Providence LA

[PorkyBelly]

has anyone ever seen cimarusti and seth rogan in the same room? I think not.

[TheCookie]

Chef’s Table at Providence

An evening with Mr & Mrs @moonboy403. We got dressed up and everything.

Amuse-bouche #1 - Rice Cracker, Kampachi Tartare w/Black Winter Truffle, Lemon Gelee, Chives

Off to a tasty start.

Amuse #2 - Rye Cracker w/Everything Bagel Seasoning, Smoked Swordfish Rillette, Lemon Crème Fraiche Horseradish, Chives, Pickled Beets

Any resemblance to the Italian flag is purely coincidental… I asked lol. A delicious, smoked, creamy, acidic, punchy bite. Hubs loved the smokey.

Amuse #3 - Wagyu Tartare, Oyster Aioli, Charred Lime Aioli, Oyster Leaf

Again with the detail. So much goes into this signature bite. It looks like an edible broach.

Amuse #4 - Konbu Cracker, Dashi Egg Purée, Pickled Jicama, Hokkaido Uni, Pickled Kombu

Huge punch of flavor in this little bite - textured, creamy, briny, acidic, touch of sweet.

Ahualoa Farms Macadamia, Golden Kaluga Caviar, Caramelized Shallot, Nori

Interesting use of macadamia nuts for the cream, crunch & the addition of tapioca beads which mimicked the caviar but I thought competed with it a bit.

Japanese Tai Sashimi, Celtuce, Satsuma, Shiso Blossom, Esplette Pepper, Portuguese Olive Oil

I’m not sure if they stated it but by texture and flavor we thought the tai was aged a bit. There was a gelée underneath and a drizzle of intense but smooth olive oil with flavors of kalamata olives & tapenade.

Add-on - Salt Roasted Live Santa Barbara Spot Prawn w/Rosemary, Lemon, Olive Oil

After being split they were barely warm but that didn’t stop us from losing our manners to pure enjoyment. All you could hear was crunching & slurping. So good!

Warm Fricassée of Shellfish - Big Island Abalone, Giant Clam, Uni, Egg Custard, Pistachio

Delicious combination of flavors & textures. The uni, perfectly cooked abalone & clam, nutty crunch of pistachios and the warm custard made a rich & comforting bite.

Sourdough w/Normandy Butter & Maldon Sea Salt.

We were highly anticipating the bread course. Unfortunately, our batch was a little doughy - what bread makers like @moonboy403 would say had a tight crumb that ate very dense. It didn’t stop us from using it for sopping though…

Nancy’s Down East Scallop - Leek Fondue, French Black Truffle

This was probably my favorite course and definitely favorite story. My antennae went up when the server said Nancy is the fisher lady who harvested the scallops. She had to be from New England. Yep. She’s a fisherwoman who lives on an island in Maine and fishes there and on the Cape, my former home. They make ‘em tough in that part of the country. The first time I ate a scallop was sitting on a dock and the scallop was still wiggling in its shell. The Providence scallop was one of the fanciest scallops I’ve ever had lol. A big ol’ scallop but flavorful, tender, perfectly cooked, creamy leek fondue, scallop foam & scallop nage. It was like a spoonful of fancy chowder. So sop worthy! Topped with earthy French black truffle.

Santa Barbara Vermilion Rockfish, Saltspring Island Mussel, Butterball Potato, Saffron

More expertly sourced deliciously prepared morsels. I love saltspring mussels, the butterball potato and again with a delicious sauce. This one was saffron & herbs.

Dover Sole, Black Truffle, Chanterelle, Spot Prawn

This is coming in as my second favorite and I think @moonboy403’s favorite bite of the night. Two filets sandwiched a truffle and mousse of some sort then merged together with activa (meat glue) to create the thickness a single filet cannot. Delightful meaty mouthfeel. The texture was so different that I checked the menu again to make sure it was actually sole. Topped w/chanterelles and little truffle cubes which also had an unexpected mouthfeel. I keep talking about the sauces… because they’re so GOOD. Where’s that extra bread we ordered?!

Supplement - A5 Wagyu, Matsutake Mushroom, Pumpkin, Jus de Boeuf

Hubs’ was underwhelmed with his supplement. Beef was cooked well with nice beefy flavor & sauce, but had too much chew.

He shared some of my wine pairing but his drink of choice was a Blanton’s Old-fashioned.

At this point I’m starting to tap out but the desserts and the tea were a delicious & lovely ending…

Persimmon, Buddha’s Hand, Ginger

Did I mention Providence’s lovely plating & plate ware.

House-made Ecuadorian Chocolate, Cashew, Bourbon, Cinnamon

Petit Four

Chocolate Tea

Take Home House-made Granola

Having lived in New England and missing the food I was excited when a restaurant called Providence opened up in my ‘hood. I was expecting an upscale setting but with comforting chowders and hearty seafood fare lol. Then I read the menu. What?! Oh no no this is too rich (expensive) for my blood and everything looks small and fussy. Can I even get full on a meal like this? Interestingly, it was my budding interest in omakase sushi that made me rethink small bite tasting menus (thanks food talkers!).

Still not sure I’m a tasting menu gal, but after getting so much pleasure from the effort and cost Providence put into their weekly En Voyage series during the lockdown it was way past time to pay them a proper visit. We had an exceptional time and thanks to the guidance from our tasting menu veteran @moonboy403. He answered my numerous questions beforehand and was kind enough to do the food photography so we could enjoy our first time at Providence.

P.S. And there are sparks of New England in these swanky bites!

[robert]

Nice wine pairing. No lazy choices.

First I’ve heard of chocolate tea.

[TheCookie]

@robert

First I’ve heard of chocolate tea.

It is delicious and the honey is from their rooftop hive.

[robert]

Did it contain actual tea as well as chocolate / cocoa?

[TheCookie]

Yes, it was tea and chocolate. I didn’t catch how it’s made but maybe @moonboy403 did.

[PorkyBelly]

my what nice hands you have

[TheCookie]

…@moonboy403

[moonboy403]

Providence makes their own single origin chocolate from cocoa beans. They then use the husk and steep it in hot water to make their chocolate tea. Its intense chcocolate fragrance is remarkable.

The tea comes with a house-made chocolate syrup for those with a sweet tooth.

[Hungrydrunk]

Providence should have 3 stars and at least be top 3 in LA Times 101 list

[TheCookie]

I knew he’d know. By that time I was tipsy from my wine pairing. There was no actual tea leaves just the cocoa husk?

[moonboy403]

Yup!

[Rodeogig]

if you’re going here for only 1 person (and not talking/there to stay long but just eat lol) about how long will a meal be? Is it always 2 hours? longer?

[LAgirl]

I believe they are only doing tasting menus now, so probably a couple of hours. I imagine they will pace your meal as you’d like if you let them know when you arrive or make your reservation.

[moonboy403]

Their pacing is fairly consistent but you can expect to spend about 2.5 to 3 hours there.

[Clayfu]

You can ask to push the pace. My wife and I have done dinner under 2 hrs there.

[Totoro]

I asked ChatGPT what the best restaurants in Southern California and this is its Top 10:

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There are numerous great restaurants in Southern California, so it really depends on what type of cuisine you are looking for, your budget, and your personal preferences. Here are some highly rated restaurants in Southern California that are worth checking out:

1. Providence (Los Angeles) - a seafood-focused fine dining restaurant with a Michelin star.
2. The French Laundry (Yountville) - a world-renowned restaurant known for its tasting menus featuring French cuisine.
3. Spago (Beverly Hills) - a celebrity hotspot serving contemporary California cuisine.
4. Mélisse (Santa Monica) - a Michelin-starred French restaurant with a focus on seasonal ingredients.
5. Osteria Mozza (Los Angeles) - an Italian restaurant from celebrity chef Mario Batali, featuring homemade pastas and wood-fired pizzas.
6. Trois Mec (Los Angeles) - a small, intimate restaurant with a daily-changing menu featuring innovative dishes.
7. Addison (San Diego) - a Forbes Five-Star fine dining restaurant serving French-inspired cuisine.
8. The Ranch Restaurant (Anaheim) - a farm-to-table restaurant with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and steakhouse classics.
9. Juniper & Ivy (San Diego) - a modern American restaurant from celebrity chef Richard Blais, with an emphasis on bold flavors and creative presentation.
10. Little Sister (Manhattan Beach) - a trendy Southeast Asian restaurant with a menu inspired by the flavors of Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.

---

I didn’t know The French Laundry is nearby!

After I messaged that it made a mistake, it included Taco Maria in the list.

[teriyakichi]

Not a single sushi/Japanese restaurant?

[robert]

Trois Mec is closed. But ChatGPT might not know that since its data is a couple of years out of date.

[Loaxley]

the AI is racist!