64 replies to this topic

[Ling]

I had a slightly better impression than Ling. I thought the meal was above average, but not extraordinary.

To clarify, I also thought the food was above average. (I said it was "good" in my comments above.) It was in line with what I expected for the price of the meal, but it didn't leave me thinking this is a place I'd definitely like to go to again.

[tupac17616]

Couple of questions about Providence:

(1) Would it be stupid be visit Providence on a Monday? Many chefs take Monday as their day off, and the servers sometimes use this as an excuse for disappointing food. Should I be afraid of this happening at Providence? Would it be equally as foolish to visit on a Saturday night, when they would be at full capacity and very busy, if that were the only alternative to Monday?

(2) Is it stupid to visit Providence and not order the tasting menu? I am going with my father, who generally doesn't enjoy stronger flavored (fishy) fish, raw fish, or seared tuna, but rather enjoys lobster, scallops, shrimp, salmon, and mild white flesh fish such as bass or snapper. So while I'd love to do the tasting menu, I'm not sure it would be ideal for him. Would they adjust things accordingly if I made his preferences known beforehand?

(3) How is the dessert tasting menu? Is it a good value? Would this be a worthwhile stop after a meal someplace else, or would limiting ourselves to dessert deny us from experiencing what Providence best excels at?

(4) Anyone sat at the chef's table? Is it even an option for a party of 2?

[ulterior epicure]

Couple of questions about Providence:

(1) Would it be stupid be visit Providence on a Monday? Many chefs take Monday as their day off, and the servers sometimes use this as an excuse for disappointing food. Should I be afraid of this happening at Providence? Would it be equally as foolish to visit on a Saturday night, when they would be at full capacity and very busy, if that were the only alternative to Monday?

Ahhh yes, I had though about noting that when you asked about it.... you should call to find out whether the chef will be in on Monday.

u.e.

[rjwong]

Couple of questions about Providence:

(1) Would it be stupid be visit Providence on a Monday? Many chefs take Monday as their day off, and the servers sometimes use this as an excuse for disappointing food. Should I be afraid of this happening at Providence? Would it be equally as foolish to visit on a Saturday night, when they would be at full capacity and very busy, if that were the only alternative to Monday?

Not necessarily on both accounts. Just give a phone call to Providence with your questions.

(2) Is it stupid to visit Providence and not order the tasting menu? I am going with my father, who generally doesn't enjoy stronger flavored (fishy) fish, raw fish, or seared tuna, but rather enjoys lobster, scallops, shrimp, salmon, and mild white flesh fish such as bass or snapper. So while I'd love to do the tasting menu, I'm not sure it would be ideal for him. Would they adjust things accordingly if I made his preferences known beforehand?

No. I'm certain Providence will more than accommodate your father's culinary needs. You can always try the tasting menu the next time. There will be a next time, right??

(3) How is the dessert tasting menu? Is it a good value? Would this be a worthwhile stop after a meal someplace else, or would limiting ourselves to dessert deny us from experiencing what Providence best excels at?

The dessert tasting menu is great! They tend to be savory at times. The avocado/banana puree component of one of the desserts tastes much better than the very first time I had it. Chef Adrian's "breakfast" dessert was outstanding. One time, I decided to drop by later in the evening (10 p.m.) just for the desserts. Again, there's always the next time.

(4) Anyone sat at the chef's table?  Is it even an option for a party of 2?

I haven't. Maybe. You'll have to call and ask.

[russ parsons]

not specific to providence, but most restaurants don't show their best on mondays and saturdays, for the reasons you've mentioned.

[mukki]

We had an unimpressive meal at Providence last week. I thought the food was "good", but was disappointed given the caliber and price. I would definitely not return. One caveat: I had eaten suckling pig at Lucques two days earlier and also stuffed myself at Langers, so perhaps I was coming off a food high.

Three of us had the full tasting menu; one person ordered the wine pairing and thought too many "sweet" wines were served.

Japanese Kanpachi, soy, matsutake, wasabi sorbet: tasty starter, but the highlight was the wasabi sorbet. Compared to the lovely raw fish dishes at Jean-Georges, though, this was a bit boring.

Santa Barbara Sea Urchin Sabayon, served in an eggshell, truffle, brioche croutons: probably the most interesting dish of the night, although the truffle (I assume it was of the summer variety?) was completely lost in the sea urchin. Brioche croutons were a little too large and crusty. I guess the idea was to dip the brioche "soldiers" into the egg, but the sabayon was better eaten with a spoon.

Sweetbread, parsnip/parmesan soup, truffle fondue: I can't even remember this dish. Again, truffle was lost and not worth adding to the dish.

Pork Belly, red beets, cippolini onions, preserved black bean: I've never eaten a pork belly that I didn't like, so I enjoyed this dish. However, it didn't stand out and the other elements didn't really add much to the pork belly.

Monkfish, cranberry beans, squid, chorizo, artichoke: the chorizo came in two forms, a powder and I believe an oil. Monkfish and chorizo were tasty on their own, but I think the latter overwhelmed the delicate monkfish. Cranberry beans were flavorful. Dishes went readily downhill from here.

Quinalt River Wild King Salmon, celery root, red kale, applewood smoked bacon, chanterelle mushrooms: Salmon was very lightly cooked and came across too mushy and flavorless to me. One companion said that hers was fishy, which is unacceptable at a restaurant of this caliber. Again, the additional elements didn't add to the dish at all, a theme which seemed to carry throughout the meal.

Market Cheeses: boring, comprised of cheeses readily available at my local supermarket. One of the cheeses was Red Hawk.

Grapefruit Sorbet, campari, tarragon: not much to say here. Sorbet is generally likeable and this was no exception. Having said that, this didn't hold a candle to the grapefruit sorbet with grapefruit foam I had at WD-50 last year.

Pumpkin Bread, "mole", carrot-coconut ice cream: after all the raves I've heard about desserts here, I was really looking forward to this course. In fact, I was initially disappointed we were only going to get one dessert course. The pumpkin bread wasn't special: it really did taste like regular old pumpkin bread. The "mole" was a dark loose paste that tasted mostly of spice. Not good on its own or with the bread. Ice cream was the best part. Great texture, nice flavor.

[rjwong]

I was going to post this in the Providence thread, but it seems a little dead...

Anyways, anybody been to Providence lately? I'm going in a few weeks and just curious to hear any comments. Thanks!

bump ...

I'm rather partial to Providence. It's definitely one of my favorite restaurants in LA. Michael Cimarusti knows how to cook fish. The dishes keep changing on a regular basis. Desserts by Adrian Vasquez are excellent. I'll have to check whether he's using any liquid nitrogen yet.

[russ parsons]

i'll chip in here, too (though i feel like i ought to note that this is my personal opinion only and doesn't necessarily reflect that of the la times or our restaurant critic). Michael is an old friend and one of my seafood mentors. When the restaurant first opened, I thought it was good, but that at times he might have been trying too hard. I ate there again last month and was completely blown away. it was certainly one of the best meals i've had in los angeles and among the best i've had anywhere. that initial exuberance of his has died down a little and he's editing the dishes much more closely. the result is great ingredients treated in inventive ways but with very pure, natural flavors. and if you go, be sure to have the sommelier pair the wines. he's doing a terrific job.

[AlexNoir]

i'll chip in here, too (though i feel like i ought to note that this is my personal opinion only and doesn't necessarily reflect that of the la times or our restaurant critic). Michael is an old friend and one of my seafood mentors. When the restaurant first opened, I thought it was good, but that at times he might have been trying too hard. I ate there again last month and was completely blown away. it was certainly one of the best meals i've had in los angeles and among the best i've had anywhere. that initial exuberance of his has died down a little and he's editing the dishes much more closely. the result is great ingredients treated in inventive ways but with very pure, natural flavors. and if you go, be sure to have the sommelier pair the wines. he's doing a terrific job.

That's great to hear the positive reviews from both of you, Russ and Russell. Would you say that the wine pairings have improved since your post from about a year ago, Russ ("but to tell the truth, i didn't find their wine pairings to be particularly revelatory")? If so, what would you think contributed to this?

I assume they still have the same tasting menu set-up (5 or 9 courses). Can anyone speak on their experience with the tasting menu? I've had tasting menus where 5 courses seems too much and others where more than that is not. How does Providence's tasting menu's stack up?

I'm really looking forward to this one!

[russ parsons]

1) yes, the wine pairings are greatly improved. They've always had a nice white list, with lots of good values, but putting them together with the right dishes was another matter. the new sommelier is really terrific at choosing wines that complement the specific dishes.

2) I had the chef's tasting menu. I don't remember much of what I ate anymore (except tehse amazing salt-roasted spot prawns), but the pacing and the variety were much improved. at least judging by our menu, they tend to send out a flurry of dishes at the beginning and then gradually increase the time between courses as the meal wears on. works quite well.

[AlexNoir]

Last Saturday the wife and I went to Providence to celebrate our five year anniversary. I know what you’re saying... “Did this guy really take pictures of his anniversary dinner?”. You bet your sweet corn I did.

We decided to go for the 9-course "Full Tasting" menu with wine pairings. The restaurant offers an a la carte menu a 5 and 9 course tasting menu and an 18 course (someone correct me on this if I'm wrong) "Chef's Menu". I was surprised to see when I looked around the place that only one other table was getting any kind of tasting menu (although my powers of perception might have been off that night).

Anyways - less talk more rock.

First Amuse Bouche:
"Gin and Tonic"
The Gin and Tonic was served as a little Jelly. To me this was awesome as I love a good gin and tonic, but was a little strong for my wife. She called this a "Classy Jello Shot".


Second Amuse Bouche:
"Mojito"
Sticking with the cocktail as Amuse theme was this little Sodium Alganate encapsulated mojito. The "glob" as I will call it, had a semi firm outer layer holding the completely viscous insides. I let the glob roll and slide around in my mouth for a while before I finally crushed it letting all the minty mojito goodness drip down my gullet. I thought this was interesting even though the liquid was pretty syrupy and a little rich.


Third Amuse Bouche:
Watermelon, Green Olive and Wasabi.
This was watermelon juice with some watermelon parisienne balls, half a green olive and wasabi. I don't know what else to say other than it was interesting and our green olives got stuck in the bottom of the "shot glass" and didn't want to come out.


First Course:
"Japanese Kanpachi Tartare - hearts of palm, red radish, wasabi creme fraiche"
"Cserszegi Fuszeres, Craftsman 2006"
It can be hard to impress with such an overdone dish as tartare, but when you have a fish that is as insanely fresh and tasty as this Kanpachi, it's probably best to keep it as far away from an open flame as possible. The Kanpachi was accented with hearts of palm (both pickled as well as being used as the "ring" to hold the kanpachi), radish, chives and a wasabi creme fraiche. I had never heard of this particular grape varietal before (I thought Hungary pretty much kept to Tokaji - I know, I know leave me alone), but I am searching it out now. It reminded me of a more aromatic, slightly less acidic Sauvingon Blanc. The pairing was perfect.


Second Course:
"Maine Lobster - yellow beets in two forms, american caviar, tarragon"
"Chateauneuf du Pape, Dom. St. Benoit 2005"
This was one of the highlights of the entire meal. The lobster while not meltingly tender was DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS. I asked the server how they prepared the lobster and he informed me that they first cooked it in a lobster stock, then finished it by poaching in butter. The initial cooking in stock really made a difference. The beets were almost undetectable, but were present in a very thin raw and geleed disk form. The caviar added a very nice salty/briny quality to the rich lobster. The tarragon was fried and out of place, but good none the less. The Ch. du Pape was a singing pair with the lobster. So far, so good (great).


Third Course:
"Bobby's Block Island Sea Scallops - tutti frutti farms sweet peas, vadouvan, pea shoots, salsify, bacon"
"Riesling Kabinett, Max Grunhauser 2006"
Yes.

Yes, this was the best course of the entire meal. It was unbelievably tasty, interesting, and fun all at the same time. Of course bacon and scallops are great together. However, the bacon was NOT gratuitous and played more of a staring role with the peas and salsify. The pea shoots were on the plate as a wonderfully sweet puree. The most interesting - not to mention the reason this dish was "THE BEST" - was the vadouvan, which was presented in the form of a foam. Vadouvan as it was explained to us by our server is a Curry that comes from the South of France. Yes, there was that usual curry flavor, but there was also more of an acidic backing to the curry that made it pair with the scallop like PB&J. The Riesling was as you might guess delicious and paired *perfectly* (I know this is getting redundant).


Fourth Course:
"Wild Japanese Medai - tongues of fire beans, artichoke, bell peppers, olive oil"
"Bourgogne, Leroy 1997"
Even though the aforementioned scallop was the "best" course of the night, the medai is the most haunting. Almost a week later I am still contemplating the amazing flavors of this dish that I realize now I didn't fully *get* at the time. This was my first experience with Japanese Medai and I have no other frame of reference in which to compare it. It is a white, slightly oily fish. The chef barely cooked this leaving the natural flavor of this beatiful fish intact. The accompaniments to the fish were of equal greatness. The beans, while not something I would have initially thought of as a great complement to the fish, added a nice protein-rich addition to the dish. The julienned bell peppers and cucumbers that garnished the fish were very aromatic and refreshing. The "olive oil" was incorporated into the broth at the base of the dish (instead of a heavy and over-powering sauce). Both my wife and I were trying every method to suck up every last drop of this "broth". This dish was light and deft without comprimising flavor. The Chardonnay worked well. It was not too oaky and did not over power this delicate dish.


Fifth Course:
"Wild King Salmon (Columbia River) - slow roasted, burdock root, shimeji mushrooms, sake"
"Schiava, St. Magdalener 2005"
Unfortunately, this was the only lull in the entire meal. Don't ask me to give you one specific reason why this dish didn't kick my ass as it clearly should have. The salmon was prepared perfectly - fully cooked, even though it seemed almost rare. I would even go as far as to say that this was the best salmon I've ever had. That said, I wasn't blown away. The burdock, mushrooms, sauce and sake foam were all good, but not great and did not stand out to me. Now it's time to discuss that crazy thing crawling on my wife's plate. Yes, don't let your eyes deceive you - that is a "salmon chip" (although her's was more like salmon popcorn). No doubt the chip was tasty and held all the delicious qualities one looks for in a "chip" (salmony fishiness, crispity crunchiness and let's not forget - fish skin). All kidding aside, the chip was good, interesting and a fun conversation piece. It added a *CRUNCH* to a dish containing an otherwise meltingly tender piece of fish. The wine was good on it's own but didn't seem to pair particularly well with the salmon.


Sixth Course:
"Medallion of Veal - medium rare, endive, morel mushrooms, asparagus"
"Nebbiolo, Martin & Weyrich 2002"
After five courses of seafood I was ready for some friggin' meat and this dish did not disappoint. The veal was beyond tender and, like every protein served, perfectly cooked. The morels were a perfect foil to go with the luscious veal. The asparagus was a but under-cooked for my taste and I really could have gone without them. That red thing you see in the photo is some sort of roasted/confit tomato contraption. I enjoyed the depth of flavor on this component, although I thought that when eaten with the veal, it over-powered the subtle flavor of the meat. Again the morels and the veal were the stars of this dish. The Nebbiolo from CA Central Coast was a lovely pairing.


Seventh Course:
"Market Cheeses"
"Montefalco Rosso, Arnaldo Caprai 2003"
My knowledge of cheese can fit inside a "Sandwich" sized plastic baggy. That's not to say I know "a little" bit about cheese - that would be a complement. That being said, when our server rolled out the cheese cart and asked what type of cheese we like, my response was "I don't know anything about cheese" (ie "HELP ME"). Our server was kind enough to oblige and hooked a brother up. The only thing I can comment on in light of my extreme cheese ignorance is that the hard cheese from Spain in the upper right hand corner of the photo was good. REALLY GOOD. I almost attacked my wife with my fork over it. The vino was good and went well with some of the milder cheeses.


Eight Course:
"Kalamansi - mango, cardamon"
Not so much of a course as much as a "Pre-Dessert". This was identical to the mojito amuse, except the Kalamansi (a tangerine like citrus from the Philippines) took the place of the mojito. It was kind of hard to tell where the Kalamansi started and the mango stopped as the liquid was, much like the mojito amuse, very syrupy and heavy. Once I let the flavors dissipate my palate felt much more refreshed and not quite as assaulted.


Ninth Course:
"Blackberries - avocado puree, corn tortilla ice cream"
"Late Harvest Syrah, Jaffurs 2005"
This was certainly an interesting dessert. While I love a good ol' fashioned sweet-tooth dessert, nothing makes me happier when the savory aspect of a dessert can meld with the sweet. Let me preface this by saying that every component of this dish had some kind of sweetness to it (even the avocado). The crushed corn tortilla chips were a little hard/stale but added a much appreciated crunch. The corn tortilla ice cream is simply AMAZING. I've been toying around with a corn infused ice cream and this was like a dream come true. The blackberry gelee and the raw blackberries seemed a little out of place. I know what they were trying to do to add a tart component to the dish, but I felt like the blackberries were more of an afterthought. The wine was OK, but did not add anything to the dessert. I might have preferred a late harvest viognier or riesling instead.


Petit Fours:
Red Currant Jelly, Weird Sweet Savory and *Spicy* Caramel and Chocolate Cookie


At this point, I ordered some coffee (which was fantastic) and le check. The meal was just under four bills. I was a little worried about how I would fare after eight glasses of wine, but I was honestly OK (I wish I could say the same for my wife who was properly blitzed at about the 7th course mark). The fact that the meal was spaced out over 3 hours certainly helped. A side note on the wines: It was an additional $45 for the wine service (eight of the nine courses). This works out to $5.63 a glass. Almost all the wines retail for under $25 a bottle. The fact that 6 out of 8 pairings were good, I would say that this is an awesome value. While you're not getting an experience like Bin 8945 with more of an "experimental" pairing experience, the wine service was totally solid.

I’m not going to pretend to know where Providence ranks in the “Best restaurant in LA” argument because I simply haven’t been to enough restaurants in LA. I will say without any reservations that Providence was the most exciting and inspiring meal I have ever had. Furthermore, I have to say that the set up of the tasting menu was so well established, paced and presented that not at one moment did I feel full or rushed. The idea of only having one course out of nine containing any kind of meat really made the entire meal seem light and fluid. I can't say when but some how, some way, I WILL BE going back to Providence for that Chef's Menu.

[babern38]

Had a great meal at Providence last Friday. We had the full tasting menu which was quite similar to the description poster above with pictures except for a few minor variations. I really enjoyed the wine pairings as there were many unique varieties I have not tasted previously. The cheese course was fabulous and the dessert has made us look forward to returning for one of the many dessert tastings.

[AlexNoir]

Had a great meal at Providence last Friday.  We had the full tasting menu which was quite similar to the description poster above with pictures except for a few minor variations.  I really enjoyed the wine pairings as there were many unique varieties I have not tasted previously.  The cheese course was fabulous and the dessert has made us look forward to returning for one of the many dessert tastings.

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your meal at Providence. Do you mind if I ask what was different from my meal to yours? Did you have the same dessert, and if so, what did you think?

[babern38]

I forgot to ask for a menu so I can't be too specific. I do remember not having the salmon crisp and that there were different accompaniments to the veal (no asparagus). Nothing too major. We did have a different dessert due to dietary restriction, which was the litchi-shiso sorbet with passion fruit gelee and soy coconut soup. The waiter had commented that he thought it was a better dessert than what normally came with the menu. We really enjoyed it as it was lighter than chocolate and very refreshing. Besides, you get enough rich chocolate flavor with the mignardises.

I am definitely interested in returning for a dessert only tasting.

[kai-m]

I read something about a "worst table" at Providence - which one is it upon entering the main dining room and how can we avoid being seated there?

Also, is it nicer to sit in the patio than in the main dining room? (Or could it be too cold in the last week of september, which is when we have our current reservation)

And are there some "signature dishes" that we should try out?

thanks
best
kai

[rjwong]

I read something about a "worst table" at Providence - which one is it upon entering the main dining room and how can we avoid being seated there?

Also, is it nicer to sit in the patio than in the main dining room? (Or could it be too cold in the last week of september, which is when we have our current reservation)

And are there some "signature dishes" that we should try out?

thanks
best
kai

The "worst table" at Providence is not bad at all. That was where I was seated during my first time there. The photo I took back in 2006 shows the curtain to the left and an entrance door to the right. Behind me would be the enclosed patio area. The patio area has heaters installed above.

I don't recall any "signature dishes." The Santa Barbara spot prawns are great, if they're available. Looking at my previous post, I noticed how chef Michael Cimarusti still likes to use Tasmanian sea trout.

[sygyzy]

I thought Providence was above average with some really standout dishes but not blow away good. I thought their service was quite good to excellent and very friendly. I also appreciated the staff sounding like they knew what they were talking about. I believe they did, unlike many other restaurants. Considering I am not made of money, and there are dozens of other LA restaurants I haven't tried, I'll exhaust those options first before returning, probably.

[kai-m]

On our visit to Los Angeles in september we had a very good to excellent meal at Providence.

We came from Chicago, were we had an excellent meal at Alinea, so the stakes (that he right word?) were rather high...and what can I say: my fiancee at least liked Providence even better! (Me, I think it is too different to compare)


Anyway: I don't want to list all the courses, but rather give an overall impression. We had the 8-course-menu (the first dessert on the menu is not a 9th course, but a very small pre-dessert) for 120,-. The product quality was top notch from start to finish - I have rarely had such a quality fish at a restaurant.

We got 6 amuses bouches in 2 courses - especially the 2nd three were terrific.
The dishes of the menu are not what one would consider very "modern" or "avant garde". Providence features, in my opinion, a very product-oriented cuisine, that tries to enhance to qualities and bring out the flavor of the central ingredient, especially when it comes to fish. The dishes might even seem "simple" to some, but I would rather call it a "reduction" in the best sense.
The flavor-palette is mostly very delicate and subtle - but not without bursts of very intense aromes (a wonderful red-wine-reduction with the grilled salmon).

The weakest part of the meal was the dessert, I must say: a not very inspired pairing of milk chocolate and banana; the coffee&urfa ice cream was good, a bit too peppery, though. The pre-dessert (raisin, pear, curry, hazelnut) on the other hand was outstanding, as were the petits fours and the pralinés, that you can get at the restauarnt in a little box (thanks, russell!!).

This was our 2nd visit to the restaurant (see above) and the menu was clearly a step forward from 2 years ago. But looking back, apart from the overall product quality Iam still not sure if I really see a 2nd michelin* here - can't wait to see the upcoming results...

Regarding the service: Greeting by the host was a bit formal, not what one (or a foreigner at least) would expect in california. But overall the atmosphere was very nice and very relaxed. Providence is elegant, but not stuffy or a (thank god!) "hipster hot spot" - it is a place for "normal" people who go to a restaurant for the food and are able to appreciate first rate cuisine.

Service (by Steve) was excellent - and what a nice coincidence: they even have a german waiter!

I just find it sad that virtually no american finde dining restaurant offers american sparkling wines by the glass - especially for interested foreigners this would be really great (and I don't go to the US to drink overpriced french champagne...)

Apart from that I have just two critical remarks: when you order the 5-course-menu you seemingly get less amuses bouches than when you order the full tasting and no pre-dessert. This didn't concern us here, since we had the full tasting; nevertheless I find this a bit ungenerous (I don't know if this is the right english expression). Such a "2-class"-treatment would be unthinkable in europe.

Same goes for the fact that they charge you extra when you exchange one course from the tasting menu with a similar course from the a la carte menu - very strange...

Nevertheless, Providence will always be on my list for visits in LA.

Edited by kai-m, 12 October 2008 - 03:23 PM.

[kai-m]

Congratulations on the second Michelin star**!!

There were moments in our meal where I saw it coming (and there were moments, where I didn't...).

[tupac17616]

The weakest part of the meal was the dessert, I must say: a not very inspired pairing of milk chocolate and banana; the coffee&urfa ice cream was good, a bit too peppery, though. The pre-dessert (raisin, pear, curry, hazelnut) on the other hand was outstanding, as were the petits fours and the pralinés, that you can get at the restauarnt in a little box (thanks, russell!!).

Funny how tastes can vary. I was at Providence (1st visit) at the end of September, and I thought the desserts were wonderful. For me, Adrian Vasquez's desserts were maybe the most compelling desserts I've had in California, for that matter (aside from Deanie Fox, formerly of Manresa, now of Ubuntu). We did the chef's menu, and the desserts were:

pear cider, pear sorbet, tuile

mango / litchi-pandan sorbet / coconut soup with thai flavors

sous-vide jonalicious apple / barley ice cream, pine nut purée, north star dried cherries

milk chocolate, banana, coffee-urfa

burnt caramel ice cream / chocolate, gingerbread, pears

white chocolate lollipop, liquid (yuzu?) center

If (or when) I get a chance to spend a few days in LA again, I'm going to Providence twice. Once for the chef's menu, and once for the dessert tasting menu.

[kai-m]

We had the "milk chocolate, banana, coffee-urfa" - it was nice, of course. But not half as intriguing as the pre-dessert, which, I think, was similar to your "Pear" dessert, only with curry added.

But I kow too little about the california restaurant scene to compare those desserts to those at other places (but if Providence's are "the best" in the state, well...).

Anyway: You had 6 desserts? So I guess that the "chefs menu" is the "full tasting" plus those numerous desserts? Had I known that I would have ordered that menu, too.
(And in this case there seems to be no need to come twice, since you get like 2-in-1: the full tasting *and* the dessert tasting...).

Edited by kai-m, 21 October 2008 - 05:33 PM.

[rjwong]

kai,

I'm glad that you liked your dinner at Providence. I was very happy to meet all of you. As for the little box, Das macht nichts!

The "chef's tasting menu" is different from the 5-course tasting menu or 9-course (aka full tasting menu). In the chef's tasting menu, you allow the chef to create a tasting menu for you. The courses are not necessarily listed on the printed menu and can be quite creative.

The "dessert tasting menu" is Adrian Vasquez's list of dessert creations, and is separate from any of the other tasting menus previously mentioned. You can double-check that on their website.

A diner can have a dessert tasting menu in 3, 5 or 8 courses. Some go to Providence just for the dessert tasting menu, no disrespect to that savory chef Michael Cimarusti. Admittedly, I sometimes go to Providence late at night at around 9-10 p.m., sit at the bar and have a drink and one of Adrian's desserts. To me, it's exciting when he adds a new dessert on the list that night and of course, I want to try it. On my first visit to Providence, I remember having a chocolate chip cookie powder served on an Asian soup spoon. Boy, I wouldn't mind snorting tasting that again ...

[tupac17616]

We had the "milk chocolate, banana, coffee-urfa" - it was nice, of course. But not half as intriguing as the pre-dessert, which, I think, was similar to your "Pear" dessert, only with curry added.

But I kow too little about the california restaurant scene to compare those desserts to those at other places (but if Providence's are "the best" in the state, well...).

Anyway: You had 6 desserts? So I guess that the "chefs menu" is the "full tasting" plus those numerous desserts? Had I known that I would have ordered that menu, too.
(And in this case there seems to be no need to come twice, since you get like 2-in-1: the full tasting *and* the dessert tasting...).

The pear was a pre-dessert, and it might have had some kind of curry. To tell you the truth, my memory's a bit hazy on that one.
The white chocolate lollipop was the very last little bite, in lieu of the petits fours / mignardises it sounds like you received.
The chef's menu included 4 full desserts and those two extras.
Next time I want all 8.

I suppose it all depends on what counts as a course and what doesn't, but we had 19 little plates that night. I don't recall the price breakdown, but with the chef's menu, a supplement for the salt-roasted prawns, and four or five glasses of wine, I want to say it came to around $300pp. Not cheap by any means, but like you, I will certainly keep this place on my LA list. I can't imagine future trips without both Urasawa and Providence, really.

Lastly, I would never be so bold as to call anything "the best". I just meant that to my taste, they were some of the desserts I have most enjoyed here. California is, in my opinion, just not home to many great pastry chefs, either traditional or innovative, in the way that, say, NYC is. But that's a topic for another thread...

[tupac17616]

Okay, I'm slow, but better late than never, right? Right? Guys?

Seriously, though, pics are HERE and my thoughts are below...

“Waste makes waist,” I told Adam. The wine was running freely and so were my thoughts. He looked inspired, and by inspired I mean confused. But I explained: the whole “portion control” fad has gone too far. I feared the evil empire of moderation had somehow gotten to him, too. We don’t tear pages out of books to read better or leave sports games at halftime to more fully appreciate them. Why should food be any different? And frankly, leaving pork belly as succulent as the piece we were served at Providence lonely and uneaten on the plate says a lot about a man’s character. I mean, yeah we had just finished lunch at Pizzeria Mozza an hour before this. And maybe those two pizzas (each) had been a little filling. But where was Adam’s integrity? I thought the man had values.

I tried to help, though. Really, I did. Mozza is only 6 blocks away from Providence. So to digest (or whatever normal people do between meals) after that late lunch, I suggested we walk over to set up a reservation in person. I explained our situation to the host: Adam had a plane to catch later on, but we (and by we, I mean I) wanted the longest menu that Chef Michael Cimarusti could dream up that night. If we came in, say, right when they opened the doors for service that evening, could they just make sure to fill the next several hours with as much good food and wine as possible?

The host was a nice guy, and this scenario is probably not one he sees every day, so I tried not to take offense when he suggested that the 5-course prix fixe could easily have us in and out in under 2 hours. Nor did I put any stock in his warning that we would be the only people in the restaurant if we came in early. This was LA, after all. Maybe he assumed our focus during dinner might actually be someplace other than the 12 inch circle of porcelain in front of us. Still unsure if our goal had been properly conveyed but not wanting to belabor it much more, we made the 5:30 reservation and came back at the appointed hour.

Never much for pre-dinner cocktails, we started instead with champagne — Nicolas Feuillatte Brut. To my slight chagrin, they still brought us menus. We stubbornly didn’t open them, but the waiter began to explain, “So, a bit about the menu: You can order a la carte, or a 5-course tasting, or the 9-course…” But what we would really like, if possible, is the chef’s menu, I said. Adam then asked the waiter what that experience is like, and he replied, simply, “Intense.” Adam looked terrified. I looked like I’d just received news of a job promotion or a new grandchild.

Our first bites were cocktails of the edible variety – greyhound, mojito, gin and tonic. Served in cute little El Bulli spoons, the spherified greyhound had the slightly bitter pucker effect of grapefruit and the mojito held a refreshing burst of fresh mint and a lingering rum flavor. The gin and tonic was in a little block of sugar-coated gelée, and with a squeeze of fresh lime juice it also kick-started our taste buds for what was to come.

The bread guy approached the table and I knew right way that we would be friends. Only friends bring you warm bacon brioche, chive rolls, and focaccia along with soft butter and coarse sea salt. The butter wasn’t life-changing, but I’ve turned into a butter snob as of late, so don’t listen to me. But the bread was really great. I understand that me putting butter on the bacon brioche is a bit excessive. But, mmmm… sweet, sweet excess. I had probably 3 or 4 rounds of each type of bread during the course of the meal, as Adam looked on in horror amazement.

A long slate tile held our next three dishes, the first of which was kanpachi, fresh wasabi, umeboshi, yuzu. The raw kanpachi was of exceptional quality. Maybe not can-we-please-pause-for-a-moment-of-silence quality like Urasawa’s, but still really nice. I loved the salty, sweet, sour, and cold pickled plum granita as a backdrop for the fish, and the wasabi and yuzu sang loud hot and sour notes on the finish. Really a nice combination of flavors and texture.

The simply titled uni egg/caviar was a cool, smooth sea urchin panna cotta dotted with bright green chive oil and a gel made from soy sauce, gilded with a dollop of Ossetra caviar. When you dug to the bottom of the eggshell, little tongues of sea urchin roe were waiting beneath like treasures on the ocean floor. Granted, I don’t have any pictures of that part. I just don’t have that kind of discipline. But this dish was delicious.

I saved the strongest flavors — hog island oyster, chorizo gelée, lime, cilantro — for last. The salty combination of the oyster, the gelée, and little bits of diced chorizo was just a bit overwhelming. But pork and mollusks do play together pretty nicely, I must say. The punch of acidity from the lime helped brighten things up. I also enjoyed the texture of this dish, with the viscous gelée giving way to the pleasantly chewy oyster and chorizo.

Next came a compelling rendition of tuna tartare — turnip, crispy soba, red jalapeño, green onions. Aside from the very fresh and flavorful fish, for me it was the “crispy soba” that made this dish. These little granules of puffed buckwheat had the texture of puffed rice, but with a much nuttier flavor that was truly addictive. Every bite brought me back to my Rice Krispies days as the soba snapped, crackled and popped in my mouth while I chewed through the tender chunks of tuna. But the sweet veil of daikon and the peppery (but not spicy) slivers of jalapeño were enough to remind me that this was no breakfast cereal.

A single, plump diver scallop — summer truffle vinaigrette, baby artichokes, juliet tomatoes was beautifully cooked. It was caramelized and crisp on the top, but ultra-soft and nearly raw on the inside. The summer truffles didn’t lend much aroma, but earthiness of the warm vinaigrette made a delicious duo with the naturally sweet scallop. The artichokes and the sweet little tomatoes were also intensely flavorful. This for me was a dish that worked on all levels.

Next up was more beautifully cooked fish: turbot — burdock, shiso, lemon. I had no idea what burdock was before this, but I feel a lot healthier now that I’ve read about its medicinal properties. After biting into this fish, I also felt a lot humbler knowing that the cooks at Providence can cook fish a hell of a lot better than I can. Just like the scallop before it, the turbot tiptoed the line between raw and cooked. Turbot is a relatively firm-fleshed fish, but we were able to cut through this one like warm butter. The burdock, shiso and lemon lent slight sweetness and refreshing acidity to the subtly flavored fish.

Adam’s appetite had long since been faltering, and he had already pushed a few half-finished plates my way (which, it goes without saying, I finished dutifully). Frankly, I was worried. But when he did the same with the pork belly — kyoho grapes, pickled ramps, mizuna, I think I cried tears of joy. For me this was clearly the best dish we’d had up to this point, and I was glad to help a friend in need by finishing every last bit of it. The pork belly was so tender that it was almost creamy. Hell, it was almost spreadable. Like foie gras, like sea urchin, like butter. I considered rubbing a bit on my face like lotion, but then I got distracted by the crispy skin. Two crispy tiles of it were laid on top of the dish for a salty, brittle contrast. The sweetness of the grapes, the acidic punch from the pickled ramps, and the rich fattiness of the pork belly was an intoxicatingly savory combination. I could’ve easily eaten two of these. Oh wait, I did.

I have yet to mention that the assistant sommelier, Diane De Luca, was just great — delightful to interact with and incredibly knowledgeable. To pair with the next dish, she poured a glass of Kanchiku junmai daiginjo sake that I thought was very well-chosen. Definitely on the dry side, and frankly not something I would have enjoyed drinking on its own, the sake felt viscous and almost syrupy on the palate. Yet it had none of the sweetness I usually associate with that mouthfeel in wine, and instead had just a tiny bit of residual sugar that barely shined through against the bracing minerality.

I was worried that the previous meat course meant that we were reaching the end of the savory portion of the meal, but much to my delight we went back to more fish: black sea bass — matsutake mushrooms, sake, rosemary. I bent down toward the plate, eyes closed, and as always I let my nose do the tasting first. The rosemary and the matsutakes (not called pine mushrooms for nothing) filled the air with the aroma of the forest floor — earthy, rich, and piney. The sake foam was warm and buttery. I heard a quiet little crunch as my knife broke through the crispy skin to get to the delicate flesh below. A bite. And a smile.

Diane began to describe the Girlan 2005 Gewürztraminer Aimé DOC she was pouring for our next course, but suddenly conversation stopped. Eyes turned toward the entrance of the dining room. Donato Poto — GM, co-owner, and maitre d’ — had just entered, wheeling a huge cast iron dish full of salt toward our table. We could hear the quiet sizzle as he prepared our salt roasted santa barbara spot prawns – rosemary, lemon, olive oil…

I had specifically mentioned this spot prawn preparation earlier, and they happily obliged my request to work this into our tasting. This dish was depressing on two levels. One, it tasted so damn good that I was somehow able to justify the $11 per prawn supplement. And two, after this dish and the kuruma ebi at Urasawa the night before, I feared that eating shrimp outside of these two restaurants ever again could be a futile and pointless activity. Mr. Poto shook the salt off and split the prawns down the middle. Then they were given nothing but a liberal dose of Castelas extra virgin olive oil from Provence and wedges of lemon. I’m not even sure shrimp shells are digestible, to be honest, but I couldn’t have cared less. From head to tail, these prawns were delicious.

Next up was freshwater japanese eel — crushed potato with truffle, sweetbreads, eel jus. This dish had one foot on land and one in the water. Or rather, both feet splashing around somewhere in between. The eel was paired with earthy flavors — potatoes and truffles — while the sweetbreads were sauced with the eel jus and coupled with fava beans. I thought both combinations worked pretty well. With the backdrop of the potatoes and the truffle sauce, the eel seemed almost meaty. And the sweetbreads, meanwhile, almost seemed light, a rare achievement with this very rich, fatty piece of offal.

Diane came by again with Craggy Range 2005 Te Kahu, a merlot blend from New Zealand, to go with the lamb, shoulder and saddle — grilled green apple eggplant, cuisse de poulet shallots, compote of tomato, black olive. The great fish cookery we had seen so far didn’t preclude them from turning out some great meat, too. The herb-crusted lamb saddle was roasted to a beautiful rosy pink. A small puck of deep-fried shoulder confit had a crispy exterior that gave way to tender strands of meat on the inside. The meat in combination with the eggplant, tomato, and shallot was wonderful, making me forget all about the fact that, in general, I’m not the biggest fan of black olives.

It was about time for Adam to go, but he's a smart man -- he waited until after the cheese selection. After the server’s explanation of every cheese on the cart, we chose four: La Peral, a cow’s milk blue from Spain; Sally Jackson “Sheep” from Washington; Le Maréchal, a raw cow’s milk cheese from Switzerland; and Selles sur Cher (P. Jacquin) a French goat cheese. I wasn’t really feeling Sally Jackson, though I enjoyed all the rest. The show-stealer was La Peral. Granted, on the plate it looked like a wet brown paper bag with blue crayons in it. But it sure did taste good. It had this kind of pungent hit up front, but finished with a wonderful lingering creaminess. The accoutrements, aside from the way-too-strong black olive marmalade, were also quite nice.

Adam had to leave, but a reliever was ready in the bullpen. A friend of mine with whom I had driven to LA had come to meet me at the restaurant for our ride home. ”Hey, great timing! Why not enjoy a few desserts before the long drive back?”, I urged her. ”To give us some, uh, energy. Yeah, that’s it…” Hell, I wasn’t going to let a lonely midnight ride up I-5 come between me and dessert. You must be kidding.

The pre-dessert (a lovely concept, no?) was raisin, pear, ras el hanout, hazelnut. With the huge flavors packed into this mini-mug, pastry chef Adrian Vasquez certainly grabbed my attention and would not let go of it until the end of the meal. I alternated between sipping the spiced pear soup and just breathing in its intoxicating aroma. The crispy hazelnut tuile and pear-raisin sorbet, meanwhile, were like an open-faced ice cream sandwich, emitting a cold, staccato crunch every time I sunk my teeth into it. With just these few mouthfuls of food, Chef Vasquez had me at hello.

Moving from North Africa to southeast Asia, our next dessert was mango, litchi-pandan sorbet, coconut soup with thai flavors. It’s powerful when a chef can play with food in a way that plays with your memory. This dessert brought me back to Bangkok earlier this year. The soup showcased the delicious sweetness of coconut milk but kept it in check with the assertively peppery, anise flavor of Thai basil. Somewhere between taste and smell, I sensed a subtle similarity between the flavor of the sorbet and the sweet aroma of jasmine rice (which, come to find out, shares the same aroma compound as pandan). Several little tapioca balls were chewy and squishy buoys in the soup, adding yet another texture to complement the diced fresh mango and a few shreds of fresh coconut. The combination of everything together was sweet, spicy and herbal all at once.

That was followed with sous-vide jonalicious apple, barley ice cream, pine nut purée, north star dried cherries. These apple wedges were sweet, tart, and juicy. Just tender enough to dig a fork into, they stood up well to the slow-cooking without disintegrating like other varieties might have. The pine nut purée was smooth and salty, the barley ice cream cold and nutty, and the dried cherry sweet but not cloying. Like the prior desserts, every voice sang well together but none too loud as to overpower the others.

Inspired by Turkish coffee, the pastry chef’s next offering was milk chocolate, banana, coffee-urfa. You may have seen this twisted chocolate ganache featured in such restaurants as wd~50 or Alinea. An idea originated, as far as I know, by Alex Stupak, you have to admit it is pretty cool looking. Fortunately, it tastes good, too, and Adrian Vasquez gave it some nice friends to play with. The pudding-like milk chocolate got some extra sweetness from the banana slices, but a strong peppery kick in the back of the throat came from the urfa. Taken separately, these two very different flavor elements would have pushed too far one way or the other, but together I really enjoyed them.

I thought we were done, but happily I was wrong: burnt caramel ice cream, chocolate, gingerbread, pears was yet to come. The caramel base of the ice cream was taken to that magical point where sugar reveals not one flavor but thousands all at once. Bitter, sweet, rich, deep, complex — it was all of these and more. The gingerbread crumbs beneath it added spice and texture to the mix. On the other side of the plate, a moist cube of gingerbread came with chocolate ganache, little balls of poached pears, and a pear foam. Another pair of clean plates were sent back to the kitchen.

One last bite — a white chocolate and kalamansi lollipop. An explosion of sour liquid hit my tongue when I popped the lollipop into my mouth and bit through the thin white chocolate shell. A small wedge of candied kalamansi peel was on top of the lollipop, a note of sweetness to balance things out in a similar way the shell did with its lingering flavor of cocoa butter.

Whether you look at that one single bite or all the desserts as a whole, the sweet finish of the meal was a clear indication to me that Adrian Vasquez is truly a special talent. And certainly Chef Michael Cimarusti and Chef de Cuisine Yu Min Lin had given us a progression of savory courses that was no less compelling. I can hardly imagine a better weekend of LA eating than what we had just finished — Urasawa one night, and Providence the next. Paradise for raw fish followed by paradise for cooked. I will definitely be back to Providence. Only next time, in addition to the chef’s tasting menu, I think I’ll tack on the full eight-course dessert tasting menu. And maybe eat only one pizza at Mozza beforehand. Maybe.

[mbernstein]

This may be a little belated, but I had a very good dinner at Providence last August. I had the Market Menu with wine pairing (menu similar menu to the one posted with photos above). Highlights for me were "bobby's block island sea scallops", Tenderloin of veal, a linguine with truffles that I ordered on the side.

After I have been to some restaurants very well regarded (Urasawa, Providence, Sona, Patina, Spago (too many years ago)), I would say that Providence was the restaurant that gave me the more overall satisfaction. Urasawa is at the same level (maybe a little bit above) but pricewise it makes you think twice. Not sure I will repeat any time soon, but Providence I will for sure, specially with the pairing. It is a reasonable deal.

Sona, I went last week, very disappointing. Good presentation, service OK but with an irritating tendency of self praise (delicious this, super tasty that, marvelous whatever). The diners should be doing the praise, not the staff. To be honest, everything seemed a little blend. Even the fois gras. They maitre said nobody ever complained. But who would: "oh, this fois gras not so good". I wonder how many marveled at it. The tastes seemed to compete with the fois. Not that the tastes were so strong, but the fois did not shine at all.

That said, I guess what propelled me to write was not really Providence itself, but actually Patina where I've been this evening. As I haven't written about Providence before and this thread seems more active than Patina's I took the liberty.

I took the tasting. Amouse Bouche was nice, fish with black beans soup, which reminded a lot what we have in Brazil. It was nice, not more than that. Main fish courses (Crusted Tuna Belly and Alaskan King Slamon) were very unremarkable. Well done, but...unremarkable. Fish at the amouse was tastier.

Meat courses were way better. Sauteed Fois Gras with huckleberries and chocolate was delicious (as the one from Sona was expected to be!). Perfect cooking, the sauce adding a touch to the Fois, but not overcoming it. American Kobe Beef with sweet potato tempura in its reduction sauce was really good. Very tasty, the meat came almost rare as I have ordered, huum... I preferred its execution to the one I had at Urasawa. I probably don't understand much of Kobe beef but, that's my taste.

But what really propelled me to write was the desert (after reading about Providence's desert discussion above). What came to my table really made me voice my ooohs, and aaahs. It was a Chocolate Truffle with actual Black truffles along with withe chocolate sorbet with white truffles, bedded over "baby" apple compote. I was stroked by it. Surprising, unexpected, delicious. Wow. One of the best and most interesting deserts I have ever had. Actually I asked another one to make sure, and even stuffed I could not stop praising it. Amazing. I wonder if it is just me or if anybody here shares my enthusiasm.

[ulterior epicure]

But what really propelled me to write was the desert (after reading about Providence's desert discussion above). What came to my table really made me voice my ooohs, and aaahs. It was a Chocolate Truffle with actual Black truffles along with withe chocolate sorbet with white truffles, bedded over "baby" apple compote. I was stroked by it. Surprising, unexpected, delicious. Wow. One of the best and most interesting deserts I have ever had. Actually I asked another one to make sure, and even stuffed I could not stop praising it. Amazing. I wonder if it is just me or if anybody here shares my enthusiasm.

mbernstein - I've had a few "truffled truffles" and truffled desserts and they've all be really enjoyable to me. But I'm particularly susceptible to the pungent aroma of truffles (white, especially). I know that some are not particularly keen on the ingredient or smell.

As I wrote in a recent blogpost about such a dessert, "White truffles take well to cream, and I suppose it is only natural to pair it with white chocolate, however absurd that might sound."

At any rate, it thanks for posting this - I've been meaning to visit Providence for quite some time and you've provided one more reason. I'll have to make sure I go during truffle season.

[kai-m]

mbernstein: Iam not sure I (and UE) got you right - did you have this marvellous truffle dessert at Providence or at Patina?

greetings

[tupac17616]

Where does one get truffles -- black or white -- in August?

[mbernstein]

The to my taste excellent desert with truffles was at Patina, although I mentioned that I thought Providence was the most consistent meal.

My dinner at Patina was on January 18 as mentioned above, thus their truffles, I guess. If Tupac was referring to the truffled course at Providence in August, I believe they used Summer Truffles - http://en.wikipedia....#Summer_truffle.

I hope Ulterior Epicure was not mislead (BTW the desert he mentioned seems really good). Although I agree with his conclusion. If I had to recommend one of these restaurants to try first, it would be Providence.

But of course it is never too much to remind that this is all very personal (including my reaction to the mentioned desert). After all, my business is to make films... I remember, for instance, Kai-m (who I greet back) and I have had very different impressions from La Pergola in Rome which still has a very fond place in my gourmet journeys even after going to more renowned restaurants. And I mention this for no argumentative reason, just as a proviso.

Hope this clarifies. And warns!

[ulterior epicure]

I hope Ulterior Epicure was not mislead (BTW the desert he mentioned seems really good). Although I agree with his conclusion. If I had to recommend one of these restaurants to try first, it would be Providence.

No harm done. Haven't made any reservations yet.