los angeles: son of a gun

tommy cannot get enough of son of a gun...

gloucester scallop, yuzu kosho, pickled shiitake

ora king salmon, jerk spice, kiwi, palm sugar vinaigrette, habanero

lemonfish poke, black radish escabeche, citrus, crispy sunchoke

uni burrata, button mushroom, yuzu

lobster roll, celery, lemon aioli

black sea bream, pho fumet, herbs, lime, bok choy

shrimp toast sandwich, herbs, hoisin, sriracha mayo

skate wing, baby broccoli, mascarpone, pancetta vinaigrette

frozen lime yogurt, graham crumble, toasted meringue 

tommy says:  scallop, salmon, lemonfish were all beautifully delicious, perfect amounts of acid on all.  the lobster roll is pretty much perfection on a plate, except for the size - next time i'm getting a dozen and not sharing.  sea bream broth was fantastically flavorful.  shrimp toast was a bit on the greasy side, but that wouldn't stop me from ordering it again.  dessert was a deconstructed version of a lemon meringue pie, but so much better.  what is there left to say?  son of a gun is amazeballs.

son of a gun
8370 w. 3rd street 
los angeles, ca 90048 
(323) 782-9033
http://sonofagunrestaurant.com/

los angeles - venice: barnyard

tommy moseys on over to barnyard in venice...

grilled bread with jam, butter, and mustard

hand rolled gnocci in brown butter with english peas, hedgehog mushrooms, bacon, and pecorino

pilota: italian fried rice with wild mushrooms, balsamic, sage, and parmesan

daily catch: halibut with asparagus

bread pudding

tommy says: the bread was quite good, but they do charge; the jam that came with it was tasty, but not sure what the mustard was for.  gnocchi were nice little pillows and tasty.  pilota was unusual, but enjoyable; the balsamic flavor was great, and it was a nice twist on fried rice.  halibut was nicely cooked, and had a lovely olive oil flavor. bread pudding was more reminiscent of french toast than bread pudding, and was just ok.  the menu is not as extensive as other restaurants of this style/price range, but what they did offer was done pretty well.

barnyard
1715 pacific ave
venice, ca 90291
(310) 581-1015
http://www.barnyardvenice.com

los angeles - downtown: bestia

 tommy buys into the hype at bestia in downtown la...

dry aged new york carpaccio, chilies, mint, rosemary, champagne vinegar, shallots, sea salt

smoked mackerel crostino, burrata, tomato jam, sea salt

creamy polenta, cornmeal, sweet onions, potatoes

spaghetti rustichelle, sea urchin, squid ink botarga, garlic, calabrian chiles, bread crumbs

cavatelli alla norcina, ricotta dumplings, housemade pork sausage, black truffles, grana padano

frozen mayer lemon custard tart, graham cracker crust, brown sugar whipped cream

tommy says: an incredible meal!  the carpaccio was perfectly balanced, a good hit of acid, salt, and tiny kick from the chilis and crunch from the shallots; the rosemary wasn't overpowering and played nicely, and the mint added a freshness.  the smoked mackerel was ok, but the mackerel flavor was muted and the creaminess of the burrata won out.  the polenta was outstanding - one of the best ever (possibly only outdone by cut).  combining polenta with the potatoes is pretty much genius.  both of the pasta dishes were fan-freaking-tastic.  and that frozen mayer lemon custard tart was the perfect finish - not too heavy, nice bright lemony flavor, a very nice graham cracker crust, little meringue chips that magically dissolved in your mouth, all topped with an addicting whipped cream.  run, don't walk to bestia. 

bestia
2121 7th place 
los angeles, ca 90021
(213) 514-5724
http://www.bestiala.com/

san fernando valley - studio city: black market liquor bar

tommy hangs out at black market liquor bar...

dill potato chips, sea salt, malt vinegar aioli

burrata, roasted apple, speck, saba

young kale salad, pickeled shallot, fiore sardo, botarga, crushed egg

fried cauliflower, lemon aioli

smoked trout toast, pickled veg, egg

hand cut pappardelle, pork shank ragu, stracciatella, arugula

kurobuta pork cheek, creamed polenta

tommy says: food is pretty good, but heavy.  the chips were nice, and not over dilled. kale salad was drowning in dressing and cheese. the burrata and smoked trout were both very good. pappardelle was kind of thick.  the fried cauliflower had a thick batter on it which was unexpected and unwanted.  been here a few other times and they weren't at their best on this particular visit. things were still good, just not great.  the menu changes from time to time, so here's hoping that next iteration is a but lighter (but keeps the smoked trout).

black market liquor bar
11915 ventura blvd
studio city, ca 91604
(818) 446-2533
http://blackmarketliquorbar.com/

los angeles - culver city: bucato

tommy sneaks into bucato in culver city...

focaccia and batard

hachiya persimmon, burrata, sea salt, olive oil

dungeness crab crostino, avocado, lemon, sea salt

spaghetti alla chitarra, cacio e pep

tagliatelle, ragu bianco, parmigiano reggiano

pappardelle, lamb ragu, grana padano

gnocchetti, rabit ragu, pecorino stagionato

 cavatelli duck ragu, pecorino romano

caputi, sausage sugo, sprouting broccoli, chilis, ragusano

sprouting broccoli, garlic, pickled chilis, pecorino romano; brussel sprouts, agrodolce, breadcrumbs

short rib, soft polenta, wild mushrooms, red wine sugo

tommy says: they have a no photos policy, but managed to take some on the sly.  the food is excellent.  persimmon and burrata was very simple, and unexpectedly went together fantastically.  they charge for bread (which seems to be more common these days), but it is amazing bread.  all pastas are handmade, and were the stars of the meal. tagliatelle and caputi were favorites, pappardelle was a little thicker than anticipated.  crab toast and veggies were all nicely done.  short rib was a too sweet.  reservations are for same day only, so non-planners, rejoice!

bucato
3280 helms ave 
culver city, ca ‎
(310) 876-0286
http://www.bucato.la/

los angeles - downtown: lazy ox canteen

tommy dines at laxy ox canteen...

pig ear chicharrones, escabeche, tomatillo salsa, harissa

toad in a hole, crispy pork, brie mornay, brioche, poached egg

okra, jalapeno salsa, bacon

polenta, roasted mushroom, creamed greens, yellow curry oil

suckling pig, wild rice, mashed potatoes, roasted corn, cole slaw, bbq sauce

tommy says:  if you come here, you must get the pig ears - really great!  the toad in a hole was good, but quite rich and filling.  polenta was a bit on the soupy side and flavor-wise was not bad, just not something i would get again. okra was slimey (but it is okra, so to be expected, i suppose) and couldn't find the bacon that was advertised.  suckling pig was underseasoned, but came with a nice big crunchy piece of skin.  mashed potatoes tasted like it came from a box.  roasted corn was good, but they didn't have to really do much to corn to make it good.  overall, a bit of a mixed bag...

lazy ox canteen

241 s san pedro st 

los angeles, ca 90012

(213) 626-5299

http://lazyoxcanteen.com/

downtown la: gorbals

tommy grubs at the gorbals...

bahn mi poutine

dry aged burger, onion 7 ways

duck latkes

roasted bone marrow with walnuts

lamb meatballs, pesto, artichoke, spinach risotto

broccoli, soy, brown sugar, malt, chilies

brussel sprouts, bacon, apple, cider, honey

tommy says: the bahn mi poutine is a crowd pleaser, but they no longer use pickled carrots or pickled daikon, which is a bummer. instead they use pickled jalepenos only (they used to use fresh when they had the pickled carrots and daikon).  these changes have diluted the bahn mi-ness of the dish.  the dry aged burger is surprisingly a really great burger, and dare i say it? - it rivals la's temple of burgers, father's office. duck latkes and lamb meatballs weren't bad, but nothing to write home about.  the bone marrow was a disappointment, they actually mix the walnuts with the marrow and then re-stuff it back into the bone.  the walnuts are just too overpowering; do not expect some smooth, jelly/custard-like marrow. oddly enough, the broccoli is pretty amazing - it is deep fried which changes the texture and is a bit addicting. the brussel sprouts were also quite tasty; the classic addition of the bacon is never wrong, but the apple went really well with it too.

the gorbals
501 south spring street
los angeles, ca 90013
213-488-3408

http://thegorbalsla.com/