Downtown LA Dining

[arkestra]

you can also get a lunch deal at R23. their fixed sushi lunch is $12 (if i recall correctly). they also have other specials (including cooked food). a few doors down from R23, you can find cafe metropol, a nice, very casual place, with very decent food (sandwiches, salads, pizza, etc.). cafe metropol

[dfunghi]

I worked in downtown during my last year in SoCal. For lunch, do not miss Angelique on Spring Street -- .

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A gem of a place in DT LA for sure.

Also head east to the San Gabriel valley for some dim sum ( 888 seafood to name one) or any number of HK style dinner palaces or sezchuan at 301( C ) Garvey ( was hua's now called yun gui) for the hottest most delish sezchuan food in America.

Head north to Highland park along York ave. in the 50's for amazing mexican food.

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/02/counter-gold.php

Head to Korea Town just west of DT for Americas best Korean Food

[Radio7]

Just wanted to mention, I went to "Langers" about a month ago and had some very good cabbage rolls!

[Rebel Rose]

It's been brought to my attention that several restaurant groups are planning heavy expansion into the LA Downtown center to coincide with the area's planned development of its older buildings into downtown residences and lofts.

213 Ventures, which owns the Golden Gopher, is planning new restaurants in the area . . . and apparently several firms are looking at blueprints for upscale restaurants.

The Pacific Electric Building is being renovated into 314 lofts of 600 to 3,000 sqare feet, as part of LA's "historic loft adaptive reuse project." The building will also feature onsite parking, rooftop swimming pool, spa, gardens and dog run, business center, and library lounge. New stores and restaurants will cover the 20,000 sq.ft. ground floor, and a new restaurant is planned for the old Jonathan Club ballroom on the top floor. And this is all in just one building.

Apparently the whole LA District is being revitalized along the Manhattan Beach model. Sort of a "Millenium Manhattan," west-coast style.

Hopefully we'll be seeing some exciting changes in downtown LA dining soon?

[rjwong]

The changes are beginning to come in.

This past year, a couple of major chain restaurants have arrived with great popularity: Daily Grill and Roy's. Hopefully, a major grocery store will open in downtown LA within the next two years. Personally, I'm hoping for Trader Joe's to set up a store here.

If you're interested, here's a link to downtown LA's weekly newspaper: LA Downtown News

It's pretty exciting watching all these positive changes going on in downtown LA dining.

[rjwong]

A co-worker & I had lunch over at Grill Lyon in the Honda Plaza, Little Tokyo. I was all set to take (actually drag) my co-worker to Sushi Gen and introduce him to the world of sushi ... hehehe ... Unfortunately, there was a waiting list of 16 over at Sushi Gen, so my co-worker lucked out ... a second time.

The LA Times wrote an article about the place, with chef Tadayoshi Matsuno and his wife, Keiko, who came out of retirement. The reason is probably because they want to help introduce their chef/son, Kiichi.

Grill Lyon, which used to be called Lyon back in 1981, serves the same Franco-Japanese cuisine that it served when it first opened. I had the bento box: miso soup, a piece of tofu flavored with seasoned oil, and then the bento box itself. The vegetables were well-seasoned; the thin tonkatsu (fried pork chop) slices were not bad; the fish croquettes tasted fabulous. And as expected, beautiful presentation with the bento box.

My co-worker had a grilled chicken spicy with lime sauce, which came with a creamy curry soup and a salad. He really liked his lunch. He said the chicken was quite spicy, but didn't overpower the chicken or the lime sauce. Everything blended well together. He kept raving about it, probably because he lucked out of eating sushi & sashimi.

I'll get him. Sooner or later, I'll get him ...

[rjwong]

I recently ate at Water Grill. It’s been several months since the new executive chef David Lefevre replaced Michael Cimarusti. Now, I wanted to find out how Lefevre is shaping the menu.

Pellegrino

Déjà vu! I got sitted at the same exact table as last time, towards the front of the restaurant with a window view of the sidewalk out front. The server looked familiar to me, and vice-versa.

Crab cake

I like crab cakes, and this one was no exception. The harissa encircling the crab cake had a slight spiciness. Pretty good. Then, there was a very long wait for my main course. And there should have been no excuse: I was the second customer that evening. The kitchen needs a little more work on timing.

Alaskan halibut, two-ways

When the entree arrived, the two pieces of halibut were prepared slow-steamed and sauteed. The slow-steamed portion was so moist, quite excellent. The sauteed halibut cheek was firmer and stringy. The ginger/yuzu froth on top was a nice delightful addition to the fish. Not bad. After my halibut, I was in the middle of finishing my bread when the serving staff was quickly clearing my table for dessert, while I was eating the last of my bread. I felt rushed.

Devil’s food pudding

The pudding tasted moist, not dry. I was told Valrhona 66% was used. The ice cream was not overly sweet. The carmelized disc added a nice contrast. Pretty good.

Citric green tea

I asked my server when the chef will start a tasting menu. There is a tasting menu already. Oh. I did get to see it anyways. The tasting menu has been out for just a couple of weeks. Sorry, no photo of the menu without creating a major scene. For about $85 it has six courses: trout, scallop (?), duck, lamb, two desserts. Afterwards, petit fours. Interesting that the menu was not all seafood.

Overall, the meal was not bad. A little highlight here & there, a couple of service glitches that need attention. I should try to get a change of tables & servers next time for a different perspective.

[rjwong]

In the latest edition of LA Downtown News, a little news brief titled "Patina Owner goes Private":

Restaurant Associates, the owner of Patina Restaurant at 141 S. Grand Ave., and the numerous other restaurants in the Patina family, is stepping out from under the umbrella of London-based food service conglomerate Compass Group.

Joaquim Splichal and Nick Valenti are going to head up this new independent group and expand the Patina brand name to different locations.

Does anyone here have any more details about this development?

[chuckyoufarley]

Water Grill is fantastic and close to where you are staying.

I have not eaten at NOE at the Omni but I have eaten at Chef Robert Gadsby's restaurants before. I have always had great meals there.

If you are looking for a real seafood treat and can splurge a little on the drive or cab fare, I'd highly suggest making a small trip up the 101 to Melrose to eat at Providence. www.providencela.com

The meals I have had there have all been very great to exeptional. Chef Michael Cimarusti used to be at the helm of the Water Grill before moving out on his own.

Heavy seafood focus there. The James Beard awards have nominated Providence for the 2006 best new restaurant. If you decide to go make sure you arrive early to imbibe in a few drinks at the bar before dinner. Vincenzo Marianella for my money is the best bartender I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Ask him to be creative and suprise you. He will not disapoint. .

I cannot even describe how good he is at creating drinks.

The guy is a master mixologist

Shaun

Edited May 8, 2006 by chuckyoufarley (log)

[chuckyoufarley]

Water Grill's crucial moment / by S. Irene Virbila. The bottom line: Water Grill was given a 2½* rating (formerly a 3½* rating)

That was my first time at Water Grill. I never ate there under LeFevre's predecessor, Michael Cimarusti. Overall, I would recommend this place. It's definitely one of the best places in downtown LA.

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I rest my case on how good a chef Ciramusti is.

I also have met him and you could not meet a more unaffected guy.

The entire time our table was praising him, he deflected all of it to his Sous and kitchen staff.

Shaun

[Carolyn Tillie]

In the latest edition of LA Downtown News, a little news brief titled "Patina Owner goes Private":

Restaurant Associates, the owner of Patina Restaurant at 141 S. Grand Ave., and the numerous other restaurants in the Patina family, is stepping out from under the umbrella of London-based food service conglomerate Compass Group.

Joaquim Splichal and Nick Valenti are going to head up this new independent group and expand the Patina brand name to different locations.

Does anyone here have any more details about this development?

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When I worked for the Patina group over three-and-a-half years ago (jeez - has it been that long?!?!?), there was gossip that the Patina Group/RA affiliation was not all it was cracked up to be. I think even then Joachim regretted his partnership with RA so it looks as though a new deal was made to give him a bit more autonomy and room to see his vision more fully realized.

[rjwong]

cyf (aka Shaun), I would agree with you about Michael Cimarusti. I posted my Providence experience here.

Carolyn, thanks for the update. I haven't tried Patina yet. Hopefully, better days are ahead for chef Joachim Splichal.

[chuckyoufarley]

cyf (aka Shaun), I would agree with you about Michael Cimarusti. I posted my Providence experience here.

Carolyn, thanks for the update. I haven't tried Patina yet. Hopefully, better days are ahead for chef Joachim Splichal.

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True-Dat!

It strikes me as funny that the place has not got more play in Egullet.

L.A. food has been a bit of a dead zone for a while. I guess it stems from L.A. restaurants being more places to be seen rather than food destinations.

A lot of folks had reviewed/been reviewing Providence as a poster child for a foodie destination renaissance in southern California.

I hope so.

When we ate there It felt like my experience at Patina (ironically in the same space) back in 1992. Something far greater than it peers in the area on a steep incline, hitting its stride

[rjwong]

I finally ate at Patina, Joachim Splichal’s flagship restaurant. I heard different things about this place, and I wanted to find out for myself what this restaurant was like.

Patina, located at the south end of the Walt Disney Concert Hall

Interior views

It was 8:00 p.m. on a Friday night, where a concert was going on. So, the pre-concert diners left and the restaurant is a little more relaxed.

Marinated Salmon, Tomatillo Slice, Eggplant Purée

This amuse was okay. Nothing bold or striking about it. In fact, the salmon seemed to taste mild.

Santa Barbara Spot Prawns and Jalapeno Pepper Ceviche

The ceviche gave the spot prawns a little kick.

Kobe Rib Eye Carpaccio, Oxtail Consommé, Shaved Farmers Market Vegetables and Foie Gras

The consommé was poured into the bowl with the carpaccio. I really didn’t notice the foie gras.

Seared Alaskan Halibut, Black Trumpet Tartare, Beet Swirled Cauliflower Purée and Grilled Scallions

I really enjoyed the halibut, one of my favorite fishes. The flavor of the beet swirled cauliflower purée pleasantly caught my attention. Nice.

Everything From Rabbit, Fried Panisse, Fava Beans and Morels with Savory

Yes, I ate the wascally widdle wabbit, heh heh heh heh heh ... And yes, it tasted like chicken, only lighter. It wasn’t gamey at all to me. The rabbit sausage was less firm & less seasoned than a pork sausage.

Chocolate Beignet with Cognac Ganache and Banana Ice Cream

The beignets had a nice chocolate filling inside. Can’t go wrong with that.

Earl Grey Tea

They need to change their teapots. When I poured the tea into my teacup, the teapot was dripping tea from the bottom onto the tablcloth. And no, it wasn’t me!

Petit Fours

I was expecting more boldness in the chef’s menu. But to their credit, they did include rabbit as one of the courses, albeit a more mental challenge than anything else. The dishes seemed plain, dare I say bland? The only bold flavor I had was the cauliflower purée. The service was okay, casual, perhaps a bit too familiar for a high-end restaurant. I really enjoyed the decor. For lack of a better description, it has a plain, modern living room feel to it, especially with nicely-placed living-room lamps. Overall, I felt a bit underwhelmed. I’m speculating whether Patina is content with an already-made customer base, the Disney Concert Hall crowd. I should give it another opportunity, perhaps on a non-concert night.

[rjwong]

Since downtown LA is changing more and more (and for the better), I wanted to give a couple of reports on two downtown restaurants I recently ate in 2007: Noe & Sushi Gen (next post).

Noe is located inside the Omni Hotel. Chef Robert Gadsby actually oversees the Omni Hotel restaurants in LA, Chicago & Houston. He's mainly in Houston. His main chef in LA is Glen Ishii. I've really enjoyed Chef Ishii's culinary efforts.

The last meal I had included a mushroom soup with crispy serrano ham slices and a truffle foam on top. It tasted very warm, hearty, substantial. A wonderful winter soup. Next, I ate the sweetbreads with apple celery whipped potatoes & truffle jus. I enjoyed the deep-fried sweetbreads. For the entree, I had sliced duck breast with an orange-vanilla sauce and an epoisse bread pudding. The duck wasn't greasy and the color of the meat was quite uniform. I was informed later that the duck was not prepared sous-vide. I'm getting use to eating duck that's prepared non-Chinese style.

For dessert, I ordered the melanzana and pistachio tart with berry compote. Yes, eggplant for dessert. It wasn't sweet or bitter. It tasted mild and the tart crust was soft, not crunchy. This creation worked very well as a dessert.

I've always enjoyed the culinary creativity over at Noe. This is one restaurant I'll keep coming back to.

[rjwong]

Although I've eaten at Sushi Gen for lunch a few times, this was the first time I have eaten there for dinner ... at the sushi bar. Sushi Gen is located at Honda Plaza, around 2nd St. & Central in Little Tokyo, across the street from Office Depot.

I come in on a Sat. night at about 5:30 p.m. and it was nearly full already. Eating at the sushi bar was a last-minute decision. I was ready for an adventure ...

I sat down at the sushi bar. An old gentleman to my left was finishing his meal. Explaining my situation, I asked him a few questions, mainly for suggestions. The sushi chef gave me a list of what's available. I started checking off a few things.

For Round 1, I ordered six items:

Tuna

Yellowtail

Halibut (Served on a separate dish, topped with finely chopped green onions and some sauce seasoning)

Shrimp

Cucumber Roll (I know it's conservative. Give me a break, okay? Besides, I think it had some wasabi already in the roll)

Eel Avocado Roll (The gentleman's suggestion)

The eel avocado roll had a "warm" texture, probably due to the avocado. It tasted different. Mind you, it wasn't bad. I don't know whether I would try it again.

For Round 2, I ordered four items:

Crab (A wonderful, safe choice)

Kanpachi

Sea Urchin

Yellowtail (I wanted to end the meal on a familiar note.)

I think I like the Sea Urchin. The rice on the bottom, the sea urchin on top, seaweed wrapped all around. The warm rice, the crunchy seaweed, the creamy sea urchin, I can understand why some people love sea urchin. To me, I notice the creamy texture more than the flavor itself. Is it supposed to be that way with sea urchin??

For ten orders, hot tea, with tax, just over $60. That averages out to about $6 an order. Not bad, ehh??