The food is creative but the tasting menu format sucks. Been there done that for decades. Jordan Kahn did à la carte at Red Medicine, which remains one of my all time favorite LA restaurants.
Many *** restaurants offer both.
I suspect that the reason these LA tasting menu only places don’t is for their convenience, not the customer’s!
Didn’t a Mexican named Cailfornios or something win a first Michelin star now? Anyone been?
Just got their 3rd star. Restaurant is located in SF so you might want to ask in the Bay Area thread.
Thanks, thought it was here, but makes sense since I hadn’t heard about it in this thread.
This resonates with me. Buuuuuut, it’s been nice to see an influx of seriously elevated cooking in this city — both in the nosebleed-and-faint price bracket, as well as the brackets below. It’s just too bad I don’t have the resources to take more regular advantage of this, but it’s nice that it’s there when all our stars align and afford an opportunity. I can’t help but wonder if Michelin has had an influence in this regard … or maybe these options have always been this plentiful, and I was simply ignorant of them … or maybe there is a new influx, but it has little-to-nothing to do with Michelin. I don’t know … just thought-dumping here. 
PREACH!!! I effing hate the dynamic you noted, and I highlighted, above.
If we order 5 to 7 different things to try, I sure as shit don’t want them all coming out at the same time! I like to eat slowly – extremely slowly, relative to most other people. I like to savor my food. I prefer to enjoy my company. If I’m going to be eating food that had a lot of time, effort, and thought put into it (and costs a good deal more than eating at home), then I want to think about it – pick it apart, and whathaveyou. I want to enjoy my wine-food pairings. And that all gets perverted when three “small shareables” come out at the same time, particularly if they’re hot. — when that happens, I’m forced into either (a) eating much more quickly than I prefer, or (b) enjoying one of those three dishes hot/warm, and the other two at room temperature (or cold). C’mon, restaurants, do better!!
… and don’t even get me started on bringing-out vegetable side dishes on their own … they’re called “side dishes” for a reason! /rant
wtAf!!?! Was it sliced into multiple disks? Depending on price, there’s a damn good chance I would have returned that. And regardless of price, that most definitely would have drawn my commentary.
The dish I am recalling was just one large scallop on its shell. I did get a little saracstic about how that was supposed to pass as a shared plate.
There have always been great restaurants in Los Angeles. There are more now. Off the top of my head, I think the biggest increase has been in the number of excellent, elevated ‘ethic’ restaurants (I hate that term because LA is such a melting pot; everyone came from somewhere else or their predecessors did). I think this is true in many other cities, but given our size, there are more here than many other places. I like the options; I do not like the time it takes to drive to them!
that is inherently absurd
try living around Palos Verdes … even worse!
We’ll be in LA for one night soon - gun to your WineBerserker heads: Anajak or RVR? I realize these are completely different experiences, food profiles, and neighborhoods, but these are the two I’ve narrowed the list down to. I’m torn and can’t decide.
I love them both and go regularly. Gun to my head Anajak.
They are both excellent but have very different vibes. RVR is like a party at the beach. The energy and music are super lively at RVR. I love sitting at the counter where you can see the kitchen. Anajak is in the valley (sleepytown) and much more mellow. I believe they still have outdoor seating in the alley/driveway. I have preference for RVR.
Went to Cinco de Mayo Tacos, located literally right next door to Tito’s Tacos, last night. I ordered a crispy chicken taco, a soft asada, and a soft pastor. The do not skimp on the fillings! A watermelon agua fresca was excellent (and gone by the time our food was ready — LOL!). Very solid. Will get again.
What I meant was that what you describe was already here, at all levels. That was the beauty of it. Something exciting was happening up and down, side to side.
It really felt like a lot of creativity was left holding the bag because the investments were going to all the new places aiming for stars or at least a write up. And it really looked like for a few years that if you wanted stars in LA, you should be doing tasting menu/omakase. That’s inherently anti-creative to me.
Its probably something of a chicken-and-egg chase with the current financial environment for restaurants but the, say medium to lower rungs of the restaurant population is more formulaic these days. Its certainly more difficult for me to find places that I’m excited to target when I head north.
And a very hearty bravo to Sarah. I think she’s made that point before but ‘small plates’ is the last thing I want to see a restaurant offer. Besides being difficult to order from these menus to get a balanced meal, paying 3/4’s the price for half the food is insulting.
Finally made it to RVR .
Of 6 dishes, one was excellent, one poor, one unappealing (texture, although that happens with authentic Japanese food, which I enjoy 99% of the time)”), and three good but not special.
Would try it again, but not keen to go back.
The bay scallop dish was excellent.
i am surprised there is such a following considering there are many luke warm (as well as outright negative) reviews that mirror your experience on the more typical channels. shirube in santa monica is solid if you want izakaya. pretty decent happy hour too. the caveat being it is certainly not trendy and you won’t find a bunch of people waiting out front of the establishment, ie not a scene.
Sounds much more like my kind of place, no matter the location. I want good ingredients, well prepared, and friendly service in a room where no-one needs to shout, not a “scene” and instagrammers.
Was at RVR yesterday and that generally mirrors my impressions… bay scallops were probably my favorite course as well. Nothing bad, but not particularly memorable either. Didn’t help that I had better handrolls at Uoichiba for 40% of the price for lunch the same day. If anyone cares about cigars I had a great time at Hollywood Smoke in Santa Monica before RVR.
Loved Anajak. Corridor 109 was very good as well. My tolerance for $1,000+ meals is waning these days, but a well-selected wine list and the aji toast and tuna with pesto spaghetti dishes were each special.