Year of the Tiger (Balm)… #AncientChineseSecret
#SpottedAnotherLARestaurantNameOnThatList
#WaitingForPetrolatumBistroToOpen
6 Likes
Looks almost as French as Pasjoli. Where there any Indian flavors as per the hype in Eater?
1 Like
From what I had, there was absolutely Indian influence in the amuse—the lentil shell was filled with a not-quite-creamy-but-not-liquid cilantro chutney.
And then the shrimp was packed with umami that you expect from Southeast Asian dishes.
3 Likes
1 Like
same ownership as nightshade, even recognized a couple faces from the previous restaurant. makes me wonder why mei didn’t want to come back.
lots of table side peacocking, with most of the dishes presented with a pour of sauce.
note, portions are pretty small and this glutton needed 3 mains.
the following dishes will be scored by peacocks, sponsored by @rlw
chickpea mousse, lentil shell
bread, epoisses butter
I believe they use bub and grandma’s
baby shrimp, “gunpowder”
bowl of crispy umami
mackerel, mustard dressing
clams, garlic parsley butter
thanks for sharing @rlw
barbajuan, dungeness crab
black cod, basmati rice, saffron jus
lobster, coral bisque
sergios
chicken, thyme, chicken jus
glazed vegetables with truffles
focus
chocolate, hazelnut
marzipan, meyer lemon ice
toto
18 Likes
I’m noticing more and more star chefs are finding that it’s more profitable to do events and private stuff for rich people than run a restaurant. Sad state of affairs really. Melissa King, who won Top Chef during the early days of the pandemic, has not even hinted towards opening a restaurant. And given what’s going on out there it’s hard to blame these people. You have to put your entire soul in to barely squeeze a profit and all of it can disappear in an instant if there’s a new variant.
5 Likes
Aaaah is this the first high end Toto sighting since the pandemic? Momentous.
8 Likes
That last photo just goes to show that (contrary to your first photo), even after three mains, you were still flush.
6 Likes
Probably not just more profitable but more fun. You get to have a life. Get paid to travel around the country and see old friends.
I don’t think you will ever see Melissa open a restaurant, which is sad indeed.
But it opened last week?
“Soft” opening?
1 Like
novelty aside, would go to Camphor over say, Redbird?
I am a fan of the peacock rating system.
6 Likes
Warrior: Nice people — I hope they make it. While the dishes show effort and creativity, I feel they need more work. For example, while the little shrimps have good flavor, they do not seem like a complete dish to me. It is odd to eat scoops of little shrimps with a fork; something is missing. I have similar impressions of every dish we tried; nothing quite nailed it for me. I think the restaurant has potential and would go back to see how it has evolved. The prices, which include 20% gratuity, seem pretty fair.
sorry, I haven’t been to redbird for a long time, so I wouldn’t be able to recommend one over the other.
amuse - chickpea mousse, lentil shell
beef tartare, herb tempura
really good, I was impressed how sturdy and crisp the thin tempura was.
baby shrimp, gunpowder
mackerel salad, mustard dressing
they swapped out the aji they were using before with saba and I thought the meatier, larger slices held up a lot better to the mustard.
mussels, white wine, bacon
highlight of the night, perfectly seasoned plump and meaty pei mussels. the fries are the thin, all crisp kind. I would have preferred a less brittle fry that I could use to soak up the sauce.
steak au poivre
least favorite entree, I believe this was a strip loin, it was lean and a bit tough, and didn’t love the sauce, it had a slight bitterness to it.
glazed vegetables with truffle
kiwi, mint
marzipan, meyer lemon ice cream
11 Likes
Love the slot machine jackpot/domino effect - your emojis look like they’re about to pass out 
Definitely ordering this dish when I go.
Hoping some of the desserts from the Nightshade days like the white marbled chocolate over guava filling make an appearance.
I rather like the risks the Alain Ducasse alums are taking. This brings to mind, Dyan Ng, whose Ducasse training was on display during her tenure at the now shuttered Auburn - truly miss her work.
8 Likes
That’s what the bread is for. Limp fries in moules-frites would be a big faux pas, probably enough to block a Michelin star.
the “bread” (more like a crouton slice) was just as hard and brittle as the fries. I still ate it with the sauce and it was delicious, it just didn’t have any absorption.
1 Like