I've now been to The Bazaar, located at the SLS Beverley Hills, twice. My first visit was in the fall of 2015, when I dined alone, since I was staying at the hotel. I suggest you start with that review, since it contains all the background. My more recent visit was the opposite of solo dining: group dining.
Update Review, June 2016
On my recent trip to Los Angeles, I needed to plan a dinner for 8 people, a decent sized group. The first place I thought of was The Bazaar, since, during my previous visit I really wanted to be there in a group since everything is served as family style tapas. I was able to easily making a booking for 8 people online (!), so, picking it was an easy decision.We ordered a slew of items, not all of which I tried, since we ordered so many things. Given the large table, it was hard to get photos of everything from my vantage point, so I didn't take photos of dishes I knew I wasn't going to eat. The group also wasn't the type to talk about the food and share opinions, so, I wasn't going to get quotes from others either, so really, I wouldn't have anything to do with those photos (unless you want to just see photos?).
Anyway, the experience was ok. Service was good, food was fine, but, nothing was particularly memorable. Ojan summed it up when he said he was glad to have gone once, but he didn't think he'd return. After two visits, I feel the same. Sure, I'd go back, but, I'd rather try someplace new. The food and drinks are creative for sure, and tasty enough, but, I didn't leave thinking, "Wow, I need that again."
Drinks
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| Ojan's Mocktail. |
Another dinner opted for a beer, and, for some reason, whenever they serve beer, they splash liquid nitrogen onto the table. I really really have no idea why, but, it caused the table to order a few more, just for the show. Perhaps that is why?
"Your choice of rye, bourbon or Canadian whiskey with cherry spherification."
"Chicken-béchamel fritters."
The other meat dish I selected for the group was the croquetas de pollo. Not because I wanted them (because, eww, chicken), but because I knew they are a signature item at The Bazaar. I didn't try them, but, I admit, if I liked chicken, they certainly sounded great: crispy and deep fried, loaded with béchamel? Yes!
One diner selected a smoked oysters special, which I didn't get a description, nor even a glimpse at, so, sorry, I can't tell you anything about that.
From the Salads, I ordered the "Not Your Everyday Caprésé" for the group, since I knew the liquid mozzarella would be a hit. This was a dish I watched the chefs crafting on my previous visit, so I knew what to expect, but, the others did not. I somehow failed to get a photo of this before it was totally broken into, but, as expected, everyone found it pretty interesting.
Vegetables
No one in our group was vegetarian, but, for some reason, this is the section of the menu that called out to many people.
I didn't get a photo of the "White Asparagus: Japanese escabeche, cured egg yolk", but, it really just looked like poached asparagus.
"Local honey, buttermilk."
The eggplant tempura was voted on by several folks, which I was quite happy with, since it sounded good to me. Eggplant can be pretty polarizing though, as often it is just slimy.
This wasn't slimy, but, it was really bitter. I didn't like it at all.
The dipping sauce was honey foam. It was slightly sweet, frothy, but, not really that useful. How do you dip into foam? The little wooden spoon it was served with also didn't help. Meh.
My least favorite dish.
"Chipotle salsa, micro cilantro, corn chips."
Since I'm allergic to avocado, I obviously couldn't try this, but I took a photo because it was so fascinating, little parcels of guacamole, wrapped in thin slices of jicama, as named. I have no idea where the corn chips were, I guess in there somewhere? The group loved it.
On my last visit, I adored the foie gras cotton candy, and I couldn't wait to get it again. Yes, it is a tiny little serving for $8, and yes, it sounds totally gimicky and ridiculous, but, well, it is delicious.
"Pickled cucumber, shiso, mayo."
Last time, I had the uni steamed buns, modified to not have the avocado due to my allergy. Others ordered those this time, and loved them. For everyone who had one, they declared it the dish of the night. They loved the uni.
This time, I decided to try the crab steamed bun, since I had the uni last time (the other option is foie gras, but since I had the cotton candy and foiewaffle seemed like over kill). As with the uni buns, they come served in a cute steamer basket, 3 to an order.
The steamed bun itself was ... soggy. Quite disappointing.
Inside was a slice of slightly pickled cucumber, a shiso leaf, and crab salad mixed with mayo. The crab salad wasn't too mayo-y, but, somehow, I still didn't taste much crab. I love crab, and really wanted to taste it.
My third pick of the night, and I wouldn't get it again.
"Air bread, cheddar, wagyu beef".
Finally! This time, I was able to try the famous "Philly Cheesesteak". It was this dish that inspired the "Filly Tank" from Fill R' Up Gastro Garage. I was super excited to try the original. And, since I knew what it was going to be, I was excited for the others to get to try it too, as they had no idea what to expect.
Instead of a bun, we had "air bread". This was basically just a cracker, in a torpedo shape. Inside was the cheddar. I was expecting a hot, creamy, molten cheese, but, it was just lukewarm thick cream. It reminded me of cheese spread.
I didn't like the cheese nor cracker aspects of this, but, the wagyu on top was quite tasty, very thin slices of mid-rare beef. The Wagyu had huge salt crystals on top, which amped up the flavor of everything.
I liked the beef, but, everything else just wasn't great. It was an interesting dish for sure, but I wouldn't get it again, and it was my 4th pick of the night.
As always, I ordered a decaf coffee to pair with my dessert.
It was awful. Harsh, acidic. Even with sugar and cream, I couldn't bring myself to finish it. Some of the worst decaf I've had in a long time, which was strange, because the decaf coffee served at breakfast wasn't this bad. Maybe it was just really old?
"Passion fruit and vanilla."
I decided to split a dessert with Ojan, since I wasn't really hungry, but still wanted something exciting. I gave him a few options: the famous flan, the Vanilla Pillow Cake with Caramel and Speculoos Crisp, and the floating island. As you can see, he picked the island.
He liked it. I did not.
On the bottom was pineapple. It was surrounded by sweet passionfruit goo. The main attraction was a slightly cold sphere, sorta coconut flavored, presumably made with liquid nitrogen.
There was just nothing about this that I liked. I really don't think desserts are the strong point at The Bazaar, as our group got a large assortment of items, ranging from cupcakes to made-to-order items like this, and absolutely no one seemed excited by what they ordered. Strange, given how big of a deal the Patisserie space seems to be.
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| “Liquid Cherry” Manhattan. $17. |
For my cocktail, this time I selected from the "Old, New, and SLS Classics" menu. I opted for bourbon as my liquor of choice.
It was a pretty good cocktail. Bitter and boozy, but with undertones of cherry. It was great for sipping and not gulping, good since I was with a group of co-workers.
The cherry sphere in the center was awesome. It burst open once I finally bit into it, filled with sweet cherry goo. Sweet and tasty.
Overall, I enjoyed this cocktail, and $17 is about on par for a trendy cocktail at a place like this.
Traditional Tapas
As I mentioned last time, the menu is broken into two main categories, traditional and modern tapas, each of which is broken into 6 sections, each of which has 10 or so items. So many choices! So, uh, the group kinda just ordered anything that sounded good to at least 2-3 people. Thus we wound up with a random hodgepodge of food, which didn't come coursed out in any real deliberate way, instead, it just came as it was ready, whenever. It sorta came in waves, but there wasn't ever a long lull.
We skipped many of the Traditional Tapas, as they weren't the more interesting parts of the menu. We didn't get anything from the Latas Y Conservas, Jamones Y Embutidos, Quesos, and Sopas sections.
We did order a few from the final three categories.
From the Verduras section, someone opted for the "Stuffed Piquillo Peppers / capriola farm goat cheese", but, since I loathe goat cheese, I stayed far away from that.
For the Pescado Y Mariscos section, we also ordered the "Seared Scallops romesco sauce", but, as this came with only two scallops, alas, I did not get one.
We did order a few from the final three categories.
From the Verduras section, someone opted for the "Stuffed Piquillo Peppers / capriola farm goat cheese", but, since I loathe goat cheese, I stayed far away from that.
For the Pescado Y Mariscos section, we also ordered the "Seared Scallops romesco sauce", but, as this came with only two scallops, alas, I did not get one.
Carnes
We opted for several meat selections. The very last dish to arrive, long after I was full, was the Coffee Rubbed Australian Wagyu. I didn't try it, but, no one really seemed to enjoy it, the last piece was left sitting on the table for a long time, with no one claiming it. Or maybe they were all just as stuffed as me?
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| Croquetas de Pollo. $12. |
The other meat dish I selected for the group was the croquetas de pollo. Not because I wanted them (because, eww, chicken), but because I knew they are a signature item at The Bazaar. I didn't try them, but, I admit, if I liked chicken, they certainly sounded great: crispy and deep fried, loaded with béchamel? Yes!
Modern Tapas
The Modern Tapas caught our eyes more than Traditional, so, we mostly stuck to these categories.
One diner selected a smoked oysters special, which I didn't get a description, nor even a glimpse at, so, sorry, I can't tell you anything about that.
From the Salads, I ordered the "Not Your Everyday Caprésé" for the group, since I knew the liquid mozzarella would be a hit. This was a dish I watched the chefs crafting on my previous visit, so I knew what to expect, but, the others did not. I somehow failed to get a photo of this before it was totally broken into, but, as expected, everyone found it pretty interesting.
Vegetables
No one in our group was vegetarian, but, for some reason, this is the section of the menu that called out to many people.
I didn't get a photo of the "White Asparagus: Japanese escabeche, cured egg yolk", but, it really just looked like poached asparagus.
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| Eggplant Tempura. $8. |
The eggplant tempura was voted on by several folks, which I was quite happy with, since it sounded good to me. Eggplant can be pretty polarizing though, as often it is just slimy.
This wasn't slimy, but, it was really bitter. I didn't like it at all.
The dipping sauce was honey foam. It was slightly sweet, frothy, but, not really that useful. How do you dip into foam? The little wooden spoon it was served with also didn't help. Meh.
My least favorite dish.
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| Jicama Wrapped Guacamole. $10. |
Since I'm allergic to avocado, I obviously couldn't try this, but I took a photo because it was so fascinating, little parcels of guacamole, wrapped in thin slices of jicama, as named. I have no idea where the corn chips were, I guess in there somewhere? The group loved it.
Some Little Starters
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| Cotton Candy Foie Gras. $8 each. |
It was exactly as I remembered. A creamy center cube of chilled foie gras, surrounded by crunchy corn nuts, and sweet cotton candy. Creamy, rich, crunchy, sweet, amazing.
Really, such a perfect bite, and my favorite dish of the night. If I do go back to The Bazaar, I'll definitely get it again.
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| THE Foiewaffle. $12. |
"Air waffle, foie espuma, peanut butter, honey."
Over the years, I've had a few different obsessions, as you may have realized. Back before the California ban, foie gras was certainly one of them. More recently, waffling everything is one. So, imagine how delighted I was to see these two items combined together.
The waffle looked like a regular Belgian waffle, but, it was crispy, and shockingly light. It was drizzled with peanut butter, honey, and a little foie espuma.
Foie, honey, and peanut butter are an award winning flavor mix in my mind, but, the peanut butter really overwhelmed everything here. The honey was there providing a bit of sweetness, but I really only tasted a slight foie flavor. The peanut butter was good, creamy, and I love peanut butter, but, it just dominated.
The bigger issue is that the foiewaffle wasn't warm.
Overall, it was a disappointment, mostly because I could tell how almost good it was. If it was warm, if it just had a little less peanut butter, it would have been a serious winner. Still, my second favorite dish of the night, and I'd try it again to see if this was just execution error.
Over the years, I've had a few different obsessions, as you may have realized. Back before the California ban, foie gras was certainly one of them. More recently, waffling everything is one. So, imagine how delighted I was to see these two items combined together.
The waffle looked like a regular Belgian waffle, but, it was crispy, and shockingly light. It was drizzled with peanut butter, honey, and a little foie espuma.
Foie, honey, and peanut butter are an award winning flavor mix in my mind, but, the peanut butter really overwhelmed everything here. The honey was there providing a bit of sweetness, but I really only tasted a slight foie flavor. The peanut butter was good, creamy, and I love peanut butter, but, it just dominated.
The bigger issue is that the foiewaffle wasn't warm.
Overall, it was a disappointment, mostly because I could tell how almost good it was. If it was warm, if it just had a little less peanut butter, it would have been a serious winner. Still, my second favorite dish of the night, and I'd try it again to see if this was just execution error.
Some Little Sandwiches
My favorite part of the menu at The Bazaar is always the little sandwiches, an amusing thing really, given that I usually hate sandwiches. But these aren't just any sandwiches!
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| King Crab Steamed Buns. $18. |
Last time, I had the uni steamed buns, modified to not have the avocado due to my allergy. Others ordered those this time, and loved them. For everyone who had one, they declared it the dish of the night. They loved the uni.
This time, I decided to try the crab steamed bun, since I had the uni last time (the other option is foie gras, but since I had the cotton candy and foiewaffle seemed like over kill). As with the uni buns, they come served in a cute steamer basket, 3 to an order.
The steamed bun itself was ... soggy. Quite disappointing.
Inside was a slice of slightly pickled cucumber, a shiso leaf, and crab salad mixed with mayo. The crab salad wasn't too mayo-y, but, somehow, I still didn't taste much crab. I love crab, and really wanted to taste it.
My third pick of the night, and I wouldn't get it again.
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| “Philly Cheesesteak”. $11 each. |
Finally! This time, I was able to try the famous "Philly Cheesesteak". It was this dish that inspired the "Filly Tank" from Fill R' Up Gastro Garage. I was super excited to try the original. And, since I knew what it was going to be, I was excited for the others to get to try it too, as they had no idea what to expect.
Instead of a bun, we had "air bread". This was basically just a cracker, in a torpedo shape. Inside was the cheddar. I was expecting a hot, creamy, molten cheese, but, it was just lukewarm thick cream. It reminded me of cheese spread.
I didn't like the cheese nor cracker aspects of this, but, the wagyu on top was quite tasty, very thin slices of mid-rare beef. The Wagyu had huge salt crystals on top, which amped up the flavor of everything.
I liked the beef, but, everything else just wasn't great. It was an interesting dish for sure, but I wouldn't get it again, and it was my 4th pick of the night.
Dessert
For dessert, as before, we were moved into the separate Patisserie area. This time, rather than opt for one of the items on display, I decided to order one of the made to order items.
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| Decaf Coffee. |
It was awful. Harsh, acidic. Even with sugar and cream, I couldn't bring myself to finish it. Some of the worst decaf I've had in a long time, which was strange, because the decaf coffee served at breakfast wasn't this bad. Maybe it was just really old?
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| Nitro Coconut Floating Island. $12. |
I decided to split a dessert with Ojan, since I wasn't really hungry, but still wanted something exciting. I gave him a few options: the famous flan, the Vanilla Pillow Cake with Caramel and Speculoos Crisp, and the floating island. As you can see, he picked the island.
He liked it. I did not.
On the bottom was pineapple. It was surrounded by sweet passionfruit goo. The main attraction was a slightly cold sphere, sorta coconut flavored, presumably made with liquid nitrogen.
There was just nothing about this that I liked. I really don't think desserts are the strong point at The Bazaar, as our group got a large assortment of items, ranging from cupcakes to made-to-order items like this, and absolutely no one seemed excited by what they ordered. Strange, given how big of a deal the Patisserie space seems to be.
Original Review, November 2015
I recently stayed at the SLS Beverley Hills while in town speaking on a panel at a recruiting event. The hotel was ... well, stunning. I still can't get over the rooftop pool deck. Nor can I forget the incredible breakfast served at Tres, one of the Jose Andres restaurants in the hotel. It was an astonishingly good continental breakfast, and literally, the best yogurt I've ever had in my entire life, anywhere.You may have noticed that I said "one of the Jose Andres restaurants". Yes, he has two in the hotel. Tres is the more casual space, open daily for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and drinks. But The Bazaar is the flagship, located through a separate entrance, up a red carpet. Yes, seriously.
It is a huge, gorgeous space, broken up into a bar area, main dining room, private dining room, and even a patisserie. They call the design a "modern-day indoor piazza". My friends who have visited the area before all told me I had to go to The Bazaar, so, even though I was solo, I made a reservation for the evening I arrived.
It was crazy convenient to have a great restaurant at the hotel, as hotel restaurants aren't normally much to rave about, and indeed the menu was awesome. The food was good, but, definitely not geared towards a solo diner, as the entire menu is tapas, meant for sharing (more on this soon). I'd love to return with a group, so I could sample more items.
The staff was incredibly friendly, and made me feel comfortable, even though it really wasn't the place to be dining alone.
The Bar
The bar area is near the entrance, and divides the rest of the space with the dining room on one side and the patisserie on the other. I only passed through, but it did look like a nice space.
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| Dimly Lit Bar Area. |
Main Dining Space
I was then escorted through the main dining area.
The majority of the seating is in a big, open area. It is elegant, decorated with white and tan toned materials, with fairly formal arm chairs.
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| General Seating. |
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| Counter Seating. |
The place setting was simple and classic: a fabric placemat, white square plate, folded cloth white napkin, standard silverware, and wine glass. Some fall inspired leaves and squashes decorated the back side of the counter.
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| Cold Apps Prep Station. |
Unfortunately, I had an early reservation, so this station didn't have much action during my time there. I mostly saw advance prep work being done, rather than plating any of the actual dishes.
The cooks working the station were very friendly, asked me about where I was from, welcomed any questions I had, etc. At some level, I didn't end up feeling like I was dining alone, as I had plenty of people to talk to, between the several cooks working this station, and the multiple servers who came to check on me throughout the meal.
Dinner
As I mentioned, I had an early reservation, because I knew I had a long day ahead of me the next day, and wanted to make sure I was able to settle in to the hotel and wind down for bed. I basically arrived at the hotel, dropped my bags, changed my clothes, and headed down to my reservation time. It really was too early, and I wasn't particularly hungry. Whoops.
Drinks
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| Cocktail Menu. |
Well ok, I guess I had to get a cocktail. I also instantly understood why Emil and others recommended going to The Bazaar, even if only to the bar.
Of course, now I had the problem of picking one cocktail from the list of amazing sounding options, but, there are worse problems to have.
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| Smoke On The Water (The Pliska). $18. |
I settled on the Smoke on the Water, since I do love my scotch, and the combination of scotch and fruit sounded quite interesting.
A few minutes later, a glass was ceremoniously presented to me, with fog rolling out of it. Woah, what? I wasn't expecting liquid nitrogen or dry ice in this drink. Maybe some smoke due to the drink name, perhaps from the "flame" ingredient, or a light "mist", but not this.
Inside the glass was a huge cube of ice, and I think liquid nitrogen. I was instructed to keep swirling it around for a while, and not try to drink it until it had burned off. It was fun to play with for a few minutes, but, I got bored quickly, and I just wanted to drink my cocktail. The giant ice cube never melted much at all.
The drink was ... way too sweet. I wanted to taste scotch, and it was fairly masked under all the sweetness. I really wasn't expecting that.
I can't really say if this was a good or bad drink, but it certainly was not what I was aiming for.
At $18, it was a costly mistake, so I drank it, and got used to the sweet, but I would clearly not get this again.
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| Tableside Drink Making. |
Tapas
I moved on to the food menu. The style of cuisine is tapas, broken into two categories: "Traditional" and "Modern", both sections two full pages each, even more overwhelming than the cocktail menu.
There was a lot to take in, and I was glad to have my cocktail to sip on as I attempted to make decisions. If I thought picking a drink was hard, it was nothing compared to picking a few dishes.
It was harder than usual being a solo diner, as everything is designed to be shared, tapas-style.
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| Traditional Tapas: Page 1. |
The first page of traditional tapas consisted of latas y conservas (fresh versions of canned seafood), jamones y emutidos (ham and sausage), quesos (cheeses), and sopas (soups).
It was pretty easy for me to move past this page, although the "Foie Gras Floating Island Soup" with corn espuma and corn nuts certainly gave me a moment's pause. Next time.
It was pretty easy for me to move past this page, although the "Foie Gras Floating Island Soup" with corn espuma and corn nuts certainly gave me a moment's pause. Next time.
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| Traditional Tapas: Page 2. |
Again, it was fairly easy to move on, although, I saw a few favorites, like seared scallops (but I could get those anywhere, right?) and grilled octopus with caramelized onions (swoon), plus something titled the "Ultimate Spanish Tapa!", exclamation mark at all. How do you not get that?
Next came the modern tapas. The first page had salads, vegetables, and seafood. Interestingly, these categories were listed in English, rather than Spanish, like the traditional tapas. Is English more .... modern?
The final page of modern tapas was my goldmine, broken into two sections "Some Little Starters" and "Some Little Sandwiches". Not only were these the dishes that sounded the best, they also were served in smaller portions, less sharing focused, so I could order a few myself.
The first dish I opted for was one of the modern "small little starters": cotton candy foie gras. Yes you read that correctly. Does this not sound like it was made for me? I love sweets, I love foie gras, OMG.
It arrived quickly and was placed in front of me in a special stand.
I'll admit, I was a little surprised by how small it was. I know it said "Some Little Starters", but, I did expect something a bit more substantial.
So, what was it? No, it was not cotton candy that tasted like foie gras, it was cotton candy wrapped around a cube of foie gras (torchon I imagine?) and crunchy corn nuts.
Um, yes. The cotton candy was fluffy. The foie gras center was creamy. The corn nuts crunchy. It was rich and sweet. Heavy and light.
It was creative, it was whimsical, and, most importantly, it was delicious. Sure, $8 for literally a single bite might be a little ridiculous, but, I almost immediately ordered a second. I still somewhat wish I did. I could have easily both started and closed my meal with one of these.
My favorite dish of the night, and I'd gladly get it again.
"Potato foam, egg 63, caramelized onions."
My final savory selection was an odd choice for me, also from the "small little starters" section of the modern menu: Tortilla de Patatas "New Way". Tortilla de patatas is a traditional dish, a Spanish omelet with potatoes. By now, you likely have read enough of my posts to know that I don't really like egg dishes. Why on earth would I order this?
Well, I knew that "New Way" meant that it wasn't an omelet at all. Too bad for anyone who orders this expecting otherwise. And I had read so many rave reviews about it. It sounded unique, and like a decent way to round out my meal. People described it as custard-like, and I do love my custards. It sounded a lot like the fantastic amuse bouche they serve at La Folie.
What it was was a "potato" foam, with a 63 degree egg. The "foam" really just seemed like mashed potatoes to me, not light as airy as I expected. And the egg wasn't even warm. It was, just a poached egg. On top was a sprinkling of chives
This dish fell down hard for me. I didn't like it at all. Granted, I don't like eggs, so, just getting a poached egg with some mashed potatoes was never going to wow me, but, from reading other reviews, I was expecting a creamy custard. I swear, people described it that way, and I do love my custards.
The little wooden spoon it was served with was cute though. $5 price was reasonable for a single serving.
I was really sad to finish on this note, as the other dishes were fantastic and so memorable. I almost ordered another foie gras cotton candy, until I remembered that they have a separate dessert room. Clearly, I needed to head there ext.
The decor changes as you move to the Patisserie, suddenly far more whimsical.
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| Modern Tapas: Page 1. |
It got harder to plow past this page. "Salads" doesn't sound that exciting, but what if I told you the salads included burrata with baby japanese peaches and hazelnuts? Or that the "Vegetables" section includes a "linguini" made from dashi that people rave about? And obviously, don't get me started on the "Seafood" section, since you know seafood is my favorite thing.
But still, I didn't order anything from this page either. Because there was more.
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| Modern Tapas, Page 2. |
Of course "Sandwiches" didn't mean what I think of as sandwiches, no sliced bread filled with deli meat here. No, the sandwiches included asian style steamed buns, filled with amazing options like sea urchin, king crab, oxtail, foie gras, or caviar or "air bread" stuffed with cheese foam and topped with steak or mushrooms (aka, the inspiration for the Filly Tank at Fill 'R Up Gastro Garage, which I reviewed earlier this week). These were sandwiches I actually wanted!
The "Little Starters" pretty much all sounded interesting too, like "cones" in several varieties (California, Bagel & Lox, or caviar), ceviche with uni and "lime air", and many more.
Seriously, next time, I must go with others. There were far too many dishes to try!
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| Cotton Candy Foie Gras. $8. |
It arrived quickly and was placed in front of me in a special stand.
I'll admit, I was a little surprised by how small it was. I know it said "Some Little Starters", but, I did expect something a bit more substantial.
So, what was it? No, it was not cotton candy that tasted like foie gras, it was cotton candy wrapped around a cube of foie gras (torchon I imagine?) and crunchy corn nuts.
Um, yes. The cotton candy was fluffy. The foie gras center was creamy. The corn nuts crunchy. It was rich and sweet. Heavy and light.
It was creative, it was whimsical, and, most importantly, it was delicious. Sure, $8 for literally a single bite might be a little ridiculous, but, I almost immediately ordered a second. I still somewhat wish I did. I could have easily both started and closed my meal with one of these.
My favorite dish of the night, and I'd gladly get it again.
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| Sea Urchin Steamed Buns. $14. |
"Avocado, eel sauce, tempura flakes."
Next to arrive was my "sandwich" selection, the sea urchin steamed buns. This was actually a really hard choice. I knew I wanted to order buns, but they only come in trios, not individually, and must all be the same kind. I really wanted to pick 3 different buns, as, well, I wanted all 5 varieties, how could I pick just one? The foie gras buns with preserves were the hardest not to order, but since I went for the foie cotton candy, I wanted to mix it up a little. Hence, another favorite: uni.
Since I'm allergic to avocado, I asked to have it left out, or replaced with another complimentary ingredient. The server was quick to tell me that the kitchen would not be able to replace it with anything else. He urged me to order another dish instead. After that much hard decision making, I didn't want to re-evaluate my whole game plan. Sure, I could get the foie buns instead of uni buns, and then maybe go for uni ceviche instead of the foie gras cotton candy? I'd still get uni and foie, just in different forms. No. I was staying the course.
My buns came presented in a steamer basket, the lid removed with a flourish at my table. Inside was three little buns, served warm, each stuffed with a generous amount of uni, tempura crispies, and thin slices of chili.
This was another really fun dish. The uni itself was good, not particularly amazing, but good, and kinda dripped out all over the place in a pleasantly messy way. The tempura crispies gave a perfect crunch and the chili just a slight heat. I didn't taste any "eel sauce", but I could see something drizzled over it. The only complaint I have is with the buns. They were soft, moist, and warm, all good things, but, there was just too much bread, and it overwhelmed everything else.
This was almost really awesome, and I wonder if leaving out the avocado really was a bad move. With more filling, the bun wouldn't have overwhelmed. Maybe it would have been in perfect balance. Doh.
But still a very solid dish and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I had no trouble devouring all three of these. $14 for 3 was a more reasonable price-per-bite than the foie gras cotton candy, particularly given how much uni was in here.
My second favorite dish of the night, and I'd get it again, although I'd probably try one that I didn't need to modify instead.
Next to arrive was my "sandwich" selection, the sea urchin steamed buns. This was actually a really hard choice. I knew I wanted to order buns, but they only come in trios, not individually, and must all be the same kind. I really wanted to pick 3 different buns, as, well, I wanted all 5 varieties, how could I pick just one? The foie gras buns with preserves were the hardest not to order, but since I went for the foie cotton candy, I wanted to mix it up a little. Hence, another favorite: uni.
Since I'm allergic to avocado, I asked to have it left out, or replaced with another complimentary ingredient. The server was quick to tell me that the kitchen would not be able to replace it with anything else. He urged me to order another dish instead. After that much hard decision making, I didn't want to re-evaluate my whole game plan. Sure, I could get the foie buns instead of uni buns, and then maybe go for uni ceviche instead of the foie gras cotton candy? I'd still get uni and foie, just in different forms. No. I was staying the course.
My buns came presented in a steamer basket, the lid removed with a flourish at my table. Inside was three little buns, served warm, each stuffed with a generous amount of uni, tempura crispies, and thin slices of chili.
This was another really fun dish. The uni itself was good, not particularly amazing, but good, and kinda dripped out all over the place in a pleasantly messy way. The tempura crispies gave a perfect crunch and the chili just a slight heat. I didn't taste any "eel sauce", but I could see something drizzled over it. The only complaint I have is with the buns. They were soft, moist, and warm, all good things, but, there was just too much bread, and it overwhelmed everything else.
This was almost really awesome, and I wonder if leaving out the avocado really was a bad move. With more filling, the bun wouldn't have overwhelmed. Maybe it would have been in perfect balance. Doh.
But still a very solid dish and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I had no trouble devouring all three of these. $14 for 3 was a more reasonable price-per-bite than the foie gras cotton candy, particularly given how much uni was in here.
My second favorite dish of the night, and I'd get it again, although I'd probably try one that I didn't need to modify instead.
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| Tortilla de Patatas "New Way". $5. |
My final savory selection was an odd choice for me, also from the "small little starters" section of the modern menu: Tortilla de Patatas "New Way". Tortilla de patatas is a traditional dish, a Spanish omelet with potatoes. By now, you likely have read enough of my posts to know that I don't really like egg dishes. Why on earth would I order this?
Well, I knew that "New Way" meant that it wasn't an omelet at all. Too bad for anyone who orders this expecting otherwise. And I had read so many rave reviews about it. It sounded unique, and like a decent way to round out my meal. People described it as custard-like, and I do love my custards. It sounded a lot like the fantastic amuse bouche they serve at La Folie.
What it was was a "potato" foam, with a 63 degree egg. The "foam" really just seemed like mashed potatoes to me, not light as airy as I expected. And the egg wasn't even warm. It was, just a poached egg. On top was a sprinkling of chives
This dish fell down hard for me. I didn't like it at all. Granted, I don't like eggs, so, just getting a poached egg with some mashed potatoes was never going to wow me, but, from reading other reviews, I was expecting a creamy custard. I swear, people described it that way, and I do love my custards.
The little wooden spoon it was served with was cute though. $5 price was reasonable for a single serving.
I was really sad to finish on this note, as the other dishes were fantastic and so memorable. I almost ordered another foie gras cotton candy, until I remembered that they have a separate dessert room. Clearly, I needed to head there ext.
The Patisserie
After my meal, I was transferred to the Patisserie. There is no option to have dessert in the main dining room, all patrons are moved to the Patisserie to enjoy dessert. The bill is moved over, and someone comes to carry remaining beverages, as they escort you to a new table.
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| Interesting Chairs. |
I walked by many tables with "chairs" that were certainly the most unique I've ever seen. Cute, but I can't say I'd want to sit in any of these.
The seating options were quite varied, with tables of all sizes. But all were quite unique, and again, most didn't look remotely comfortable.
However, I was quite happy with the table I was lead to. Sure, it was designed for four people, and kinda had a throne, but it looked quite fitting for me!
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| More Strange Seating. |
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| My Table. |
Yes, really, this was my table.
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| The Store. |
Desserts
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| Dessert Menu. |
There really is something for everyone here, starting with little bites for the chocolate lover, including a large assortment of chocolate bon bons and mini-tablettes for $3 each. If you just want something sweet, there are little pate de fruits ($1.50 each), marshmallows ($1), and caramels ($3). Cookie lovers have many choices too, ranging from just $1 to up to $3 for macarons. There are also tarts, cakes, and cupcakes. And some pastries like gianduja croissants and canneles de bordeaux.
Everything I've listed so far is on display at the main patisserie counter, to drool over before you make your choices.
The menu also includes made to order items, not on display, since they are temperature sensitive, including a chocolate flan with caramelized bread and brioche ice cream (‘Pan Con Chocolate’, $12) that sounded pretty awesome, and "Hot Chocolate Mousse" with sticky praline ($12).
If I was going to order a full size dessert, the Nitro Coconut Floating Island certainly sounded like it had potential, or, since I do love custards, I imagine that their Traditional Spanish Flan, a recipe from Jose's grandmother, must be pretty top notch.
After taking a quick, overwhelming look at the menu, I went up to admire the products first hand at the counter.
The counter at the patisserie is a sight to behold. Nearly all the items from the dessert menu are on display here, available to eat in the amazing whimsical space, or to take away, all under glass domes, lit up dramatically.
Here you see a close up of just a few of the cakes, all individual selections, none of which remotely looked like what I'd consider a "cake".
If I was hungry at all, I certainly would have gone for the Vanilla Pillow Cake with caramel and speculoos crisp on the bottom (middle). I wished Ojan was there to get the "chocolate cake of your dreams" (right), as it sounded right up his alley.
The cupcakes were quite different from what you'd expect. Square block rather than round. No pretty cupcake wrappers. Really, I'd call these cake chunks, not cupcakes ... I wonder if they just make a sheet cake and cut squares out? Seems easier than baking individual cakes?
The line up of bon bons was impressing, spanning the entire length of the massive counter, far too many to enumerate here.
I, shockingly, settled on just two little nibbles. I know, me, the dessert girl, managed to pass all that up. Really, I was just too full. If I had anyone else to split something with, you know I would have gone for one of the made to order items, or at least one of the cakes. Instead, I just went for two bite sized choices: a marshmallow and a cookie.
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| Patesserie Counter! ZOMG. |
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| Cakes ($12) |
If I was hungry at all, I certainly would have gone for the Vanilla Pillow Cake with caramel and speculoos crisp on the bottom (middle). I wished Ojan was there to get the "chocolate cake of your dreams" (right), as it sounded right up his alley.
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| Cupcakes ($6), |
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| Bon bons for days. ($3 each) |
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| Coconut Marshmallow ($1), Pecan Pie Cookie ($1) |
You might be in even more disbelief at this point. Not only did I pass up hot, fresh desserts, I opted for ... a cookie? Don't I talk all the time about how I don't like cookies?
Yes, yes I do. The Patisserie had about 8 different types of cookies, none of which seemed interesting except ... the pecan pie cookie. Sure, I don't like cookies. But I adore pecan pie. And, yes, reviewers say the cookie is great. Even if it wasn't, I wasn't taking that much of a gamble for only $1!
The cookie was really hard to describe. Even though it doesn't look it, it was soft, just like pecan pie, but not gooey. It had a slight chew to it. And tons of pecan flavor. I don't entirely understand how they got so much pecan flavor in there, it must have been ground up pecans in the mix?
Anyway, it was actually really, really good. Yes, pecan pie, in cookie form. Sure, I'd rather have a pecan pie, but, for a small bite, and easily portable, this was great. It would be even better if it was warmed up and served a la mode ...
My other selection was a coconut marshmallow, as I totally have a thing for marshmallows. I've been claiming for years now that marshmallows are the new cupcake, and taking over the cutesy dessert space, so I wasn't surprised to see several option. I went for the coconut one.
And ... I hated it. It was fluffy, and sweet, but I didn't care for the coconut flavor. But what really sunk it was the shredded coconut throughout. It was such a bad texture, and there was so much of it.
I, Julie the dessert girl, didn't even finish this marshmallow. I finish ALL desserts!
Both of these treats were ridiculously reasonable at only $1 each. Seriously, $1 each? They weren't large obviously, but I haven't seen anything for $1 outside a dollar store in years!
My server noticed that I didn't finish the coconut marshmallow. He asked what I thought of it, and I was honest, telling him that I really didn't like it, and explained that the coconut flakes inside really just were off-putting to me, like it was infused with sawdust. He told me he agreed completely, and that they used to have another flavor that he loved, and they removed that one, but kept the coconut, which he disagreed with.
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| Apricot Marshmallow ($1). |
He brought my bill, and I pulled out my card to settle it. Moments later, he reappeared, with another treat: an apricot marshmallow.
It was much better. Not as puffy and light as the coconut, but sweet and fruity, with sugar crystals all around the outside. A lovely closing note, and although normally $1, he brought it to me complimentary.
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