1391 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-250-9903
www.buttonmashla.com
Wed 09/25/2024, 08:00p-10:50p
We come to yet another restaurant closure, this time of Echo Park's Button Mash and the restaurant housed within: Diego Argoti's genre-bending Poltergeist. Their last day of operation was September 29th, as apparently the team decided not to renew their lease due to rising operating costs.
If you recall, the bar-slash-arcade was launched in October 2015 by Gabriel Fowlkes and Jordan Weiss, and boasted a food program by none other than Starry Kitchen. However, that partnership ended with the pandemic, as the barcade shut down in October 2020 after trying its hand at delivery, takeout, and parking lot dining. Button Mash reopened in April 2022 with a menu by Tacos 1986, but the collaboration provided to be short-lived. That's when Argoti--who was quickly making a name for himself with his Estrano pop-ups--came in. He started out just doing the bar menu, but soon took over everything and debuted Poltergeist in February 2023 to considerable anticipation. He was even awarded James Beard "Best Chef: California" semifinalist status back in January.
About the Chef: Diego Vinicio Argoti comes from an Ecuadorian-American background, and was born in September 1990 to mother Marina and father Marco, a grocer. He grew up in Burbank, and graduated from John Burroughs High School in 2008. Following, he attended and dropped out of Pasadena City College, and also moved to Pittsburgh in 2010 for a brief time before returning to LA. Now back home, he found employment at Doomie's Home Cookin' in Hollywood and Red Hill in Echo Park, where he stayed until the end of 2013. From there, Argoti secured a position at Bestia. He then started working at Chi Spacca, and spent time at Broken Spanish beginning in late 2015, but soon return to Ori Menashe's side. In 2018, he helped open Bavel as sous, where he stayed until the pandemic, and also assisted with the Dandi pop-up during this period.
Argoti launched Estrano ("strange") in July 2020 at 1700 Naud in Chinatown (across the street from Majordomo), making good use of the skills that he'd acquired over the past several years. The "street pasta" concept proved to be a success, and eventually popped up all over town, including at places like Thunderbolt, Melody, Sala Coffee & Wine, Bar Bandini, Glendale Tap, Gamboge, 1802 Roasters, Club Tee Gee, Lawless Brewing, Checker Hall, Alma's Cider & Beer (where the Chef also helped with the menu), Osteria La Buca, Little Coyote, Ambitious Ales, and yes, Button Mash (multiple times in fact). This eventually led to an opportunity for Argoti to run the kitchen at Button Mash, and Poltergeist would grand-open on February 24th, 2023.
Inside, things pretty much haven't changed at all from when the place opened, which isn't a bad thing.
And here we see Poltergeist's menu, which is pretty compact, making it relatively easy for us to run the gamut and order everything. To drink, you get a nice selection of beers and a small wine list. Corkage was $30. Do also note the back of house credits listed on the menu, which is a thoughtful touch from the Chef: Eddenilson Cortez, Rachel Verharst, Andrew Verharst, Austin Chong, George Silyan, Matty Guzman, Hector Pastor, Coby Nakasu, Sergio Rivas, Gustavo De Haro, and Maria De Haro. Click for larger versions.
THAI CAESAR SALAD [$16.00] | Frisee, Lemongrass, Puffed Rice Crouton, Smoked Anchovies, Parmesan
A reimagined Caesar salad demonstrated your classic creamy, cheesy, briny notes, but amped up by the sting of lemongrass. The dish was remixed texturally as well thanks to the use of frisée in lieu of the usual romaine, while brittle puffed rice crackers took the place of croutons.
PARKER HOUSE ROLL [$10.00] | Miso Honey, Furikake Duqqa, Fresno Butter
I'm quite the fan of Parker House rolls, and while tonight's example was unlike any I've had, it was also one of the best I've had. Taking a form not unlike that of a cinnamon roll, the bread showed off a bevy of wonderfully warm, sweet, nutty flavors, and I loved the growing heat of that "cheesy" butter, which somehow made me think of childhood pepperoni pizza.
I brought a few beers with me tonight, and my thought was that they'd all be bottles from around the time when Chef Argoti started cooking professionally. Up first was the 2013 Brasserie Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic Bio, which actually was purchased back in 2014 at the grand opening of Ramirez Beverage Center in Boyle Heights. The nose here was just what I wanted, highlighting puckeringly sour cherries commixed with smidges of barnyard. Taking a sip, I got loads of tart, acidic, funky elements moderated by a delectable mish-mash of sweet, cinnamon-y spices. Despite being 11 years old, this was still remarkably vivacious, and I imagine that it'll be drinking well for at least another decade.
GREEN GODDESS SALAD [$15.00] | Little Gem Lettuce, Coconut Lime Leaf Vinaigrette, Tarragon, Pandan Flakes
A relatively straightforward salad was kicked up a notch thanks to the sharpness of lime leaf, all while the pandan provided both sweetness and crunch.
HONEY WALNUT PRAWNS [$19.00] | New Caledonian Blue Prawns, Celeriac Kewpie, Candied Walnuts, Horchata Panna Cotta, Crispy Rice Salad
Honey walnut shrimp is often a go-to of mine when I'm having Chinese, and Argoti's version was unlike any another I've encountered. The prawns were expertly cooked to a crisp, and I was a big fan of the back-and-forth between their sheer creaminess and the plethora of herbs present. At the same time, I got a nice crunch and nuttiness from the rice on the side. I don't know about that panna cotta, though.
YELLOW CURRY BUCATINO [$24.00] | Vadouvan Noodle, Corn Rib, Tomatillo Zhug, Strawberry Adjika, Pistachio
Bucatini came out super thick, with a firm, "dry" consistency. The pasta took well to the richly-flavored curry, which actually reminded me of shacha at times. The corn was difficult to eat, though it did impart a welcomed sweetness to the dish, and I liked the spicy counterpoints offered up by both the zhug and ajika.
MAPO TOFU STUFFED CABBAGE [$18.00] | Silken Tofu, Smoked Shiitakes, Coconut Rice, Sichuan, Calabrian Chili Paste
Here we have what must be one of my favorite takes on mapo tofu ever. I loved how those silky, mild cubes of tofu meshed with the dish's deep, savory flavors and growing heat, all while the cabbage provided a wonderful bitterness and crunch. Great use of some just-sticky-enough rice, too.
Next to imbibe was the 2014 Surly Darkness, a Russian imperial stout aged in barrels that previously held High West rye whiskey and then Surly Eight barleywine. The beer smelled of restrained dark fruit and cacao, with a bit of a metallic edge. On the palate, this was smooth though not particularly viscous, its malty sweetness linking up with tart cherry, chocolate, and a hint of rye spice lurking in the background.
BROCCOLI BEEF RAVIOLI [$25.00] | Short Rib, Dark Soy, Brown Butter, Broccolini, Parmesano Reggiano
A thoroughly rejiggered version of beef and broccoli didn't quite capture the essence of the quintessential American-Chinese staple. I started with the thick stalks of broccolini, which ate delightfully bitter, smoky, and savory. I then moved on to the ravioli; they were brimming with the warm, nutty sweetness of brown butter, so the actual beef was overshadowed, regrettably. The Parmesan, meanwhile, actually worked to even out the flavors at play.
GRILLED OCTOPUS AND FETA [$22.00] | Refried Beluga Lentils, Tomato Concassé, Black Harissa, Squid Ink Scroll Bread
Octo came out well-charred, with a pretty decent texture, too. My favorite thing here, though, were the lentils, which really spoke to me, and I was definitely a fan of the growing heat from the harissa as well. The herbs were also crucial, as was the cheese, while that fluffy, nearly cloth-like flatbread was a joy texturally, and also worked to soften the stronger flavors going on.
COCONUT CURRY CHOCHOYOTES [$30.00] | Red Curry Fondue, Blue Masa Dumplings, Oyster, Shimeji, & King Trumpet Mushrooms, Fried Dill
These masa dumplings were a surprise favorite of mine, with their hearty, homey, corn-forward flavors melding easily with that nearly mole-esque curry. We also enjoyed three types of mushrooms on the side, and I was particularly fond of that shimeji "tempura."
VERMICELLI STUFFED DORADE [$38.00] | Scallop Aguachile, Castelvetrano Salsa Verde, Salsa Piña, Roe
The orata was another standout. The fish itself arrived delectably seasoned, its gentle salinity pairing effortlessly with the herbs and even better with the vermicelli, which offered a superb contrast in both taste and texture. Meanwhile, a Hokkaido scallop aguachile and zippy salsa contributed further facets to the dish.
Here we have the 2012 The Bruery Black Tuesday, an iconic bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout weighing in at a considerable 19.2% ABV. But despite its high alcohol content, the beer went down surprisingly easy, which isn't something you can always say about Black Tuesday. Aromas here were rich chocolate mixed with soy sauce. Palate-wise, the stout was soft and sweet, with cacao and dark fruits at the fore, while heat and barrel spice came in later and lingered.
VEAL BRAIN RAVIOLI [$35.00] | Chicken Heart and Gizzard, Kiwi, White Peach, Tomato, Parmesan
This was the one special offered tonight, so of course we had to get it. The ravioli were well-textured, while the brain filling was actually pretty subdued, and nicely tempered by the sharp, vegetal flavors in the dish. Simultaneously, I appreciated the earthiness and textural variation from the chicken offal, and the tangy fruit served as a welcomed finishing touch.
DUCK LEG BUBBLE WAFFLE [$36.00] | Duck Confit, Mochi Verde, Hibiscus Toum, Pickled Peach Salad
When ordering duck leg, I don't think I've ever had two come out on the plate, so this seemed like a great value. It was also damn tasty, the bird arriving falling-apart tender and teeming with delectably sweet spices, with a crispy skin to boot. I loved the freshness from the herbs, not to mention the stone fruit, while the waffle was pleasingly chewy, with an almost lemongrass-y zing to it.
PANANG LAMB NECK [$35.00] | Saffron Bao, Persimmon Amba, Conserva Raro, Pomegranate Molasses, Brusselkraut
For the evening's final savory course, a hearty hunk of lamb was as fork-tender and gelatinous as you'd want, and came loaded with a bevy of dark, sticky flavors, perked up by a nearly coffee-esque sweet spice from the meat's phanaeng seasoning. The mound of herbs on top was necessary for balance, and I also appreciated the sweet-tart accents from all the pickle-y bits, while those saffron-tinted buns were oh-so fluffy.
LEMON BAR [$10.00] | Meyer Lemon, Shortbread, Taro Gelée, Avocado Gelato
In our first dessert, the Chef's reinterpretation of the venerable lemon bar was rendered in disparate textures, and combined classic citric sourness with an almost savory character. A surprisingly herbaceous avocado ice cream proffered some contrast, as did those meringues.
For my final beverage, I wanted something dessert-y, hence the 2023 Horus Gloop Gloop Gloop Gloop, an imperial stout aged in Baker's bourbon barrels, with the addition of caramel, chocolate, coconut, and peanut butter. The bouquet on this one was intensely sugary, with a marked nuttiness backed by dark fruit. The beer was silken on the palate, its notes of peanut butter and chocolate being particularly apparent, but also evened out by touches of oak and bourbon.
BANANA SPLIT [$12.00] | "Unique" "Seasonal" "Flavors", Green Plantain Brittle
This was not what I was expecting from a banana split. I started with the Sichuan-inspired ice cream and found that it did effectively recall the spicy qualities of the cuisine. The passion fruit-poppy seed, meanwhile, was surprisingly savory, while the berry ice cream went in a pleasantly floral direction. Accompaniments of toasted coconut and banana chips mixed things up texturally, though they seemed a bit discordant.
SQUASH BLOSSOM OLIVE OIL CAKE [$11.00] | Cardamom, Ricotta, Balsamic, Sungold Creamsicle Sorbet
Last up was olive oil cake, my favorite of the desserts. I was impressed by how well the olive oil and especially the cardamom were conveyed, and was a fan of the bright, bracing nature of that tomato sorbet, too.
Stepping into Button Mash, I was expecting some unconventional cooking from Poltergeist, and that's pretty much what I got. Argoti's food manages to be delicious, confounding, surprising, and strangely nostalgic, all at the same time, twisting and turning its way through myriad culinary traditions and fusing ingredients and techniques that don't seem like they should be combined. Certainly, not everything is a home run, but when it works, it works, and the resulting cuisine seems very uniquely "LA." As for the Chef's next steps, from talking to him, it seems like Poltergeist is done for. That being said, he certainly does have other plans in mind, which I'm sure will be at least as wild as what he was doing here tonight, so I'll definitely be looking forward to that.
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