food.

Slaapmutske, Organic Tripel, Belgium
I ordered one of the two beers available, the Slaapmutske, Organic Tripel, Belgium [$10]. This one went surprisingly fruity on the nose, and that sensation continued on to the tongue, joined by a pleasant yeastiness and quite a bit of malty caramel. Still pretty crisp though, with a bit of underlying booziness.

ember roasted chicken consommé, trout roe & shallot
1: ember roasted chicken consommé, trout roe & shallot
Chardonnay, Domaine de Roally, Viré-Clessé, Burgundy, '11
Our first proper course represented quite possibly the cleverest use of chicken skin I've seen, its unbridled saltiness becoming clearer and clearer the more you processed it on the palate, stealing attention away from the combo of consommé and roe while the shallot moderated the entire interaction.

broken beets & apple with hazelnut & malt
2: broken beets & apple with hazelnut & malt
Zweigelt, Radoar, Loach, Alto Adige, Italy, '11
Hot on the heels of another strong beet course I'd had the previous night at Taco Maria was this beauty. Again, the key was how the sugariness of the beet was balanced, this time by the presence of malted crème fraîche, while the brown butter hazelnuts imparted a nutty, caramel-y crunch to things. I quite enjoyed this with the Zweigelt too, as it tended to temper the strong melon-y notes in the wine.

warm salad of chicory, crab & grapefruit with smoky breadcrumbs
3: warm salad of chicory, crab & grapefruit with smoky breadcrumbs
Sauvignon Blanc, Gerard Boulay, á Chavignol, Sancerre, '12
Again, another very thoughtful, structured course. There was sort of a lot going on, but I appreciated how the crab was always the hero, caught between contrasting forces of earthy breadcrumbs and tart, tangy citrus and Hollandaise. Great wine pairing here too, with the accompany Sauv Blanc conveying an almost shellfish-esque nose but also a surprising amount of fruit when tasted.

beer & rye bread
I was a bit blown away by Taymor's homemade bread during my last visit, and he continued to impress with this beer-rye specimen, a nutty, smoky bread that went gorgeously with the dollop of slick cultured butter to its side.

frozen duck liver with smoked maple, carrot & coffee granola
4: frozen duck liver with smoked maple, carrot & coffee granola
Malvazija, Cotar, Slovenia, '07
Next was undoubtedly one of the best preparations of duck liver (foie gras?) I've tasted. The key was how the liver was frozen with liquid nitrogen, thus appearing crunchy and subtle at first, but growing in intensity as it melted, its offal-y goodness commingling with the bitter, nutty granola and licorice-tinged fennel in flawless fashion. Definitely some wow factor on this one.

slow cooked egg yolk with sunchoke, date & amaranth
slow cooked egg yolk with sunchoke, date & amaranth
5: slow cooked egg yolk with sunchoke, date & amaranth
White Blend Nr. 1, La Clarine Farm, CA, '12
A potage of sunchoke tasted of the season, its inherent sweetness melding with the lushness of the egg to form a hearty, comforting dish, though I would've liked to have seen more from the amaranth to offset the weight of the soup.

Ribela, Sidra Natural, Spain
With the beer gone, we opted for a bottle of the Ribela, Sidra Natural, Spain [$16], a dry, tart, funky cider (just how I like it) that really hit the spot.

roasted sturgeon with potato, pine & cabbage
6: roasted sturgeon with potato, pine & cabbage
Altesse/Jacquère, Jean-Yves Péron, Côtillon des dames, Savoie, '11
The sturgeon was a winner, the fish roasted in cabbage and coming out firm and slightly rare, its salinity on vibrant display, yet evened out by the bright, bitter veggies and pine foam, all while the potato grounded the course. Very good when taken with the paired wine as well, which had a cider-like, almost oxidized quality to it.

pressed chicken with zinfandel, pear, turnip & celery root
7: pressed chicken with zinfandel, pear, turnip & celery root
Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) Trocken Kabinett, Koehler-Ruprecht, Germany, '06
Our last savory of the night brought us both light- and dark-meat chicken, pressed together and sous vide'd. The end result was a tender, moist bird, brimming with classic roast chicken flavor yet enrobed in the earthiness of Oregon black truffle, with the root vegetables offering up a bitter, crunchy contrast to the meat. A satisfying conclusion.

tomme with truffle & black honey
Fromage comprised slivers of Tomme, accompanied by truffle and black honey, an effective, yet lighthearted combination that really showed off the interplay between sweet and salty over a base of the cheese.

frozen carrot & chamomile milk tea
8: frozen carrot & chamomile milk tea
An intermezzo. Frozen carrot tasted remarkably true-to-life, like a concentrated blast of carrot-y sweetness that was somewhat jarring alone, but wisely softened by the floral qualities of the chamomile.

toasted oat & apple with cultured cream & thyme
9: toasted oat & apple with cultured cream & thyme
Aleatico, NV Rappu, Domaine de Gioielli, Corsica
Now, dessert proper. The toasted oat ice cream was superb, conveying an almost cereal-like character to it that I found a surprisingly potent pairing with the fruity, spicy notes on the plate. Very smart, and quite apropos for the holiday season I'd say.

apple pâte de fruit with hazelnut sugar
Last up were apple pâtes de fruits with hazelnut sugar, which I found surprisingly nutty, the fruit unexpectedly subdued.

What a long way Alma has come. Even from the first pop-up, where we were the only two customers in the place (and there were only two people in the kitchen--now the Chef commands no less than six), I saw something in Taymor that I couldn't quite put my finger on, but I figured that he was one to watch. That was nearly two years ago, and the success he's achieved thus far has probably gone beyond what anyone had imagined, but I gather that the best is yet to come. The cooking here has progressed nicely since my last visit, with the food becoming more nuanced, more multifaceted, with more ambitious flavor profiles and a more progressive edge to it. I'm genuinely excited to see where Taymor takes the restaurant; keep an eye out for sure.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Taco Maria (Costa Mesa, CA)

Taco María Restaurant
3313 Hyland Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714.538.8444
www.tacomaria.com
Fri 12/27/2013, 06:40p-09:15p




[A Note on Photography: This was my third outing with the new camera, and my first with a proper lens, a 20mm f1.7 prime. The photos tonight were shot with an exposure of 1/20s + f2.0 @ ISO 3200 and were much more promising, and I'm hoping that my results will improve even further once I get a better handle on both the camera as well as how to optimally post-process.]

The first thing you need to know about the ironically-named Taco Maria is that it's not a taquería. Sure, the taco may make an appearance once in a while, but the cooking here is squarely focused on modern Mexican, the so-called "Chicano Cuisine" of Chef Carlos Salgado that blends mexicano and americano culinary traditions. Named after the long line of mujeres in his family, the restaurant debuted recently at The OC Mix at SoCo Collection, a somewhat hipster-ish (for OC) shopping plaza bordering the 405 that also houses Portola Coffee, ARC, and Shuck Oyster Bar.

About the Chef: Salgado was raised in the city of Orange in a family that operated a series of Mexican restaurants in the area, though he never worked in any of them except during his summers off. He attended Villa Park High School (where Roy Choi went, incidentally), and found himself in a career in tech/video games/Web development, working at a few start-ups and small companies in the Irvine area. However, Salgado decided to leave the field in 2002, and later moved up to San Francisco to start his culinary career. His first real job in the biz came in 2004, when he took a position under Pastry Chef Boris Portnoy at Vernon Morales' Winterland. After six months, he took over Portnoy's role, but didn't stay at the restaurant too long.

Salgado enrolled at the California Culinary Academy, graduating in 2006. Following, he joined the ranks at Daniel Patterson's Michelin two-star Coi, working under Jake Godby and eventually making his way around the various stations in the kitchen. He would wind up taking over for Godby, and even implemented a baking program at the restaurant. After three years at Coi, he moved on in June 2009, teaming with James Syhabout to open Commis in Oakland. Commis was well received (even gaining a Michelin star), but Salgado left in May 2011, replaced by Kyle Caporicci (Campton Place, Coi).

He ended up moving back home to Orange County with the idea of reinventing his family's 25-year-old restaurant, La Siesta, after his parents started thinking of selling it. Salgado partnered with his sister Silvia and launched the Taco Maria lonchera in 2011, which was originally meant to be an extension of La Siesta and part of their catering operation, but the haute food truck became a smashing success in its own right. However, a truck was never the end goal. A permanent location was, and so Taco Maria, the truck, ceased operation in April 2013. The siblings then put their collective efforts into debuting a brick-and-mortar place, the result of which is Taco Maria, the restaurant, which bowed in late August, inspired by the progressive chefs of Mexico and their alta cocina movement. Joining Salgado here is Roland Rubalcava of the former Rubalcava's Market and Bakery in Placentia, who's doing the tortillas.

Taco Maria Interior
Taco Maria has an indoor-outdoor setup, and the inside space is on the small side, featuring three tables seating eight, as well as an eight-seater chef's counter facing the open kitchen and its wood-fired grill. Much more space is available on the patio.

Taco Maria Menu Taco Drink Menu Taco Maria Wine List
As for Taco Maria's menu, the thing to get is the four-course prix fixe at $46, plus $24 for wine pairing, while an à la carte lunch is available as well. If you opt out of the pairing, you'll find a smattering of beers (including michelada) and a small wine list, with corkage priced at $40/$20 (first/subsequent bottles, waived for each bottle purchased). Click for larger versions.

Prosecco Sangria
We began with a welcome cocktail, a citrus-Prosecco sangria basically. It was as refreshing as you'd imagine, a burst of tart, citrus-y tastes with a pleasantly boozy undercurrent from the sparkling wine.

Sunchoke Chips, Chorizo Aioli
Our amuse bouche comprised sunchoke chips and a chorizo aioli. The chips themselves were delightfully savory and crisp, sort of like papas fritas, but "stickier" and a touch sweeter. They were delectable alone, but the piquant dip, imbued with just the slightest hint of chorizo heat, really completed the dish.

BETABELES
1a: BETABELES | beet, avocado, fromage blanc, pistachio, pea tendrils
2012 Caballero de Castilla Verdejo Castilla La Mancha Spain
The first proper course was what amounted to one of the best beet salads I've had. The sweetness of the offending ingredient was apparent sure, but not in my face, and worked flawlessly with its various accompaniments: the tart citrus, lush cheese, bitter greens, and nutty, crunchy, salty pistachios--everything had its place, making for an eminently balanced dish.

AGUACHILE
1b: AGUACHILE | local rockfish crudo, serrano, guava, Ensenada olive oil
2007 Peregrine Riesling Central Otago New Zealand
Salgado's take on aguachile was quite something. The broth had a real fire to it--a blast of sour, spicy goodness that lingered on and on, a strident counterpoint to that silky fish, impeccably dotted (via tweezers I'm sure) with micro herbs and micro radish. Olive oil, meanwhile, brought it all together, but the most interesting element here was clearly that island of guava, which was simultaneously disconcerting yet somehow crucial to the dish.

'CAESAR'
2a: 'CAESAR' | pacific sardine, celtuce, egg yolk, parmigiano, sourdough
2012 Ca d'Maria Langhe Arneis Langhe Italy
Next was no doubt one of the best renditions of Caesar salad I've tasted. The hero here was that sardine, its wonderfully fishy notes recalling a fine Japanese saba. The brine really permeated the dish, pulling in the runny egg, crispy croutons, salty cheese, and juicy celtuce and making for a cohesive whole. Of all the courses we had, this was the one that seemed to most recall the culinary sensibilities of Commis.

TAMAL de CALABAZA
2b: TAMAL de CALABAZA | winter squash, queso fresco, lime blossom honey, pipian verde
2008 Gustave Lorenz Pinot Gris Réserve d'Alsace France
Salgado's tamal was true to form, really showing off the inherent goodness of masa dough. The use of winter squash steered the dish overly sweet and floral for me, but I could see where he was going with it. I really enjoyed that pipián verde though, which helped tame the sugary notes present.

Salsa Negra
At this point, our server brought out the Chef's homemade salsa negra, which is composed of dried chile de árbol, black garlic, cumin, and oil. It's got a good amount of heat to it, but it's a tangy, smoky, creeping spice that sticks with you. This stuff was seriously addictive, and you sort of want to put it on everything, which Salgado doesn't necessarily discourage.

JARDINERO
3a: JARDINERO | shiitake, stinging nettles, shishito peppers, queso Oaxaca
2011 Juana del Sol Malbec Mendoza Argentina
One of the highlights of the meal was certainly the mushrooms. The potent, umami-laced essence of those shiitakes was just so forcefully displayed here, bound by the astringency of the nettles while the cheese just added a fantastic richness to the mix. A hearty, heavy course, but utterly satisfying, and arguably even better with a sprinkle of "black sauce."

POZOLE de MOLUSCOS
3b: POZOLE de MOLUSCOS | shellfish, heirloom hominy, brassicas, lime
2011 Paco & Lola Albariño Rias Baixas Spain
The pozole was another winner for me. I loved the hominy here, its texture and earthy savor really grounding the course, a base on which the salinity of the shellfish could really sing against a backdrop of bitter brassicas. The whisper of lime tartness was much appreciated as well, and again, this was another candidate for the application of that salsa negra.

ARROZ con POLLO
4a: ARROZ con POLLO | Jidori chicken, toasted farro, pear, fennel
2011 Eola Hills Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Oregon
Here we had what amounted to the schmanciest arroz con pollo I've had, but also the best. The bird itself was pretty fantastic, all juicy and tender and full of flavor, with a wonderfully crisp bit of skin to boot. The use of farro, though, was what set the dish apart, imparting a satisfying bite and nuttiness to the fray. And if that wasn't enough, you had those slivers of pear giving up the perfect amount of juicy, offsetting brightness. Another favorite of mine.

CACHETE
4b: CACHETE | pork confit, cattle beans, persimmon, chrysanthemum
2012 Cachette Grenache Noir Gard France
We ended with some of the tenderest pork cheek around, a bounty of deep, dark, piggy flavors that was reined in by the copious amounts of citrus here. I quite enjoyed the beans as well, which did a great job mixing things up texturally while really moderating the course.

michelada
michelada [$8.00] | Victoria lime chile
With our wines dispensed with, we requested a couple more bebidas, starting with the Michelada, a spicy, sour, salty concoction that ended up being one of the better versions I've had.

primer beso
primer beso [$8.00] | Vya Dry Vermouth meyer lemon soda
The Primer Beso, on the other hand, was pretty much the polar opposite of the michelada, coming out light and refreshing, with juicy overtones of lemon enveloping the drink.

Quesadilla
I'd heard that the kitchen here turns out a pretty mean quesadilla (an off-menu item originally meant for kids), so naturally I had to ask for one. Turns out it might've been the strongest example of the staple I've had. It was just the tortilla and cheese and nothing else, but that simplicity was absolutely key, the two components in total harmony (though a dash of that salsa negra didn't hurt either!).

Pecan Polvorones
One of the ironies here is that Taco Maria doesn't serve a real dessert, despite Salgado's considerable training in the craft (though I hear they're looking for a proper pastry chef). Instead, we were given pecan polvorones (a.k.a. "wedding cookies"), basically some lovely shortbread bites spiced with what I believe was cinnamon.

So as it turns out, one of my most promising meals of year has come at the very end of 2013. Salgado's cooking is both comforting, familiar even, yet simultaneously exciting, modern, with a lot of potential; it gives us a taste of the alta cocina that we've been lacking all this time. I really applaud what the Chef's doing, opening up such a place in a somewhat difficult environment, being OC and all that. I'm hoping that he can keeping pushing here, turning out longer, more complex menus that could rival something you might expect to find in the D.F. This is one to watch.