Chimu is a Revelation

Chimú, the new Peruvian spot in DTLA, is a restaurant that is easy to fall in love with.  I can't recall the last time I ate at a restaurant where everything tasted so good and was such a good value.  The restaurant, in reality a takeout window in the patio adjacent to Grand Central Market, has the polish that one would expect in a much more formal and expensive restaurant.  Even the plating, although in takeout containers, was sophisticated and pleasing to the eye.

A couple of weeks ago I had lunch there with Mark and Angela of I Flip for Food and we were all swooning as each dish was better than the last.

The Ceviche Chimu was made with raw halibut marinated in citrus and mixed with sweet potato puree, yuyo (seaweed) and choclo (corn).

The Estofado de Lengua (beef tongue) was served in a rich tomato sauce with fresh baby tomatoes, green onions and on a bed of quinoa.  We asked but the owners would not divulge the secrets of the salsa de madre.  The quinoa absorbed the sauce and the tongue was also remarkably tender.  I have had several very good beef tongue dishes this summer, including a great one at FIG, but this was the best of the bunch.

The Seco de Cordero (lamb belly) was my favorite dish I tried.  It was served with canario beans and in a black beer sauce.  Rice, peas and red onions all made an appearance in this dish.  The lamb was so tender we did not even use a knife to share it among us; a fork was sufficient to reach each and every morsel.

Heirloom Tomato Ceviche was a completely new dish to me.  Ceviche without fish was not something I had ever heard of, but it stood up against the meat and fish dishes and I would happily eat it again.  It is made with heirloom tomatoes, pluots (a plum and apricot hybrid), burratta, peas and leche del tigre.  This was the most visually arresting of the dishes we had; it would not have been out of place at any number of fine dining establishments.  The sweetness of the fruit and the juiciness of the tomatoes combined with the creamy cheese and the spicy tangy leche del tigre sauce led to a dish that was greater than the sum of its parts.

We lucked out and Rolando brought out a bonus dish of duck confit for us to try.  The duck had crispy skin and juicy meat.  This wasn't on the menu the day we were there, but I hope it makes it onto the list as it is a worthy meal.  This confit is in the same league the version at L'Epicerie and is better than most French bistros and brasseries.

The full menu is below:

Chimú: 324 S. Hill Street, DTLA. Phone: (213) 625-1097 Open every day from 10 am - 6 pm.

Picca: Ricardo Zarate Scores Again

Picca did not fly under the radar when it opened earlier this summer.  The new restaurant from chef Ricardo Zarate of Mo Chica, fresh off his wins as Best New Chef and People's Choice in Food & Wine Magazine, paired him with restaurateur Bill Chait, the owner of Rivera, Stephane Bombet, his GM and partner, and mixologist Julian Cox, who began working with Chait at Rivera and has since developed the cocktails at each of his subsequent openings (Playa, Sotto etc).  The location is the main floor space above Sotto, in the same building where the much buzzed about Test Kitchen was located.

The opening night was filled to the brim in a giant party and the next night was packed with Test Kitchen regulars and fans.  Once the restaurant opened to the public, I waited several weeks for the crowds to abate (only somewhat) and the operations to find their groove.  Bombet presides over the front of the house, ensuring that order prevails and also charming diners with his winning attitude.  Zarate is clearly visible in the open kitchen, keeping the kitchen humming and approving dishes as they get sent out.  Nobody is dialing it in here.

After a cocktail at the bar made by Cox, my friend Paul and I moved over to our table to begin our meal.  We were given a choice of sitting at the dining bar in front of the kitchen or at a table and we opted for the bar seating as it promised to turn the meal into dinner and a show.

The meal began with the Chicharron de Pollo, marinated crispy chicken, salsa criolla and rocoto sauce. Rocoto is a spicy Peruvan pepper sauce.  The chicken was suitably crispy and got dinner off to a good start.  I am not sure that it dethrones Japanese or Korean fried chicken, but it was in that spirit.  I was curious about this dish as the only chicharrónes I had previously encountered were of the pork variety.

We segued from the fried chicken to the Tuna Tartare, which was served on a layer of avocado and had micro greens and lemon soy dressing on top.  Wonton chips were served alongside to scoop up the tartare and they were light and crunchy.  The tuna was diced into nice chunks, big enough to enjoy and have texture, unlike the almost pureed version sometimes seen around town.  We did run out of wonton chips long before the tuna, but that did not dissuade us from finishing the dish.

One of the specials on offer was a Spanish Mackerel from Japan.  The presentation was beautiful with the fish crisped and presented on the plate with its tail in the air as if it was diving into the Pacific Ocean.  The quality of the fish was very high and it tasted as good as it looked.

The Tuna ceviche continued the raw fish portion of the meal, served sashimi style on daikon radish with choclo kernels and with a citrus sauce.

At the dining bar, we sat in front of the robata grill.  All of the anticucho skewers were grilled right in front of us and it was fun to see the chefs prepare the food.  If there had not been glass between us and the grill, it would have been very hot indeed.

We ordered both the Pollo and the Black Cod anticuchos.  They arrived together and were another high point.  The black cod was quite different from the signature dish at Nobu which popularized it twenty years ago.  It is impossible to eat at Picca without thinking about the restaurant that first brought together Peruvian and Japanese cuisine, but from the Japanese perspective.  Chef Zarate puts the Peruvian element of the cuisine front and center, lending Japanese touches but never letting you forget that it is the Peruvian elements that form the base of his menu.

The only miss of the evening were the Causa Sushi, of which we tried Spicy Yellow Tail and Albacore.  This dish is presented like nigiri, except with causa (Peruvian yellow potatoes) substitutiing for the rice beneath the fish.  The texture of the causa was unappealing to me, much like eating sushi on top of solid polenta.

Chicken Lomo Saltado was served with toast and tomatoes and the meal was back on track after the brief detour.  This was a special on the night I dined, but I hope it becomes a regular menu feature.

Bisteck a lo Pobre - skirt steak, pan fried banana, and chickpeas tacu tacu with a fried egg on top.  This was a hearty stew of a dish and we wondered how we would eat it all yet managed to do so, albeit at the cost of skipping dessert. The egg was pleasingly runny, so the yolk was able to provide another element of texture and flavor to the dish.

Overall I enjoyed Picca very much and can recommend it unreservedly.  It is not inexpensive, though.  No one dish costs very much but by the time you order enough food and drink, it adds up.

The environment is relaxed and lively, the service was capable and the opportunity to have Julian Cox's cocktails and Ricardo Zarate's cuisine in one setting is a very fortunate occurrence.

Picca: 9575 W. Pico Blvd, West LA.  Phone: (310) 277-0133.  Website: www.piccaperu.com  Closed on Sundays.

Pine State Biscuits: My Kind of Breakfast [Portland]

Pine State Biscuits was highly recommended by a friend's coworker, so I was curious to see this small Southern restaurant that specializes in its namesake item.  During a recent visit to Portland I stopped in for a late Sunday breakfast.  There was a line out the door of easy going hungry folks who all had their eyes on the plates coming out of the open kitchen.  The shop was opened by Brian Snyder, Walt Alexander and Kevin Atchley, who all met at North Carolina State University where they went to school together in the late 1990s.  The restaurant began as a stand at the weekly PSU Farmers Market on Saturdays in 2006 and in early 2008 they made the transition to a 7 day a week bricks and mortar location.

Pine Street Biscuits now has 2 locations plus still has a presence at the Farmers' Market.  I checked out their original biscuit shop, on Belmont.  They are open from 7 am - 2 pm, so its a breakfast, lunch or brunch kind of spot with the menu squarely focused on biscuits and biscuit sandwiches.  Their most famous creation, the Reggie, is fried chicken, bacon, gravy and cheese on a biscuit.  The deluxe version adds a fried egg.  Pine State Biscuits is a small shop, but it is not exactly under the radar.  The Reggie Deluxe was named one of the best sandwiches in America by Esquire in 2008, and Pine State Biscuits was subsequently featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2009.

I couldn't resist the Fried Chicken Biscuit Sandwich. ($4)  The biscuit had a great light texture and the chicken was juicy with a crispy skin.  The sandwich is a lot of food, even though it isn't large.  I added a little butter to the biscuit and that made it even better, with the saltiness of the sandwich melding with the sweet butter.

It didn't seem right to not sample a side dish so we opted for the Hash Browns ($3).  The hash browns were nicely crisped on top (without being burnt) and the bounty was literally overflowing the large plate.  One order is enough for several people to share.

Biscuits and gravy ($5) is available with either sausage gravy or shitake mushroom gravy as this is Portland.  Biscuits are $1.50 each a la carte.  The prices are very reasonable and well worth it.  The dining area is tiny so most customers get their biscuits to go or else have to wait.  The vibe is casual and cozy and it has a very genuine feel to it.

Pine Street Biscuits is a recommended stop on any Portland itinerary.  Just plan on coming early or waiting in line.  Coffee drinkers will be happy to know that they serve hometown favorite Stumptown Coffee.

Pine Street Biscuits: 3640 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR.  Phone: (503) 236-3346 Website: http://pinestatebiscuits.com/

Also at 2204 NE Alberta, Portland, OR. Phone: (503) 477-6605 This location is also open Friday & Saturday nights from 6 pm - 1 am, in addition to the standard 7 am - 2 pm hours.

Barbacoa at Gish Bac, a Goat for All Seasons

Gish Bac is a new Oaxacan restaurant on Washington Blvd off of Crenshaw. When Bill Esparza wrote about it in the LA Times last month, it sounded too good to wait to check out, so Mark & Angela of I Flip for Food joined me for a feast the Saturday following the article's publication.

We had been on a hike that morning, so had worked up a hearty appetite for the specialties of the house.  We shared the goat and lamb barbacoa as well as the chicken mole negro.  Following the chips and salsa (the salsa had some real kick to it), the meal began with the pancita, the offal of the lamb presented as the first part of the barbacoa feast.  As the I Flip For Food Duo noted, this tasted of iron and had a distinct texture.  I tried it but I confess it is not something I get excited about.  That just meant more pancita for Angela, who ate with gusto.

Pancita

The mole negro did not disappoint.  Complex and flavorful it was stellar and the pool of mole sauce on the plate did not go to waste as we looked for anything and everything we could dip into its intensity.  Each bite of the tacos I made with the chicken, mole sauce and tortillas was different but equally tasty.  The Flip duo found this to be their favorite while I preferred the goat barbacoa even more.

The goat barbacoa arrived in a bowl of goat juices and could be eaten with a spoon.  No fork or knife was necessary as the goat meat was so tender.  The smell of the goat broth was intense and intoxicating.  At this point our table was very happy, just munching away with abandon.

Goat barbacoa

The lamb barbacoa could not compare with the goat, particularly as it was served on a plate, not in that stewed juices that the goat had.  They brought out an extra serving of goat juice, so we could make the lamb sufficiently saucy.

Lamb Barbacoa

The meal was remarkably inexpensive for all that we ate.  Service was pleasant and the restaurant was surprisingly uncrowded for prime lunch time the weekend after the restaurant was featured in the Times. The barbacoa is only $10.95. The environment is homey and relaxed and the food exceeds expectations.

Gish Bac: 4163 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles; Phone: (323) 737-5050

Saam at the Bazaar: Small Room, Wild Ride, High Price

The Saam Room at the Bazaar by Jose Andres is a restaurant within a restaurant, the grown-up version of the Bazaar.  It seats 40 people and has none of the deafening noise of the main rooms within the restaurant.  It is hidden away in the back, in a manner reminiscent of The Varnish within Coles, although Saam requires a reservation.

The only option is a 20 course menu of little bites.  It was perhaps inspired by Andres's restaurant Minibar in Washington DC, although that restaurant only seats six and diners are seated in front of the chefs.  You access the room by walking through the restaurant and entering an unmarked door, where once you enter you are welcomed by your captain.  Dinner is priced at $120 per person, excluding tax, tip and beverage.

The Golden Boy cocktail (behind) with Lotus Root Chips (front)

I recently had dinner at Saam with two friends.  The meal began with The Golden Boy cocktail, which is Cava with amontillado sherry with a dash of orange bitters, lemon and gold dust.  The cocktail is served with lotus root chips, small crispy chips made from slices of lotus root, served on a stone square.

Tuna Handroll

The next amuse/course was a tuna handroll which included liquified nori (seaweed) and had a pleasantly crunchy exterior,

Black Olives Ferran Adria

What would a meal by Jose Andres be without spheres?  Our first spherified element was Black Olives Ferran Adria, which are liquid black olives held together in a sphere and served on a spoon.  They pop in your mouth and have an intense briny flavor.

Ottoman Carrot Fritter (Substitute Course)

Jicama Wrapped Guacamole (Substitute Course)

Patatas Bravas

The Patatas Bravas was a fun play on the traditional Spanish dish.  Like several other dishes on the menu, Andres takes a dish that is very rooted in Spanish cuisine and reinvents it, often by reconstituting it and changing the texture.

Chicken Wing

The Chicken Wing was good but a boneless chicken wing can only be so delicious.  The traditional buffalo sauce, ranch dressing and celery are all present on top of the wing, in a nod to the classic American bar food dish.

Not Your Everyday Caprese

The return of the spheres, or Not Your Everyday Caprese, was the next course.  The mozzarella has been spherified and the tomatoes have had their skin removed.  The cheese ball bursts in your mouth.  I had eaten this dish on a prior visit to the Bazaar and enjoyed it on both occasions.  The pesto is well made and it is a fun take on a dish that can be overdone, making it new and fresh.

Crispy Nigiri

Raw fish was the star of the nigiri course, although the crispy element added a texture that isn't in traditional sushi.

Spring Foie Gras Soup (pre broth)

Spring Foie Gras Soup was one of the visual standouts of the evening.  The bowl arrived with three small pieces of foie gras and then a broth was poured into the bowl tableside, in a dramatic fashion.

Substitute Course

Banh Mi

By far the best course of the evening was the Banh Mi, which was an amazing little sandwich.  The bread had been fried (not the whole sandwich) and the filling included wagyu beef, tofu, carrots and cilantro.  I would have happily ate a dozen of these sandwiches as they were simply outstanding.  Full of flavor.  They did not feel gimmicky at all but a playful take on the Vietnamese dish.

Carrot "Gnocchi"

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water, they're back.  Spheres that is.  This time carrot spheres join the party.  Not as good as the traditional potato kind.

Cippolini Onions (Substitute Course)

Caviar Steamed Bun

Having missed the Jamon from Spain paired with caviar due to my not eating pork, I asked for and received a taste of the caviar, which they presented in the form of a steamed bun with a dollop of caviar on top.  The bun had a bit of sweetness, which contrasted with the salty roe.  It was fine but my companions let me know it did not hold a candle to the jamon dish.

Cauliflower "Couscous" (Substitute Course)

Mushroom Risotto with Black Truffles ($35 Supplement)

When we sat down and perused the menu and drink list, the waiter informed us that we had the option of adding a truffle course for a $35 supplement.  That is not an overly large supplement for truffles but in a setting where they are supposedly providing you the best the restaurant has to offer with dishes from minibar, the Bazaar and Saam and ingredients from Japan, Spain etc., it feels chintzy to have a supplement to add such a dish to a 20 course meal.  It would have been more gracious to serve a spoon size version as one of the courses.

Philly Cheesesteak

Jose Andres has a way with wagyu beef sandwiches as his Philly Cheesesteak was my second favorite dish of the evening after the Banh Mi.  I had also eaten this dish on my prior visit, but this version was even better.  The liquid cheese inside and the airy "bread" and the savory beef made it a memorable combination.

Foie Gras Cotton Candy

I enjoy foie gras as much as the next food enthusiast, perhaps more, but I found the Foie Gras Cotton Candy to be a gimmicky dish rather one that improved upon the ingredients.  Foie is already a sweet ingredient, so adding the cotton candy was playful, but did not enhance the deliciousness quotient of the dish.  It looks and sounds better than it is.

Japanese Baby Peaches

The Japanese Baby Peaches were served with burrata and hazelnuts.  I had never eaten green peaches before.

The Dragon's Breath Popcorn (not pictured) was the transition to dessert.  It is popcorn dipped in liquid nitrogen and when you eat it, smoke comes out of your nostrils, like a dragon.  It is fun to watch your dining companions and the waiter even brought over a mirror so we could see ourselves.

Desserts below:

SAAM-buca

Sambuca gelee with strawberry, fennel.

Chocolate Rock

Sexy Little Sweets

Sexy Little Sweets is the Saam's take on petit four.

The Saam room is certainly an experience unlike any other in LA.  Whether it is for you depends on how you feel about molecular gastronomy and the price value equation.  The three us of shared two bottles of wine, each on the less expensive end of the spectrum and the total cost including the truffle supplement, tax, tip and beverages was about $270 per person.  The only other restaurant where you would have a "tasting menu" with so many different tastes is Urusawa, and that could cost double.  However, I thought the meal was good, just not good enough to be worth it.

I advised them in advance about not eating pork or shellfish and they said it would not be a problem.  One of my dining companions informed them when we arrived he is allergic to oysters and they said they could accommodate that as well.  I found it disappointing and frankly lazy that every substitution was a vegetarian one.  The dishes I received for numerous courses were not as interesting as many of the meat/fish ones I missed.  In May I had dinner with a friend at Alinea in Chicago, and knowing of my dietary restrictions, they were able to offer comparable dishes for every course.  That set a high bar.  I did appreciate them being willing to adjust to my dietary restrictions, but with several weeks notice and a menu of dozens of dishes to avail themselves of in the Saam and Bazaar kitchens, offering a vegetarian substitution for every dietary course makes it easy on the kitchen but removes some of the illusion that the meal is especially for you.

They also brought me the Jamon and Caviar dish, not realizing that jamon was pork and brought one of my fellow diners a dish with an oyster broth, after he mentioned being very allergic to oysters.  Just not a smooth evening and when the dining room only accommodates 40 guests, the service did not live up to the level that it aspires to.

The meal was fun as were many of the dishes and the room's privacy and relatively low noise level make it an attractive option, but overall it disappointed.  If the other dishes had been as wonderful as the banh mi, I'd be rushing back.  Perhaps the best way to experience the Bazaar is to get a couple of the greatest hits as an appetizer with a cocktail before heading elsewhere for dinner.

Saam at the Bazaar: 465 S. La Cienega Blvd. (in the SLS Hotel).  Phone: (310) 246-5545.  Website: http://www.thebazaar.com/experience/saam