Restaurant Week Los Angeles began with me and my friends at Craft. I had been wanting to try Craft, for awhile now, but venturing to Westside is few and far between for me. And finally, Miss B was able to get us all together and set it up. Though, I kinda wish we had a later reservation. One other note, Tom Colicchio, of Top Chef fame, is founder of Craft restaurants. Top Chef, on Bravo, is a show I have been wanting to watch.
They complemented our meal with banana bread to take home to eat, as a late night snack. Nice touch.
We were all giddy with excitement while waiting for our food to come, or was that our stomachs growling and body's trembling for low blood sugar. Perhaps both. I know we ripped through the bread and butter as soon as it was set on the table. I barely got a photo before my friends ate it all up.
This was tonight's set menu.
Unfortunately, we only choose the Pork Shoulder and the California Natural Ribeye. We didn't realize, till later, that it was family style and that we should have at least added a pick of the Hawaiian Blue Prawns, as well. Oh well. . . our loss. Personally, I don't care much for shellfish.
Once we selected our entrees, it wasn't but 5 mins or so, that our appetizers came rolling out. The salad which featured hazelnuts was good, meaning not bad at all. I liked the hazelnuts addition. Made me dig for them, like a a toy in a cereal box, in my 2nd helping. Then there was the ocean trout - which looked like salmon, but isn't as luscious and more tougher. As Miss B. said, "It has a fishy smell & taste". And the liver pate wasn't favored by our dinner party, as well. The foie gras dip with wine and spice gelatin was really good. I am not normally a foie gras type-of-guy, but this was amazing. After we ran out of the accompanied bread, we used the flat bread from the liver pate, and then the table bread to finish off and clean the bowl of the dip. Not sure what it was, but it was the combination of the mixture with the sharpness of the pink jelly.
Next came our entree's - the pork shoulder and the ribeye. The pork shoulder was what I suggested and ordered, not all too surprising after all with my fascination with eating pig. The first bite, with much of the fat, was eye closingly yummy. But after that, the next bites, sans the fat, were dry, yet tender. In LA, fat can be construed as a negative thing, with its glamorous culture. But I don't care. After living overseas, I realized that fat give much flavor and juiciness. The ribeye, with it glistening glorious fat, was cut in easy portions for everyone to share. Not something I would order myself, I was pleasantly surprised by it. I must concur with Miss M, that red meat is good.
I think, if I remember, we also ate other things. . . like green things (like vegetables) . . .but that wasn't important. Yes, we are carnivores. But yes, I did eat vegetables - scroll up to read about the salad.
We were nearing the home stretch with our plates cleared off, then I remembered that we had dessert coming, with the chocolate crepes and the Meyer Lemon Semifreddo. The chocolate thing - and I don't think it was crepes. . . was too sweet. It needed the requisite after dinner coffee. But the Meyer Lemon Semifreddo, which looked like a big pineapple slice, is one of my desserts that I will remember. It had a wonderous slightly sweeten lemon taste. Meyer Lemon desserts are my lists of new favorite lemon sweet things!
Craft is good.
A view from our table. We spotted Warren Beatty, just a table away. I guess he's here for restaurant week, as well.
We wanted to eat the table cloth settings, since we were so hungry.
The set menu from Restaurant Week. My friends told me that Craft in NYC is excellent, but the one in Vegas is not so good. Another friend said her experience, at this location, wasn't as good as the hype.
Here's our baby lettuce salad. There are hazelnuts hidden in the salad. Does baby lettuce taste better than adult lettuce?
The pate with the flat bread.
Ocean trout. We ate it, but wasn't our favorite.
This was the foie gras dip. It was probably the most memorable dish.
The California Natural Ribeye. Very good.
The pork shoulder. Very tender. Look for the fatty parts.
Make sure you ask for horseradish. Fresh, too!
The chocolate dessert. Too sweet. It needs coffee to go with it.
The Meyer Lemon Semifreddo. Very good. I would recommend this to anyone.
Outside Craft. They offer valet parking as well as self-parking.
Rating
2 pigs, $$$
Craft Los Angeles
10100 Constellation Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90067
310.279.4180
http://www.craftrestaurant.com
They complemented our meal with banana bread to take home to eat, as a late night snack. Nice touch.We were all giddy with excitement while waiting for our food to come, or was that our stomachs growling and body's trembling for low blood sugar. Perhaps both. I know we ripped through the bread and butter as soon as it was set on the table. I barely got a photo before my friends ate it all up.
This was tonight's set menu.
Choice of Appetizers
House Made Charcuterie
House Made Charcuterie
Baby Lettuce
Pecorino & Hazelnuts
Choice of Entrees
Hawaiian Blue Prawns
Torpedo Onion & Anson Mills Grits
Niman Ranch Pork Shoulder
Molasses & La Ratte Potato Salad
House Made Ricotta Angolotti
& Braised Mushrooms
California Natural Ribeye
Gigante Beans
Choice of Desserts
Meyer Lemon Semifreddo
Market Citrus & Shortbread
Chocolate Crepes
Salty Peanuts & Malt Custard
Choice of Entrees
Hawaiian Blue Prawns
Torpedo Onion & Anson Mills Grits
Niman Ranch Pork Shoulder
Molasses & La Ratte Potato Salad
House Made Ricotta Angolotti
& Braised Mushrooms
California Natural Ribeye
Gigante Beans
Choice of Desserts
Meyer Lemon Semifreddo
Market Citrus & Shortbread
Chocolate Crepes
Salty Peanuts & Malt Custard
Unfortunately, we only choose the Pork Shoulder and the California Natural Ribeye. We didn't realize, till later, that it was family style and that we should have at least added a pick of the Hawaiian Blue Prawns, as well. Oh well. . . our loss. Personally, I don't care much for shellfish.
Once we selected our entrees, it wasn't but 5 mins or so, that our appetizers came rolling out. The salad which featured hazelnuts was good, meaning not bad at all. I liked the hazelnuts addition. Made me dig for them, like a a toy in a cereal box, in my 2nd helping. Then there was the ocean trout - which looked like salmon, but isn't as luscious and more tougher. As Miss B. said, "It has a fishy smell & taste". And the liver pate wasn't favored by our dinner party, as well. The foie gras dip with wine and spice gelatin was really good. I am not normally a foie gras type-of-guy, but this was amazing. After we ran out of the accompanied bread, we used the flat bread from the liver pate, and then the table bread to finish off and clean the bowl of the dip. Not sure what it was, but it was the combination of the mixture with the sharpness of the pink jelly.
Next came our entree's - the pork shoulder and the ribeye. The pork shoulder was what I suggested and ordered, not all too surprising after all with my fascination with eating pig. The first bite, with much of the fat, was eye closingly yummy. But after that, the next bites, sans the fat, were dry, yet tender. In LA, fat can be construed as a negative thing, with its glamorous culture. But I don't care. After living overseas, I realized that fat give much flavor and juiciness. The ribeye, with it glistening glorious fat, was cut in easy portions for everyone to share. Not something I would order myself, I was pleasantly surprised by it. I must concur with Miss M, that red meat is good.
I think, if I remember, we also ate other things. . . like green things (like vegetables) . . .but that wasn't important. Yes, we are carnivores. But yes, I did eat vegetables - scroll up to read about the salad.
We were nearing the home stretch with our plates cleared off, then I remembered that we had dessert coming, with the chocolate crepes and the Meyer Lemon Semifreddo. The chocolate thing - and I don't think it was crepes. . . was too sweet. It needed the requisite after dinner coffee. But the Meyer Lemon Semifreddo, which looked like a big pineapple slice, is one of my desserts that I will remember. It had a wonderous slightly sweeten lemon taste. Meyer Lemon desserts are my lists of new favorite lemon sweet things!
Craft is good.
A view from our table. We spotted Warren Beatty, just a table away. I guess he's here for restaurant week, as well.
We wanted to eat the table cloth settings, since we were so hungry.
The set menu from Restaurant Week. My friends told me that Craft in NYC is excellent, but the one in Vegas is not so good. Another friend said her experience, at this location, wasn't as good as the hype.
Here's our baby lettuce salad. There are hazelnuts hidden in the salad. Does baby lettuce taste better than adult lettuce?
The pate with the flat bread.
Ocean trout. We ate it, but wasn't our favorite.
This was the foie gras dip. It was probably the most memorable dish.
The California Natural Ribeye. Very good.
The pork shoulder. Very tender. Look for the fatty parts.
Make sure you ask for horseradish. Fresh, too!
The chocolate dessert. Too sweet. It needs coffee to go with it.
The Meyer Lemon Semifreddo. Very good. I would recommend this to anyone.
Outside Craft. They offer valet parking as well as self-parking.Rating
2 pigs, $$$
Craft Los Angeles
10100 Constellation Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90067
310.279.4180
http://www.craftrestaurant.com
I love Craft, but not actually for the full dinner menu. The bar menu was very good to us last year. Lookin' good!
ReplyDeleteI will have to check out Craftbar, next time
ReplyDelete