Went to Kurrypinch last night, which is the new Sri Lankan spot in Thai Town. The space is honestly really pleasant, and there’s quite the Sri Lankan crew in the open kitchen in the back.
They’re supposedly still in a soft opening, but it was full inside. Flavors are slightly (to very) toned down from what you’d find in the valley or Sri Lanka. That being said, the cooking was very good. A salmon in a pumpkin curry sauce, while not really authentic, was pretty impressive. I also thought the tuna curry was quite good and the badhuma (which is like a Lankan tiny fries situation) was instantly among my favorite potato dishes in the city. The mackerel cutlets were wonderful. I could have an entire meal of those. Other dishes were much less impressive. The lamb curry was fine. The pol roti were not good. Usually, those little coconut breads are like my favorite breads on the planet.
The problem with the spot is simple: there’s a world in which it tries to toe the line between modern Sri Lankan (whatever that is) and traditional Sri Lankan and ends up in a sort of no-mans land in between. For instance, you’ve probably seen one of my odes to hot butter cuttlefish somewhere on this board. Kurrypinch has a hot butter calamari, which has some of the same flavors, but instead fries calamari like you’re at some red sauce Italian spot. The sauce (admittedly wonderful) does not meld at all with the calamari rings, so you have this huge disconnect between the sauce and the squid.
Also, the alcohol situation, while existing, is probably the worst in Los Angeles proper. Beers were like Heinekens and Modelo. Wine read straight from a wedding in 2005. Whites were a chardonnay, a pinot Grigio, and a sauvignon blanc. Reds were a cab, a pinot, and a merlot. I think I’m gonna email them and beg them to put some natty wine on the menu. Or at least a decent riesling.
The waiter was wonderful but also I’m guessing he had never had Sri Lankan food before this job, lol. There is certainly a disconnect at Kurrypinch, right now. Regardless, I’ll happily go back! These are the types of places I really want to succeed. Pro-tip: you are a two minute walk from Jumbo’s Clown Room, if you want to imitate Bourdain. (I still haven’t been!)
Celebratory week had me around some of my favorite places. Had another super fun meal at RVR. Finally tried the pickles, yum! The energy was buzzy as usual. Weird moment: couple next to me asked if I wanted their remaining duck meatball. We had spoken a bit during the night. While it was probably fine, I was kinda torn between sure and eeewww. No pics.
We hit up Cobi’s. Good but give me Rasarumah any day, though the scallops and kingfish were delish.
Early light meal at n/soto. Always good with a few very good dishes. I eat here pretty often and dig it. Sadly, the Red Big Eye Snapper was very mild with very little pop despite the chili and passion fruit.
While the Hainan chicken rice here leaves you wanting for more, the fried chicken is fabulous. It gets a coat of flour and cornstarch before going into the fryer. Nice and crispy, juicy and flavorful with a chili sauce and fortified soy sauce for dipping. They actually suggest mixing the 2 sauces together which does make them better than the sum of its parts.
An order is $20 for 8 pieces (thighs and drums).
Going to pick up an order and deliver to my parents later this week.
Rainbow Cone (Cypress)
This opened a long while after EaterLA’s article tip off. They sell mini doughnuts in addition to ice cream treats.
The house special is 5 flavors on one cone (or cup). They take slices of orange sherbet, pistachio almond, Palmer house (vanilla with maraschino cherries and walnuts), strawberry and chocolate. Waffle cones are extra.
It is a lot of ice cream. I think I made it halfway through before I passed it over to my personal leftover eater. The orange sherbet is a little icy, but I did appreciate how the chocolate was not overtly sweet.
Best bets this coming Friday for an after concert meal near the Disney Concert Hall? We are thinking of bopping down to Little Tokyo but have little direction. Our only constraint is the need to be back on the westside by midnight.
Last July I asked on the rundown thread about house-milled, whole wheat sourdough and wanted to finally report back. We haven’t exhaustively tried bread in Los Angeles but Seed in Pasadena has been the winner at our house. I am a fan of their empanadas as well. Grains are no longer milled in house due to labor cost. We have yet to try Roan Mills, it’s on the list.
Sababa Falafel.Was in LBC so why not head over to Little Arabia.
Also went to Bake and Che. FYI the “Bake” almost always sells out. Enjoyed my che. No pics because there was no seats and had to eat in my car. Just venting. I am already a payed customer and you got hoards of families hogging seats that have not payed.
Gonna see a documentary at the Royal 7 in SM tonight. As im based on the east side, the west side is foreign territory to me! Somewhere nearby for dinner before 7pm for 2? Any new spots or reliable faves?
