providence restaurant (los angeles)

[russ parsons]

i haven't eaten there in a couple of months, and things may have changed, but to tell the truth, i didn't find their wine pairings to be particularly revelatory. they're certainly not bad, they just aren't at the level of, say, the french laundry where you really understand more about wine through the pairings. that said, the list is really wonderful, with many bottles of great food wines for around $50 and a good number under $40. my suggestion would be to pick out two that you really want and go that way. they also have a fair number of half-bottles and good wines by the glass.

[rjwong]

So it sounds like we should get the full tasting but only the 5-course wine pairings if we want to make it home?   We generally take wine but I don't see any mention of a corkage arrangement, so I assume they don't allow it.  Anyone have first-hand knowledge?

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I asked about corkage: Providence has a two-bottle limit. Each bottle has a $25 corkage fee. You can always ask the sommelier, if you have further questions.

[moosnsqrl]

So it sounds like we should get the full tasting but only the 5-course wine pairings if we want to make it home?   We generally take wine but I don't see any mention of a corkage arrangement, so I assume they don't allow it.  Anyone have first-hand knowledge?

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I asked about corkage: Providence has a two-bottle limit. Each bottle has a $25 corkage fee. You can always ask the sommelier, if you have further questions.

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Thanks, Russell, but you'll make me lazy(-ier) if you do my homework for me. My dining companion is in the wine biz and consequently has access to, well, revelatory (if I may appropriate Russ Parson's word) bottles that never make it to my part of the world. I'm not opposed to getting house pairings but it seems kind of unnecessary and if often disappointing compared to what we have when we're allowed to schlep our own.

[Ling]

We had dinner at Providence on Friday night. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the dishes we got (9 course full tasting menu). Everything was consistently good, but at those prices, I expect to be blown away at least once or twice.

There were problem with the service. We were given no spoon with our first course, which included consomme. The servers, with the exception of perhaps 3 of our courses, gave really brief descriptions of the dish--one server set down the plates, said the two main ingredients (really, just two words), and then left abruptly. Another server told me the fruit paste served with the cheese course was strawberry but I was quite sure it was quince...and when I heard a different server telling the table next to us that the cheese plate comes with quince, I asked again and had it confirmed as quince.

Usually, I have no problem with "cozier" seating, but a group of men who were seated to my right spoke loudly and obnoxiously during our entire meal and I felt that really detracted from our dining experience. (And in case you're wondering about the subject of their conversations, one of them including bridles and saddles, and no, we're not talking about horseback riding. ) The table on my left (a couple celebrating an anniversary) were very quiet for the duration of their meal and looked rather unhappy. I have no doubt they heard every word.

As noted above, portions are on the small side and you won't leave feeling stuffed, but pleasantly full, after a 9 course meal.

Best parts of the meal were the gougeres, the lime shiso sorbet, the pork belly with the super thin, crisp skin (though neither of us liked the strawberry tarragon sauce on the side), and the first course which consisted of a barely poached oyster, chorizo consomme, and celery sorbet. The bread was also excellent.

Anyway, to sum up...better-than-ordinary food at extradinary prices, beautiful room, hit-and-miss service.

ETA: Sorry, no pictures...our camera ran out of battery. The presentation on the plates were very artistic and looked as good as Russell's pictures.

Edited June 11, 2006 by Ling (log)

[hhlodesign]

We had dinner at Providence on Friday night. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the dishes we got (9 course full tasting menu). Everything was consistently good, but at those prices, I expect to be blown away at least once or twice.

There were problem with the service. We were given no spoon with our first course, which included consomme. The servers, with the exception of perhaps 3 of our courses, gave really brief descriptions of the dish--one server set down the plates, said the two main ingredients (really, just two words), and then left abruptly. Another server told me the fruit paste served with the cheese course was strawberry but I was quite sure it was quince...and when I heard a different server telling the table next to us that the cheese plate comes with quince, I asked again and had it confirmed as quince.

Usually, I have no problem with "cozier" seating, but a group of men who were seated to my right spoke loudly and obnoxiously during our entire meal and I felt that really detracted from our dining experience. (And in case you're wondering about the subject of their conversations, one of them including bridles and saddles, and no, we're not talking about horseback riding.  ) The table on my left (a couple celebrating an anniversary) were very quiet for the duration of their meal and looked rather unhappy. I have no doubt they heard every word.

As noted above, portions are on the small side and you won't leave feeling stuffed, but pleasantly full, after a 9 course meal.

Best parts of the meal were the gougeres, the lime shiso sorbet, the pork belly with the super thin, crisp skin (though neither of us liked the strawberry tarragon sauce on the side), and the first course which consisted of a barely poached oyster, chorizo consomme, and celery sorbet. The bread was also excellent.

Anyway, to sum up...better-than-ordinary food at extradinary prices, beautiful room, hit-and-miss service.

ETA: Sorry, no pictures...our camera ran out of battery. The presentation on the plates were very artistic and looked as good as Russell's pictures.

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

I found one flavor combination to be particularly interesting. The oyster course which paired barely poached oyster with celery sorbet, chorizo consume, and paprika oil. I loved this dish! Although I felt that the oyster did not do much for me. It was the celery sorbet, paprika, and chorizo flavor which came from a clear broth which made the dish so interesting. Unfortunately, this course was served without spoons. So I naturally assumed the chef wanted the consume to be a light sauce and not mask the subtle flavour of the oyster. I asked after the course was cleared and found out that the missing spoon was a mistake. I should have asked sooner.

I found the course explanations to be very bothersome. I (and Ling) enjoy knowing what we are eating and some idea of the preparations. At a place like Providence, I'd expect better than the plate hitting the table with a quick statement like, "shrimp and fennel." The main server was very good about letting us know about each course. Unfortunatley, he was only there to explain 3 out of the 9 courses. The expos who dropped the other courses were not very interested in informing us about what we were eating.

The table next to us was somewhat loud, but I'm not sure what the restaurant could have done about that. The service from the upper levels of the staff was very professional. I just wish they trained the expos about the courses we were receiving.

[Ling]

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

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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

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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 October 12, 2008 by kai-m (log)

[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.