The Dining Room at The Langham (Pasadena, CA) [2]
The Dining Room at The Langham
1401 South Oak Knoll Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106
626.568.3900
www.thediningroom-langham.com
Fri 02/26/2010, 07:30p-01:20a
My last visit here was in August of last year, shortly after Michael Voltaggio had replaced former chef Craig Strong in the kitchen. The Dining Room was scheduled to shutter for renovations at the end of summer 2009, but due to Voltaggio's win on Top Chef, the restaurant has remained open to capitalize on Voltaggio's newfound fame. Renovations have currently been pushed back to Q3 2010. I definitely had planned on coming back prior to the closure, and I was recently presented with the perfect opportunity: the startup that some friends of mine worked for was about to get acquired. A celebratory dinner (perhaps the first in a series), thus, was called for. We considered the usual suspects--Melisse, Providence, Spago, Urasawa--before deciding on The Dining Room.
Now, seeing as how this was supposed to be a celebratory dinner, I requested the Private Dining Room. The PDR normally requires a party of eight, and seats up to 18. However, we were "eating for eight," so to speak, so we had no problem securing the space.
The standard menu just wouldn't do, so in true kevinEats fashion, we requested to run the gamut, getting a taste of all 21 courses (a vague reference to Bryan's Table 21 perhaps?) on the menu, split between two people, paired with a mind-boggling assortment of 21 libations, courtesy of new Sommelier Josh Goldman. Previously, Josh worked with David Haskell at BIN 8945, and also served as GM at Church & State and Bastide, both under Walter Manzke. In fact, we chatted briefly about Manzke's recent departure from C&S, and both agreed that a chef of his caliber just couldn't last doing "mere" bistro fare. Click for larger versions.
Caviar Service
Pierre Peters, Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, Le Mesnil, France
To go along with the celebratory nature of this dinner, we decided that some caviar was in order. One of my dining companions managed to procure some beluga, and I requested "caviar corkage," to simply be able to consume the caviar at the beginning of the meal--we even brought our own blinis and crème fraiche. Voltaggio, ever the perfectionist, however, would not let this stand. Our accoutrements were tossed aside, replaced by his egg salad, traditional housemade buckwheat blinis, and amazing liquid nitrogen "Crème Fraiche 2010." Voltaggio definitely exceeded expectations here, going well above what was called for.
The star here, clearly, was that stellar nitro crème fraiche. It was somewhat lighter, more ethereal than your typical variety, and played beautifully with the roe, forming a perfect interplay of creamy and briny flavors. It also gave the caviar a great temperature contrast as well. The combination of caviar, crème fraiche, and blini was magical! In addition, I also tried the caviar alone, and noted its deliciously robust, yet refined flavor, imbued with nutty, buttery goodness--I still preferred it with accompaniments, though. To drink, I'd actually brought a bottle of vintage Bollinger Grand Année, but Josh recommended the "grower" Pierre Peters in its place--it was a wise substitution. Think dry and crisp, but not overwhelmingly so, with plenty of yeast, backed by hints of citrus and vanilla. It was almost Krug-like in character, and a superb complement to the caviar.
Amuse Bouche: Sake Jello
The meal proper began with a fruity bang: a sake gelée encasing fraises des bois (small, wild strawberries), topped with strawberry tonic. This was a lovely, refreshing start to the dinner that captured the very essence of strawberry, intermingled with just a touch of astringency from the tonic.
The first round of bread saw a bacon soft roll and a country white, served with Échiré unsalted butter and Vermont salted butter.
1: Japanese Shima Aji | Jamon Iberico, Sea Sponge, Finger Lime
Terres Dorées, FRV100, Effervescent Gamay, Beaujolais
The gauntlet of courses started with a shima aji, or striped jack, sashimi, done up in a somewhat crudo-inspired style. Taking the fish alone, I really appreciated the tartness imparted upon it by the finger lime. The best part of this, though, was the use of Jamón Ibérico, which added a fantastic saltiness to counter the relatively restrained flavor of the jack. The "sea sponge," meanwhile, with its mirin and dashi verve, contributed a briny, umami-tinged finish to the course. The wine pair was the "infamous" FRV100, a fizzy Gamay that I'd had previously at Church & State (with Josh) and at LudoBites. I was a bit wary of its overt sweetness, but actually found it to be a great foil to the savoriness of the dish.
2: Langoustine | White Asparagus, Tiny Eggs, Fried Calamari
2007 Paul Pernot, Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy, France
Next up was perhaps some of the best langoustine I've ever had. Its texture was just fantastic--soft, snappy, supple--while the taste was delicately sweet, lightly sea-tinged. The eggs added an appropriately luxurious complement, while the squid ink-tinted asparagus' bitterness also made itself known. The star here, however, was the calamari--crisp, crunchy, and absolutely bursting in salty savor. The pairing of a bourgogne blanc, with its citric sweetness, marked minerality, and clean acidity, just made sense here.
At this point, we were presented with The Dining Room's famous tennis ball-sized truffle brioche, accompanied by an airy goat cheese butter from Turlock, CA. Almost mesmerizing in appearance with its concentric rings of sable, the brioche was positively imbued with the heady sapor of truffle--I nearly finished it in one go! Given the length of the meal, however, I knew I had to temper my appetite.
3: Garden Harvest | Vegetables of the Season, Warm Burrata
1999 S. Tissot, Vin Jaune, Arbois, France
This was an interesting course, and not one that I'd exactly expect from Voltaggio. It harkens back to other Gargouillou/Michel Bras-inspired vegetable compositions such as David Kinch's signature "Into the Vegetable Garden," Paul Liebrandt’s "From the Garden," and Daniel Patterson's "Garden, Late Fall." Made with a whopping 20 types of veggies (including carrot, beet, nasturtium, and squash blossom) and supplemented by vegetable gelée, sherry vinaigrette, harissa paste, burrata, and cardamom-coffee soil, it was an intriguing exposition of disparate tastes and textures, a cacophonous symphony of savory-bitter-sweet. The sherry-like vin jaune, meanwhile, did a respectable job in moderating and integrating the power of the various veggies. One the highlights of the meal for me.
4: Octopus | Buttered Popcorn, Piquillo Confetti, Cilantro
Dewazakura Brewery, Izumi Judan, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
I adored the octopus' firm, yet yielding consistency here, along with its mildly sweet flavor, perked up with the subtle heat of piquillo pepper. Meanwhile, the popcorn purée added a palpable weight to the course, but was a touch too buttery for me. To stand up to the forcefulness of the dish, we needed something relatively austere, and the Dewazakura fit the bill nicely. A minerally, juniper-tinted sake (Josh even likened it to a gin martini!), its dryness countered the gravity of the popcorn purée admirably.
5: Tasmanian Sea Trout | Hibiscus, Pink Peppercorn, Puffed Mushroom Cracker
2008 Sant'Elena, Traminer Aromatico, Delle Venezie, Friuli Venezie Giulia, Italy
I loved how the fish itself was cooked--rare, raw almost, with a nearly gelatinous consistency and a biting, briny sapor. Besides the fish, I really appreciated the porcini crackers, which lent an earthy finish to the course, and which made for a great crispy textural element. The hibiscus air, however, was considerably more jarring, a bit disconcerting even; I was sort of ambivalent. Its sweetness did find a match in the floral, tropical fruit flavors of the wine though.
6: Foie Gras "Chaud" | Celery, Medjool Date, Mustard Sabayon
Lustau, Solera Reserva, Emilín, Moscatel Sherry, Jerez, Spain
Next, Chef Voltaggio wanted to demonstrate two foie dishes--hot 'n' cold (get thoughts of Katy Perry out of your head)--side by side. Both were paired with sherry, to boot. Now, regular readers will know that I'm somewhat of a terrine slut, so imagine my surprise when I actually preferred the chaud. It was one of the best hot foie gras I'd ever had, in fact. I appreciated its fabulously finespun foie flavor, and how the astringency of the celery (a veggie I usually abhor) formed a faultless foil to the gravity of the liver. Fantastic.
7: Foie Gras "Froid" | Apple, Saffron, Marcona Almond, Aerated Brioche
Lustau, Solera Reservera, Don Nuno, Dry Oloroso, Jerez, Spain
For the cold preparation, Voltaggio presented a seemingly simple cylinder of foie, accompanied by sous vide apples in saffron syrup, grated Marcona almonds, and the Chef's famous microwaved nitrous oxide brioche. However, penetrate the terrine, and you'll release a deluge of apple juice and vanilla, making for an amalgam of counterbalancing sweet and salty flavors. The light, fluffy brioche, thus, acts the part of a tempering element, sopping up all the goodness on the plate. As for the Lustau, it was a light sherry--nutty, woodsy, subtly sweet--that did a great job in cutting the fat of the foie. As a pairing, I preferred it to the Lustau served above, though I liked the darker, sweeter Moscatel better alone.
8: Kurobuta Pork Belly | Bok Choy "Kim Chi", Kabocha Squash Preserves, Peanut Butter Powder
Hitachino Nest, Real Ginger Brew, Kiuchi Brewery, Japan
Kurobuta Pork Belly--is there any ingredient that's more played out? Perhaps not, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this was a simply outstanding example, one of the best I've had, in fact. I loved the use of kimchi, and how it, profuse in piquant spice, steadfastly stood up to the heft of the belly--a perfect counterweight. This was easily the best use of kimchi I've seen in a non-Korean setting. Beer, thus, was a natural pairing with the dish, and boy, did Josh pick a good one! The Hitachino showed lovely notes of ginger and citrus over a slightly spicy backbone--it worked very well in offsetting the power of the dish.
9: Veal Sweetbreads | Green Olive, Lemon, Romaine Lettuce
2007 Dönnhoff, Riesling, Nahe, Germany
The sweetbreads, chiseled into cuboid form, could've been mistaken for the pork belly above. Flavor-wise, though, they were quite distinct. This was much more in-your-face, dense and buttery, with plenty of that signature sweetbread savor, perked up by the sourness of the lemon and the bitterness of the olive "caviar." The key here, though, was the romaine, which served as a light, juicy, crispy counterpoint to the weightiness of the veal--it absolutely made the dish for me. A light, sweetish wine was in order here, and the Dönnhoff fit the bill nicely with its floral, fruity character.
10: Jidori Chicken | Winter Truffles, Egg, Sunflower Root, Sunflower Seeds
2007 Geyerhof, Ried Richtern, Zweigelt, Kremstal, Austria
Yes, though it may not look the part, this was indeed a chicken dish. Truffle and slow poached egg is almost unavoidably a winning combination, and this was no exception. Their classic, heady flavors were apt complements to the relatively subdued chicken, which took on more of a supporting role in the dish. The use of sunflower seeds, meanwhile, provided a lovely nutty punctuation to complete the course. Josh paired this with a Zweigelt, sort of the prototypical Austrian red. He compared it to a heavy Gamay, and I liked how the fruit in the wine moderated the power of the truffle's earthiness.
11: Pastrami Pigeon | Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut, Rye
Duchesse de Bourgogne, Ale, Brewery Verhaeghe, West Flanders, Belgium
This was the one course that was repeated from my last visit, and I'm happy to report that it was definitely improved this time around. It was a bolder, more balanced dish, with the delectable, spicy cured pigeon beautifully complemented by the cubes of sauerkraut gelée and heightened by the pieces of puffed Swiss. The squab was paired with one of my favorite libations of the night, the Duchesse de Bourgogne, a Flemish ale that Josh likened to Doc Brown's Black Cherry soda! Indeed, it was suitably sweet, with gorgeous notes of sour cherry that just blended beautifully with the bird. This pigeon, a Moto-esque deconstruction of a Reuben sandwich, is quickly becoming one of Voltaggio's signature dishes, and with good reason!
12: Mediterranean Sea Bass | Mussels Billi-bi, Fennel, Quinoa
2007 Chateau La Rouvière, Rosé, Bandol, Provence, France
Here we have a expertly prepared cut of seabass, semi-flaky and supple in body, with a softly briny flavor, and a delectably crisp, savory skin. I wasn't in love with the quinoa, but I did appreciate the billi-bi, along with the pungency of the fennel, which played nicely with the spicy-strawberry flavors of the paired rosé.
With the fish courses came a tasty side of seaweed mashed potatoes. I made sure to finish the entire pot--very nice!
13: Skate Wing | Brown Butter, Scrambled Cauliflower, Caper Powder
2008 Mormoraia, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy
A few weeks ago, at Petrossian, I had an excellent rendition of skate wing, done à la grenobloise, which means cooked with brown butter, capers, lemon, and parsley. In a way, this could be considered Voltaggio's take on the classic dish. The fish itself was soft, spongy, and possessing of a considerable depth of flavor, thanks in part to the beurre noisette. It was balanced by the tang of the lime and caper, presented here in powder form, and I loved how the mashed potatoes elevated the fish's inherent briny essence. The pairing with the crisp, fruity, acidic Vernaccia was spot on.
14: Jamison Farm Lamb | Vadouvan, Nori-Spaghetti Squash, Yogurt, Fried Rice
2007 Bibich, Riserva, North Dalmatia, Croatia
Our first meat course consisted of a sous vide lamb three-way: shoulder, loin, tongue. Vadouvan, which is all the rage these days (Ludo's fav!), provided a lovely spicy foil to the dish, and heightened, but did not overwhelm, the meat's intrinsically "lamby" flavor. Humorously, one of my dining companions even compared the flavor of the vadouvan to chili CornNuts! Countering the power of all this was the yogurt and the scrumptious rice. We were poured a Croatian wine, the Bibich Riserva, which I'd had previous at ParkAve. Described as Zin-like by Josh, the wine's peppery, dark fruit flavors stood up to the intensity of the course.
15: Milk-Fed Veal Breast | Risotto, Broccoli, Fiscalini Cheddar
2008 Julien Frémont, Cidre Brut, Normandy, France
The veal was some of the best I've had. I usually find the meat boring, but this was anything but. Soft and tender in consistency, the veal had a somewhat smoky, almost "hammy" tinge to it. Delicious on its own, I also enjoyed the meat paired with the cheddar and char of the burnt broccoli florets. The cider, another Church & State import, had an intriguing farmhouse nose, leading to earthy flavors over a backbone of apple. It went well with the broccoli and cheese here.
16: Japanese Kuroge Beef | Marrow Toast, King Trumpet, Bordelaise Sauce
2000 R. Lopez de Heredia, Viña Tondonia, Reserva, Rioja, Spain
Now, we turn our attention toward our bovine friend, Mr. Kuroge. Though contemporary in appearance and technique, the flavors here were thoroughly classic: a perfectly-prepared parallelepiped of protein, savory mushrooms, red wine sauce, and the heady weight of bone marrow. The paired rustic Rioja? A no-brainer.
17: Wagyu Short Rib | Smoked Potato "Tots", Nantes Carrots, White Ketchup
2001 COS, Nero d'Avola, Sicilia, Italy
And now, for our final savory course of the night: an even more decadent presentation of beef. Rich and unctuous, the Wagyu broke apart near instantaneously upon mastication. I altogether enjoyed the meat by itself, but I did appreciate the moderating effect of the potato and carrot. The "sexy tomato seeds," meanwhile, provided a tart, offsetting tang. The paired wine, a dark, jammy Nero d'Avola, was a natural choice.
Pre Dessert: "Cookies & Milk"
Before dessert proper, we were presented with Voltaggio's version of Dippin' Dots. Basically globules of ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen, the spheres were quite tasty indeed, with a great, light, airy texture.
18: Baba Au Rhum | Textures of Coconut and Pineapple
2004 Weingut Rosenhof, TBA Chardonnay, Illmitz, Austria
First up was a reimagined rum baba, presented here as a fruity gallimaufry of varying textures and tastes, which one of my dining companions described as almost "gummi bear"-like in flavor. The whole amalgam seemed very Adrian Vasquez-esque to me (not necessarily a bad thing, mind you). The paired wine, teeming with tropical fruit flavors, worked perfectly, as expected.
19: Lavender Flower Macaron | Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta, Vanilla-Passion Sorbet, Floral Cotton Candy
2000 Patricius, 5 Puttonyos, Tokaji, Hungary
Here, the floral character of the macaroon took center stage, where it was joined by the subtle tanginess of the panna cotta, and the marked tartness of the passion fruit. The Tokaji, with its unabashedly saccharine nature, easily cut through the floral notes, resulting in a pleasing admixture of creamy and fruity flavors.
20: Sticky Toffee Pudding | Jasmine "Rice Cream", Lime, Banana Custard
1998 Domaine Fontanel, Rivesaltes Ambré, Roussillon, France
And now, we move into the heavier chocolate-based desserts. Despite appearances, the cake was actually quite light, and not terribly sweet. It was nicely foiled by the cool, soothing "rice cream" and airy lime foam, but the crux of this dish was the banana custard, which lent an overarching weight to the dessert. I apologize for the sloppy presentation here--I accidentally spilled the wine, a Grenache Blanc, on the plate!
21: Fools Gold | Chocolate, Salty Hazelnut Praline, Milk Sorbet
1989 L'Étoile, Cuvée Réservée, Grand Cru, Banyuls, Roussillon, France
Fool's Gold, which I first tasted at Hatchi, is quickly becoming the Chef's signature dessert. The base of the dish is a serpentine block of ganache-like chocolate. This combines with the hazelnut praline to form a flavor combination not unlike that of a Ferrero Rocher. The use of salt provided an interesting counterpoint, while the sorbet served as a cool, calming contrast. Our final wine of the night, a sugary, raisin-y Grenache blend, worked wonders in complementing the chocolate.
Mignardises
Some fruit candies and mini macarons to close, along with Voltaggio's famous pop rock-infused chocolate lollipops.
After dinner, we visited the kitchen, chatted a bit, and shared a glass of Krug Grande Cuvée (they just happened to have an open bottle laying around!) with the Chef.
For all you poker fans out there, we also ran into the husband-and-wife team of Chad Brown and Vanessa Rousso. According to a reader, the guy on the the far left is Ali Eslami, a high stakes cash player, and the guy on the far right is also a poker player--anyone know his name?
Somehow, the idea of Champagne sabrage came up, and Josh proceeded to show off his sabering skills outside!
When I look back and compare this dinner to my first visit to The Dining Room, it's obvious that Voltaggio has experienced some real growth in his cooking. The food is undeniably more confident, more focused, more self-assured--the Chef has really come into his own here. The result, quite simply, was a meal of epic proportions--somewhat cerebral, but not esoteric, approachable. In fact, if Michelin were still around, two stars would not surprise me for arguably the most progressive cookery in Los Angeles.
1401 South Oak Knoll Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106
626.568.3900
www.thediningroom-langham.com
Fri 02/26/2010, 07:30p-01:20a
My last visit here was in August of last year, shortly after Michael Voltaggio had replaced former chef Craig Strong in the kitchen. The Dining Room was scheduled to shutter for renovations at the end of summer 2009, but due to Voltaggio's win on Top Chef, the restaurant has remained open to capitalize on Voltaggio's newfound fame. Renovations have currently been pushed back to Q3 2010. I definitely had planned on coming back prior to the closure, and I was recently presented with the perfect opportunity: the startup that some friends of mine worked for was about to get acquired. A celebratory dinner (perhaps the first in a series), thus, was called for. We considered the usual suspects--Melisse, Providence, Spago, Urasawa--before deciding on The Dining Room.
Now, seeing as how this was supposed to be a celebratory dinner, I requested the Private Dining Room. The PDR normally requires a party of eight, and seats up to 18. However, we were "eating for eight," so to speak, so we had no problem securing the space.
The standard menu just wouldn't do, so in true kevinEats fashion, we requested to run the gamut, getting a taste of all 21 courses (a vague reference to Bryan's Table 21 perhaps?) on the menu, split between two people, paired with a mind-boggling assortment of 21 libations, courtesy of new Sommelier Josh Goldman. Previously, Josh worked with David Haskell at BIN 8945, and also served as GM at Church & State and Bastide, both under Walter Manzke. In fact, we chatted briefly about Manzke's recent departure from C&S, and both agreed that a chef of his caliber just couldn't last doing "mere" bistro fare. Click for larger versions.
Caviar Service
Pierre Peters, Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, Le Mesnil, France
To go along with the celebratory nature of this dinner, we decided that some caviar was in order. One of my dining companions managed to procure some beluga, and I requested "caviar corkage," to simply be able to consume the caviar at the beginning of the meal--we even brought our own blinis and crème fraiche. Voltaggio, ever the perfectionist, however, would not let this stand. Our accoutrements were tossed aside, replaced by his egg salad, traditional housemade buckwheat blinis, and amazing liquid nitrogen "Crème Fraiche 2010." Voltaggio definitely exceeded expectations here, going well above what was called for.
The star here, clearly, was that stellar nitro crème fraiche. It was somewhat lighter, more ethereal than your typical variety, and played beautifully with the roe, forming a perfect interplay of creamy and briny flavors. It also gave the caviar a great temperature contrast as well. The combination of caviar, crème fraiche, and blini was magical! In addition, I also tried the caviar alone, and noted its deliciously robust, yet refined flavor, imbued with nutty, buttery goodness--I still preferred it with accompaniments, though. To drink, I'd actually brought a bottle of vintage Bollinger Grand Année, but Josh recommended the "grower" Pierre Peters in its place--it was a wise substitution. Think dry and crisp, but not overwhelmingly so, with plenty of yeast, backed by hints of citrus and vanilla. It was almost Krug-like in character, and a superb complement to the caviar.
Amuse Bouche: Sake Jello
The meal proper began with a fruity bang: a sake gelée encasing fraises des bois (small, wild strawberries), topped with strawberry tonic. This was a lovely, refreshing start to the dinner that captured the very essence of strawberry, intermingled with just a touch of astringency from the tonic.
The first round of bread saw a bacon soft roll and a country white, served with Échiré unsalted butter and Vermont salted butter.
1: Japanese Shima Aji | Jamon Iberico, Sea Sponge, Finger Lime
Terres Dorées, FRV100, Effervescent Gamay, Beaujolais
The gauntlet of courses started with a shima aji, or striped jack, sashimi, done up in a somewhat crudo-inspired style. Taking the fish alone, I really appreciated the tartness imparted upon it by the finger lime. The best part of this, though, was the use of Jamón Ibérico, which added a fantastic saltiness to counter the relatively restrained flavor of the jack. The "sea sponge," meanwhile, with its mirin and dashi verve, contributed a briny, umami-tinged finish to the course. The wine pair was the "infamous" FRV100, a fizzy Gamay that I'd had previously at Church & State (with Josh) and at LudoBites. I was a bit wary of its overt sweetness, but actually found it to be a great foil to the savoriness of the dish.
2: Langoustine | White Asparagus, Tiny Eggs, Fried Calamari
2007 Paul Pernot, Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy, France
Next up was perhaps some of the best langoustine I've ever had. Its texture was just fantastic--soft, snappy, supple--while the taste was delicately sweet, lightly sea-tinged. The eggs added an appropriately luxurious complement, while the squid ink-tinted asparagus' bitterness also made itself known. The star here, however, was the calamari--crisp, crunchy, and absolutely bursting in salty savor. The pairing of a bourgogne blanc, with its citric sweetness, marked minerality, and clean acidity, just made sense here.
At this point, we were presented with The Dining Room's famous tennis ball-sized truffle brioche, accompanied by an airy goat cheese butter from Turlock, CA. Almost mesmerizing in appearance with its concentric rings of sable, the brioche was positively imbued with the heady sapor of truffle--I nearly finished it in one go! Given the length of the meal, however, I knew I had to temper my appetite.
3: Garden Harvest | Vegetables of the Season, Warm Burrata
1999 S. Tissot, Vin Jaune, Arbois, France
This was an interesting course, and not one that I'd exactly expect from Voltaggio. It harkens back to other Gargouillou/Michel Bras-inspired vegetable compositions such as David Kinch's signature "Into the Vegetable Garden," Paul Liebrandt’s "From the Garden," and Daniel Patterson's "Garden, Late Fall." Made with a whopping 20 types of veggies (including carrot, beet, nasturtium, and squash blossom) and supplemented by vegetable gelée, sherry vinaigrette, harissa paste, burrata, and cardamom-coffee soil, it was an intriguing exposition of disparate tastes and textures, a cacophonous symphony of savory-bitter-sweet. The sherry-like vin jaune, meanwhile, did a respectable job in moderating and integrating the power of the various veggies. One the highlights of the meal for me.
4: Octopus | Buttered Popcorn, Piquillo Confetti, Cilantro
Dewazakura Brewery, Izumi Judan, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
I adored the octopus' firm, yet yielding consistency here, along with its mildly sweet flavor, perked up with the subtle heat of piquillo pepper. Meanwhile, the popcorn purée added a palpable weight to the course, but was a touch too buttery for me. To stand up to the forcefulness of the dish, we needed something relatively austere, and the Dewazakura fit the bill nicely. A minerally, juniper-tinted sake (Josh even likened it to a gin martini!), its dryness countered the gravity of the popcorn purée admirably.
5: Tasmanian Sea Trout | Hibiscus, Pink Peppercorn, Puffed Mushroom Cracker
2008 Sant'Elena, Traminer Aromatico, Delle Venezie, Friuli Venezie Giulia, Italy
I loved how the fish itself was cooked--rare, raw almost, with a nearly gelatinous consistency and a biting, briny sapor. Besides the fish, I really appreciated the porcini crackers, which lent an earthy finish to the course, and which made for a great crispy textural element. The hibiscus air, however, was considerably more jarring, a bit disconcerting even; I was sort of ambivalent. Its sweetness did find a match in the floral, tropical fruit flavors of the wine though.
6: Foie Gras "Chaud" | Celery, Medjool Date, Mustard Sabayon
Lustau, Solera Reserva, Emilín, Moscatel Sherry, Jerez, Spain
Next, Chef Voltaggio wanted to demonstrate two foie dishes--hot 'n' cold (get thoughts of Katy Perry out of your head)--side by side. Both were paired with sherry, to boot. Now, regular readers will know that I'm somewhat of a terrine slut, so imagine my surprise when I actually preferred the chaud. It was one of the best hot foie gras I'd ever had, in fact. I appreciated its fabulously finespun foie flavor, and how the astringency of the celery (a veggie I usually abhor) formed a faultless foil to the gravity of the liver. Fantastic.
7: Foie Gras "Froid" | Apple, Saffron, Marcona Almond, Aerated Brioche
Lustau, Solera Reservera, Don Nuno, Dry Oloroso, Jerez, Spain
For the cold preparation, Voltaggio presented a seemingly simple cylinder of foie, accompanied by sous vide apples in saffron syrup, grated Marcona almonds, and the Chef's famous microwaved nitrous oxide brioche. However, penetrate the terrine, and you'll release a deluge of apple juice and vanilla, making for an amalgam of counterbalancing sweet and salty flavors. The light, fluffy brioche, thus, acts the part of a tempering element, sopping up all the goodness on the plate. As for the Lustau, it was a light sherry--nutty, woodsy, subtly sweet--that did a great job in cutting the fat of the foie. As a pairing, I preferred it to the Lustau served above, though I liked the darker, sweeter Moscatel better alone.
8: Kurobuta Pork Belly | Bok Choy "Kim Chi", Kabocha Squash Preserves, Peanut Butter Powder
Hitachino Nest, Real Ginger Brew, Kiuchi Brewery, Japan
Kurobuta Pork Belly--is there any ingredient that's more played out? Perhaps not, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this was a simply outstanding example, one of the best I've had, in fact. I loved the use of kimchi, and how it, profuse in piquant spice, steadfastly stood up to the heft of the belly--a perfect counterweight. This was easily the best use of kimchi I've seen in a non-Korean setting. Beer, thus, was a natural pairing with the dish, and boy, did Josh pick a good one! The Hitachino showed lovely notes of ginger and citrus over a slightly spicy backbone--it worked very well in offsetting the power of the dish.
9: Veal Sweetbreads | Green Olive, Lemon, Romaine Lettuce
2007 Dönnhoff, Riesling, Nahe, Germany
The sweetbreads, chiseled into cuboid form, could've been mistaken for the pork belly above. Flavor-wise, though, they were quite distinct. This was much more in-your-face, dense and buttery, with plenty of that signature sweetbread savor, perked up by the sourness of the lemon and the bitterness of the olive "caviar." The key here, though, was the romaine, which served as a light, juicy, crispy counterpoint to the weightiness of the veal--it absolutely made the dish for me. A light, sweetish wine was in order here, and the Dönnhoff fit the bill nicely with its floral, fruity character.
10: Jidori Chicken | Winter Truffles, Egg, Sunflower Root, Sunflower Seeds
2007 Geyerhof, Ried Richtern, Zweigelt, Kremstal, Austria
Yes, though it may not look the part, this was indeed a chicken dish. Truffle and slow poached egg is almost unavoidably a winning combination, and this was no exception. Their classic, heady flavors were apt complements to the relatively subdued chicken, which took on more of a supporting role in the dish. The use of sunflower seeds, meanwhile, provided a lovely nutty punctuation to complete the course. Josh paired this with a Zweigelt, sort of the prototypical Austrian red. He compared it to a heavy Gamay, and I liked how the fruit in the wine moderated the power of the truffle's earthiness.
11: Pastrami Pigeon | Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut, Rye
Duchesse de Bourgogne, Ale, Brewery Verhaeghe, West Flanders, Belgium
This was the one course that was repeated from my last visit, and I'm happy to report that it was definitely improved this time around. It was a bolder, more balanced dish, with the delectable, spicy cured pigeon beautifully complemented by the cubes of sauerkraut gelée and heightened by the pieces of puffed Swiss. The squab was paired with one of my favorite libations of the night, the Duchesse de Bourgogne, a Flemish ale that Josh likened to Doc Brown's Black Cherry soda! Indeed, it was suitably sweet, with gorgeous notes of sour cherry that just blended beautifully with the bird. This pigeon, a Moto-esque deconstruction of a Reuben sandwich, is quickly becoming one of Voltaggio's signature dishes, and with good reason!
12: Mediterranean Sea Bass | Mussels Billi-bi, Fennel, Quinoa
2007 Chateau La Rouvière, Rosé, Bandol, Provence, France
Here we have a expertly prepared cut of seabass, semi-flaky and supple in body, with a softly briny flavor, and a delectably crisp, savory skin. I wasn't in love with the quinoa, but I did appreciate the billi-bi, along with the pungency of the fennel, which played nicely with the spicy-strawberry flavors of the paired rosé.
With the fish courses came a tasty side of seaweed mashed potatoes. I made sure to finish the entire pot--very nice!
13: Skate Wing | Brown Butter, Scrambled Cauliflower, Caper Powder
2008 Mormoraia, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy
A few weeks ago, at Petrossian, I had an excellent rendition of skate wing, done à la grenobloise, which means cooked with brown butter, capers, lemon, and parsley. In a way, this could be considered Voltaggio's take on the classic dish. The fish itself was soft, spongy, and possessing of a considerable depth of flavor, thanks in part to the beurre noisette. It was balanced by the tang of the lime and caper, presented here in powder form, and I loved how the mashed potatoes elevated the fish's inherent briny essence. The pairing with the crisp, fruity, acidic Vernaccia was spot on.
14: Jamison Farm Lamb | Vadouvan, Nori-Spaghetti Squash, Yogurt, Fried Rice
2007 Bibich, Riserva, North Dalmatia, Croatia
Our first meat course consisted of a sous vide lamb three-way: shoulder, loin, tongue. Vadouvan, which is all the rage these days (Ludo's fav!), provided a lovely spicy foil to the dish, and heightened, but did not overwhelm, the meat's intrinsically "lamby" flavor. Humorously, one of my dining companions even compared the flavor of the vadouvan to chili CornNuts! Countering the power of all this was the yogurt and the scrumptious rice. We were poured a Croatian wine, the Bibich Riserva, which I'd had previous at ParkAve. Described as Zin-like by Josh, the wine's peppery, dark fruit flavors stood up to the intensity of the course.
15: Milk-Fed Veal Breast | Risotto, Broccoli, Fiscalini Cheddar
2008 Julien Frémont, Cidre Brut, Normandy, France
The veal was some of the best I've had. I usually find the meat boring, but this was anything but. Soft and tender in consistency, the veal had a somewhat smoky, almost "hammy" tinge to it. Delicious on its own, I also enjoyed the meat paired with the cheddar and char of the burnt broccoli florets. The cider, another Church & State import, had an intriguing farmhouse nose, leading to earthy flavors over a backbone of apple. It went well with the broccoli and cheese here.
16: Japanese Kuroge Beef | Marrow Toast, King Trumpet, Bordelaise Sauce
2000 R. Lopez de Heredia, Viña Tondonia, Reserva, Rioja, Spain
Now, we turn our attention toward our bovine friend, Mr. Kuroge. Though contemporary in appearance and technique, the flavors here were thoroughly classic: a perfectly-prepared parallelepiped of protein, savory mushrooms, red wine sauce, and the heady weight of bone marrow. The paired rustic Rioja? A no-brainer.
17: Wagyu Short Rib | Smoked Potato "Tots", Nantes Carrots, White Ketchup
2001 COS, Nero d'Avola, Sicilia, Italy
And now, for our final savory course of the night: an even more decadent presentation of beef. Rich and unctuous, the Wagyu broke apart near instantaneously upon mastication. I altogether enjoyed the meat by itself, but I did appreciate the moderating effect of the potato and carrot. The "sexy tomato seeds," meanwhile, provided a tart, offsetting tang. The paired wine, a dark, jammy Nero d'Avola, was a natural choice.
Pre Dessert: "Cookies & Milk"
Before dessert proper, we were presented with Voltaggio's version of Dippin' Dots. Basically globules of ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen, the spheres were quite tasty indeed, with a great, light, airy texture.
18: Baba Au Rhum | Textures of Coconut and Pineapple
2004 Weingut Rosenhof, TBA Chardonnay, Illmitz, Austria
First up was a reimagined rum baba, presented here as a fruity gallimaufry of varying textures and tastes, which one of my dining companions described as almost "gummi bear"-like in flavor. The whole amalgam seemed very Adrian Vasquez-esque to me (not necessarily a bad thing, mind you). The paired wine, teeming with tropical fruit flavors, worked perfectly, as expected.
19: Lavender Flower Macaron | Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta, Vanilla-Passion Sorbet, Floral Cotton Candy
2000 Patricius, 5 Puttonyos, Tokaji, Hungary
Here, the floral character of the macaroon took center stage, where it was joined by the subtle tanginess of the panna cotta, and the marked tartness of the passion fruit. The Tokaji, with its unabashedly saccharine nature, easily cut through the floral notes, resulting in a pleasing admixture of creamy and fruity flavors.
20: Sticky Toffee Pudding | Jasmine "Rice Cream", Lime, Banana Custard
1998 Domaine Fontanel, Rivesaltes Ambré, Roussillon, France
And now, we move into the heavier chocolate-based desserts. Despite appearances, the cake was actually quite light, and not terribly sweet. It was nicely foiled by the cool, soothing "rice cream" and airy lime foam, but the crux of this dish was the banana custard, which lent an overarching weight to the dessert. I apologize for the sloppy presentation here--I accidentally spilled the wine, a Grenache Blanc, on the plate!
21: Fools Gold | Chocolate, Salty Hazelnut Praline, Milk Sorbet
1989 L'Étoile, Cuvée Réservée, Grand Cru, Banyuls, Roussillon, France
Fool's Gold, which I first tasted at Hatchi, is quickly becoming the Chef's signature dessert. The base of the dish is a serpentine block of ganache-like chocolate. This combines with the hazelnut praline to form a flavor combination not unlike that of a Ferrero Rocher. The use of salt provided an interesting counterpoint, while the sorbet served as a cool, calming contrast. Our final wine of the night, a sugary, raisin-y Grenache blend, worked wonders in complementing the chocolate.
Mignardises
Some fruit candies and mini macarons to close, along with Voltaggio's famous pop rock-infused chocolate lollipops.
After dinner, we visited the kitchen, chatted a bit, and shared a glass of Krug Grande Cuvée (they just happened to have an open bottle laying around!) with the Chef.
For all you poker fans out there, we also ran into the husband-and-wife team of Chad Brown and Vanessa Rousso. According to a reader, the guy on the the far left is Ali Eslami, a high stakes cash player, and the guy on the far right is also a poker player--anyone know his name?
Somehow, the idea of Champagne sabrage came up, and Josh proceeded to show off his sabering skills outside!
When I look back and compare this dinner to my first visit to The Dining Room, it's obvious that Voltaggio has experienced some real growth in his cooking. The food is undeniably more confident, more focused, more self-assured--the Chef has really come into his own here. The result, quite simply, was a meal of epic proportions--somewhat cerebral, but not esoteric, approachable. In fact, if Michelin were still around, two stars would not surprise me for arguably the most progressive cookery in Los Angeles.
posted by kevinEats at
7:30 PM
42 Comments:
Kevin incredible. I'll be in L.A. in September I want to put it in my to do list.
Just curious, how many millions did the bill turned out to be?
Not sure what I'm more impressed with. Voltaggio's progression as a chef or that you got to taste all 21 courses!
I'm far more impressed by the amount of drinking than the eating :P
I thought we were impressive doing 8 bottles of Burg/SQN, a champagne and 11 courses for 6 of us @Langham, but you got us beat once again!
The last (well only) time I was at the Dining Room was when Chef Strong helmed it. It was a great meal but this review seems to be of the greatest meal you've ever had. I know that's my interpretation but really, it seems pretty awesome. Usually I am not curious but this time I wish you took a Tangbro-esque receipt shot.
Where is the normal photo of your bill?? I was excited to see that while reading your post, because I knew it was going to be HUGE. Btw, I think Michelin will be returning to our city for 2011.... -Collier
Kevin long-ago stopped his tradition of posting the bill. Not sure why exactly...
Great review Kevin!
freaking Kevin--
thanks for the comprehensive report man.
still don't know how that random hipster knew about your blog though!
ha ha.
Talk about an epic meal! Twenty-one courses is doable, but I'm truly impressed by the extensive drink pairings. Love Voltaggio's comment: "Kevin 'ATE' everything!" What a lovely, memorable experience to toast your friends. :)
i think this is my favorite review of yours yet! :)
i'm actually coming here for dinner in couple of weeks for my bday! i'm hitting petrossian, dining room and bond st. for now... but, no list is complete with my beloved sushi LOL! you got me even MORE excited about coming here! and seriously... if i drank even half of what you did, i think i'd fall asleep at the table! =P
Wow, almost a 6 hour meal? Makes sense given the number of courses and the sheer volume of alcohol! Great tasting note on the Pierre Peters btw... I've been wanting to collect more grower champagnes. Think I'll have to track this down online.
his presentations are beautiful, but i've noticed that he uses the exact same flat plate for all of his dishes except 1 or 2.
Pretty sure Kevin stopped paying for his meals awhile ago -- which is why he stopped posting the bills.
lol What an amusing post. Well done!
my gosh kevin, this was one of the "porniest" of the food porn you continue to post on your blog. loved the beautiful pics and descriptions. the 21 booze pairings blew me away - very impressive. this is definitely one of my fave entries!
I want to eat the true kevinEats tasting at The Langham! If I can get your deal, I'm definitely game! Too bad KFP is not as well known. Sad :(
Kevin,
Excellent review. Dude, did you guys really kill 22 bottles of wine/beer? How were you able to walk out of there??
Also, how much was the total bill?
Thanks!
i think i've seen that Pierre Peters champagne at Silverlake Wine. good to see Josh touting grower bubbles.
You anonymous commenters are pretty lame and rude to be bugging Kevin about the bill. You are too lazy to make up a posting name yet you want to know what the bill is and you insinuate Kevin is being comped. It is none of your business!
Maybe some restaurants don't like the bill being posted. Who knows and who cares! I live on the east coast and will never get to eat at Kevin's places. But I still get a big kick out his gastronomic adventures
Tricerapops - they do have that bottle of Pierre Peters at SLW. Great bottle.
Though your meal looks epic by most measures, I thoroughly enjoyed by 5 courser.
@ Matt & Tri: Its also at auction right now starting at $30 at winebid.com. I buy the majority of my wine through their site, never been disappointed yet.
rockingham...the bill is a valid question. I don't care about the politics if he was comped, I want to know if I were to have a special occasion at the Langham, how much this would cost and if they even offer this extensive tasting to the general public.
Rockingham, with all due respect, your comments are off base.
First, we bug Kevin about the bill because in virtually every post, he either displays the bill or tells you how much each item costs.
Second, calling us lazy because we post anonymously v. "making up a posting name" is specious. It's as though creating a posting name lends some magical credence to what we have to say.
Third, Kevin has, in the past, been comped and he (as far as I can tell) has always been candid about this when he has. And it is our business because, to me, it goes to his credibility as a food critic to a certain degree. If all of his meals were comped I would begin to question seriously whether he was being completely forthright and honest in his reviews.
Finally, I believe most people care about how much his meals cost because (1) it gives readers an idea of whether they can actually afford to go there, and (2) it makes the review complete in that he describes a restaurant’s history, details the environs, beautifully captures the food in words and photos, and then lets the reader know what the damage is. It just makes it a complete, vicarious online dining experience.
Rockingham, with all due respect, your comments are completely off base.
First, we bug Kevin about the bill because in virtually every post, he either displays the bill or tells you how much each item costs.
Second, calling us lazy because we post anonymously v. "making up a posting name" it specious. It's as though creating a posting name lends some magical credence to what we have to say.
Third, Kevin has, in the past, been comped and he (as far as I can tell) has always been candid about this when he has. And it is our business because, to me, it goes to his credibility as a food critic to a certain degree. If all of his meals were comped I would begin to question seriously whether he was being completely forthright and honest in his reviews.
Finally, I believe most people care about how much his meals cost because (1) it gives readers an idea of whether they can actually afford to go there, and (2) it makes the review complete in that he describes a restaurants history, details the environs, beautifully caputres the food in words and photos, and then lets the reader know what the damage is. It just makes it a complete dining experience
In the end, though, I agree with you completely in that I also “get a big kick out his gastronomic adventures”
Great work, Kevin!
Anonymous: I would say that trying to see the bill is not helpful in this case (in fact many cases). I doubt most readers would be able to have a similar experience as the one he had. If you want to get an idea of how much a meal costs, you could easily go to the website and look at the menu, which has prices listed. If a reader is interested in trying the entire menu in one meal, all they would need to do is call the restaurant and ask. I'm sure they would be happy to quote you a price.
Kevin, I think a lot of girls will be jealous of your photo sharing champagne w Voltaggio. Has Diana seen it? :p
The last time I remember having skate wing was actually at Little Malaysia - probably a much more pungent curry rendition.
I respectfully disagree with you mattatouille. If I was planning a birthday dinner for my girlfriend, this type of 21 course meal would be an ideal choice at say $500, not at $2,000. The bill is important. Michael V. claims he reads this blog and since Kevin is in hiding, maybe the chef would provide the $$ details. The comments help to build a better review and, therefore, should be respected.
Impressive!!! The food is small but super extremely rich. I was so full and bloated with the 5 course. You ate both sides of the menu!
Roberto: At the end, the bill was $130 per person, but since we felt that it was too little for what we were provided, we ended up doubling it to $250pp via the tip.
Linden: I'd go with Voltaggio. ;)
Charlie: Believe me, I was feeling it big time at the end. Josh was giving pretty generous pours!
sygyzy: It was definitely up there. As for the bill, I actually forgot to get a photo of it!
Collier: I'm reserving the bill shots for my truly outrageous meals (e.g. Urasawa). ;) Where did you hear about Michelin coming back?
Protocol: I figured that it was unnecessary for all but the most luxurious dinners--rest assured that I'll do it for my next Urasawa trip! I usually include prices in any case.
Javier: Hipsters can be foodies too. ;)
Christie: Indeed--I loved the comment too!
Helen Thanks. I look forward to seeing your report back. :)
Jai:6 hours isn't even the longest meal I've had--try Providence.
Anon: Yep you're right. I agree that it might be nice to mix things up a bit with the dinnerware.
Anon: Definitely not the case. Any media/PR/blogger dinners will be noted as such in the post.
Rockingham: How was it amusing???
Jane: Heh, thanks--a porntastic meal indeed!
Danny: You can call and ask for the kevinEats special. ;)
Anon: Believe me, only the first one was a full bottle. The rest were "tasting portions." The bill was $130pp, which seemed low. We left $250pp in the end.
Tricerapops: For sure. The Pierre Peters was some great stuff. Josh is known for his unique wine pairings.
Rockingham: Thanks for the support!
Matt: I know you enjoyed your meal here--reading your post definitely whetted my appetite.
Jai: Is it really worth it to do WineBid for such a reasonably-priced bottle though?
Alba: That is a totally valid point.
Anon: I understand completely. The reason why I didn't include the price was that this was a custom, one-off meal, coordinated in advance, and thus it would not be necessarily indicative of others' experiences at The Dining Room.
Matt: Fair enough. Interestingly, when I called and spoke to Chef Voltaggio, we discussed everything but the cost. It was my assumption that he would charge a fair price, and in the end, it was far more than fair.
Fiona: Ha! Please send it over to Diana. ;)
Alba: This would be a great birthday meal. Plus, the courses were shared, making it more romantic I would think. I'm definitely not in hiding. I've just been busy with work as of late, and in general, I prefer to respond to comments en masse.
Anon: Yep, in general, the courses are fairly weighty, though balanced. I imagine most "normal" people would be decently satisfied with the fiver.
Five courses at The Dining Room, $85.
Kuroge beef supplement, $30.
Eating the entire menu, priceless or around $455.
Kevin, only when you want to add more bottles on top of what you're already purchasing to average out the shipping cost ;)
And wow, what hefty praise -- comparing Langham to a two-star restaurant. I'll have to try it out sooner rather than later. Which other LA restaurants, if any, do you believe would be in consideration for a second star when (/if?) Michelin comes back?
man.. we paid more than that for ours and we had only half the courses and zero drinks! Even spoke to Michael to do something special.
I need the kevineats credentials =)
To anonymous--
You have definitely made your case and in a non-rude way so I was wrong about you. I would still suggest taking a convenient name for yourself because it gets difficult to tell the anonymous posters apart from each other. So how can you address one of them? "Hey you Mr. Anonymous at 4:10 AM, I beg to differ with you!"
To Kevin--
By the word "amusing" I meant a fun post that had me chuckling and laughing on many levels. You intentionally injected some humor yourself such as "Three eating for eight"
The best humor has lots of irony. Irony depends on contrast and just by its very nature a twenty one course tasting menu must have plenty of contrast and irony. The twenty one different wines are there for contrast and complementarity. The best chefs may be temperamental souls but they show you they are merry makers at heart with an amuse bouche to begin the proceedings
Well Kev and anonymous, that's my story and I'm sticking to it until at least next week
Anon: Ha, nicely done, but a bit off with the prices. ;)
Jai: The current two stars look about right. Urasawa could be a 3-er though.
Charlie: You of all people had zero drinks???
Rockingham: Well said. But actually, it was four eating for eight. ;)
Ah, I can call for the kevinEats special, but can I get the kevinEats price? :)
I'm IN if you go next time!
I like how you keep saying you prefer foie terrines, yet this is about the 3rd or 4th review in which you've said you've preferred the cooked variety.
Maybe you are slowly turning over to the "dark side" ? ;)
anyways, love your reviews, keep doing what u do.
Danny: No, probably not. ;) Given how satisfying the meal was, it may be a while before I go, however.
Anon: Thanks! I still do prefer terrines, but, as you mentioned, there have been some notable exceptions. I don't foresee myself pulling an Anakin Skywalker anytime soon though.
Thanks for the posts. We just went there and truly enjoyed our meal as well.
BTW: What camera set-up do you use to take pictures in fine dining (dark) environments? We would love to take pictures, but do not want to ruin other people's experience with our flash.
Shanna, I'm definitely in the anti-flash camp as well. I currently use a Sony a500 DSLR. Previously, I had a Sony A300 DSLR, and before that, a Fuji FinePix F30.
lol small world, in the pix with poker players the guy on the all the way on the left is Ali Eslami, a hight stakes cash player, really good at limit holdem and limit games. The guy on far right I am not sure but looks familiar. Great Review. By chance are u going to the secret beef restaurant/Totoraku anytime soon? I live like 2 blocks away and never knew about it till I read the blog. lol
Thanks R--small world indeed. I've made the change. You play as well?
No current plans for Totoraku in the works though unfortunately. :(
How time flies, I can't believe I didn't make it here before the last service (sniffles). Feels nostalgic already.
You shoulda let me known earlier--I'm actually going to be dining here on the final night tomorrow. :(
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