Update 1:
We were curious to see how Alta Adams was progressing after the early opening period.
It seems Alta Adams has found its stride in terms of being embraced by the local community, as during each of these next 4 visits, it’s always been at capacity, sometimes with a few groups waiting for a table as well.
It’s good to know Chef Keith Corbin is still helming the kitchen, doing the grilling and plating. We overheard him mention to some other customers that he takes one weeknight off, but otherwise is here at Alta Adams cooking and adding new recipes. Owner-Chef Daniel Patterson was nowhere to be seen on these subsequent visits, but it’s understandable since the majority of his restaurants are up in S.F.
Deviled Eggs:
Chef Corbin’s Deviled Egg recipe has remained the same since the Grand Opening period: Still creamy, perhaps a bit more on the Mayo side than Mustard side, with a bit of heat from Paprika.
Fried Chicken:
On this 3rd visit, their Fried Chicken was still about the same as before: A thicker, slightly crunchy batter, but a touch on the greasy side and salty. Passable.
Grilled Fish of the Day - Pacific Rockfish:
Totally unexpected, Chef Corbin knocked it out of the park, serving a perfectly grilled Pacific Rockfish he got in that day. It was moist, tender, flaky and was just cooked through. A good sign when grilling with live fire on that mesquite charcoal grill. The flavor of the Grilled Fish was also nice, clean flavors, bright, some good Salt and Pepper and a Housemade Vinaigrette-type of finisher, the hit of acidity helping brighten the dish up. 
Green Beans Simmered in Spicy Tomato Sauce:
Mac & Cheese:
Still as delicious as before: Chef Corbin’s take on the comfort food of Macaroni & Cheese results in a lighter, but still cheesy, creamy version. The aerated Cheese & Cream is a unique touch that lends a feeling of airiness to a usually heavy dish, while still imparting what you love about a good Mac & Cheese. 
Oxtails & Rice:
Hearing about @PorkyBelly’s woes during their Grand Opening period had us worried. Thankfully it looks like the kitchen might have straightened out their consistency issues in some ways, as there was plenty of their Miso Gravy, and the Oxtails were tender and succulent. They were tied with the Grilled Pacific Rockfish for Dish of the Night!
Grilled Pork Collar (Chow Chow):
Another surprise, their Grilled Pork Collar takes what might be viewed as a simple, basic dish and elevates it, with deft live fire grilling by Chef Corbin, lending a nice char and some smokiness to the Pork Collar, as well as the bright flavors coming through the Chow Chow relish. There’s natural sweetness (from the Tomatoes), some tartness, a touch of acid, and it just complements the Grilled Pork Collar’s savoriness.
Red Beans & Rice:
Good earthiness, tasting like a well-made version of this Southern classic.
BBQ Cauliflower:
While now being used in many eateries as a sort of meat substitute, Chef Corbin’s version stands on its own, smoky and with pleasing texture as he grills a large slab of Cauliflower over mesquite charcoal, and then brushes it with a Housemade BBQ Sauce to finish things off. It’s tasty as a side dish or main dish, and it was one of our friend’s favorite dish of the evening. 
Black Eye Pea Fritters (Herb Dipping Sauce):
Nicely fried, with a good crunch. The Black Eye Pea Fritters and Herb Dipping Sauce combo is great.
Sock It To Me Cake:
The curiously named Sock It To Me Cake is Chef Corbin’s take on his Grandma’s recipe. He explains that she used to make this for him growing up and he made a version for Alta Adams as a tribute. This was a nice moist Butter Cake. It had classic, familiar flavors, and tasted like something you might eat when visiting Grandma. 
Vanilla, Cinnamon, Sugar, Moist Cake. Joy.
Another Visit:
Deviled Eggs:
Still as consistent as before.
Kale, Avocado & Grapefruit Salad (Ginger Dressing):
A thoughtful, healthy and tasty combination of Kale, Avocado and Grapefruit. The Fennel was a great way to liven things up (along with the sweet-bitter Grapefruit and bright citrus notes).
Oxtails & Rice:
Wonderful again. Long-stewed morsels of tender Oxtail in Chef Corbin’s elevated take on the classic Oxtails & Rice he grew up with, but with a hint of Miso and Soy. (@TheCookie)
Fried Chicken:
One nice improvement we saw with this 5th visit was that Chef Corbin’s Fried Chicken is improving. The batter is much more consistently coating the Chicken, it’s not as greasy as the early versions of this dish. It’s also not as salty. It is good Fried Chicken, but still doesn’t approach legendary status like Howlin’ Ray’s. Still, if you’re craving Fried Chicken and in the neighborhood, this is a good version to try.
Coconut Cake:
Like a moist Pound Cake. Simple, homely, but fitting here.
Another Visit:
Cornbread with Honey Butter:
Another dish that has improved over time, Chef Corbin and staff now serve their Housemade Cornbread warm (as opposed to room temperature during the Grand Opening). That warmth with some of the Honey Butter made this one of the best dishes this evening.
California Gumbo (with Spring Vegetables, Okra Stew, Rice):
Chef Corbin mentioned wanting to serve something vegan for some of his customers requesting a vegan main, so this California Gumbo was created. First, to get this out of the way, if you think of “Gumbo” when taking a bite, you will be disappointed. There is very little resemblance to many of the Gumbos I’ve tried over the years, but I’m not an expert.
It was made for certain customers’ request, and when viewed as a “Vegetable dish,” it’s better, but still feels a bit lacking. The Okra Stew portion is nice, I really liked the Vegetable medley. There’s a touch of heat and vinegar tartness, but it lacks another flavor dimension to evoke “Gumbo.” I miss the Shellfish and Sausage / Ham / Chicken. We probably wouldn’t order this again.
Collard Greens (Vinegar, Smoked Oil):
Smoky, nice char on the grill, and the inside revealed nicely cooked-through chopped Collard Greens, tender from the grilling heat and with just the right amount of Vinegar and Oil.
Fried Chicken:
Thankfully Alta Adams is retaining that improved execution in their Fried Chicken. Still with a thick, slightly crunchy batter, it is moist and tender Chicken within.
Oxtails & Rice:
We noticed new staff on this visit, with Chef Corbin teaching them on the line, pointing out improvements and giving them tips. This probably explains the Oxtails & Rice on this visit:
It was still nicely stewed, wonderfully tender, fall-off-the-bone, beautiful textures with plenty of Gravy, but it was a touch too salty. It wasn’t inedible, but definitely saltier than any of the previous 5 visits. We mentioned this to the kitchen, so we’ll see if the new staff takes that feedback hopefully.
The one glaring weak spot with Alta Adams is its service. It seems that they might be taking the same philosophy as Locol in Watts (their spiritual predecessor, also from Chef-Owner Daniel Patterson), in hiring and training local people from the neighborhood and empowering them. This is a noble gesture, but in all of our visits, the waitstaff feel like they are very much amateurs, not really understanding the basics of good restaurant service. 
Water isn’t refilled. No one follows up to check on if we need any additional drinks, or anything else. On 2 of our visits, our server literally never returned to check on us after taking our order except at the very end for the check. Empty dishes and dirty plates are not removed, etc.
After a good half year plus, Alta Adams feels like it’s found its groove (except the service), creating a welcoming neighborhood restaurant serving elevated Soul Food with a lively atmosphere. While Chef Corbin is still there cooking in the kitchen, he can’t do everything by himself, and his help seems to have had some turnover. Thankfully, many dishes have actually been improving over time like their Cornbread with Honey Butter and Fried Chicken.
Their Grilled Fish of the Day has been a wonderful surprise, and the Grilled Pork Chop (Chow Chow) is another standout. Our favorite, the Oxtails & Rice, has been delicious and consistent for 5 of our visits, but our most recent one turned out too salty. Hopefully it was just an off night / Chef Corbin needing to watch over his new cooks more carefully. But as is, Alta Adams is a great local spot for some casual California Soul Food.
Alta Adams
5359 W Adams Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016
Tel: (323) 571-4999