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Home , Mexican cuisine, Roy Choi, Sambar (dish)

038-045_DINING FEATURE_GBLA16.indd 38 38 GRODYBYROGER BORDERS. UNABASHEDLY BEND THATMENUS WITH EXPERIMENT CHEFS DIVERSITY, EVER-INCREASING TOCELEBRATE ITS CONTINUES AS WHERE

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NEXT GEN FUSION 12/11/15 2:53PM couple of decades ago, Los Angeles helmed the dearly missed Table. The menu at chefs began experimenting with bold Cassia is inspired by Southeast Asia, primarily Singapore cross-cultural menus, combining and Vietnam, where Ng’s and his wife’s families are from. the best elements of disparate cui- “It’s a very personal menu because it combines the sines. The movement, which usually of my heritage but also has influences from my profes- involved Pacific Rim influences, was sional experiences, having worked in French, Italian and generallyA known as “fusion.” That term has since fallen California-Mediterranean restaurants,” he explains. out of favor with contemporary chefs, but the passion This establishment features several distinct spaces, for combining eclectic elements from contrasting cui- including a lounge, private dining room and wood grill— sines has only picked up steam. over wood accommodates Ng’s passion for L.A., a bona fide capital of the Pacific Rim, is a natural simple preparations—decorated with vintage Vietnamese place to see a variety of Asian popping up in birdcages. The overall look of the place is modern, com- of professional chefs of all backgrounds. Given bining raw wood and concrete, but retains the soul of a the region’s Mexican heritage, it’s also no surprise to find bustling Montparnasse brasserie. chefs combining traditional flavors from with Ng, who cooked refined French with heavy- those from other countries, including Italy and France. weight chefs Roland Passot at San Francisco’s La Folie Unlike ethnic enclaves in some older American cities, and Daniel Boulud at Daniel in New York, is able to ni

where borders remain intractable, neighborhoods in L.A. apply all of that classical technique he learned to the je + are remarkably porous, and those blurred lines result in flavors of Southeast Asia. At Cassia, therefore, you might

cross-cultural experimenta- ylan d

:

tion that has become L.A.’s te Neighborhoods in L.A. are remarkably porous, and i culinary signature. A prime os example: , a those blurred lines result in cross-cultural experi- Oppp

Korean-American who grew n.

mentation that has become L.A.’s culinary signature. oo up on streets dominated by p k

Latin cuisines, launched his Kogi truck in 2008, and its find a traditional French pot-au-feu, but with a in ic r Korean-inspired are an iconic Angeleno dish. the spirit of a Vietnamese , while escargots are pre- an;

Japanese and French are inherently compatible cui- pared with lemongrass-infused butter. Among his signa- h

sines, both bringing distinctive techniques and aesthet- ture dishes, passed down from the Spice Table, are kaya anna h

ics to the table. This combination is now taken for toast, a soulful Singaporean street food with jam y

granted at French restaurants around the world, and and a slow-cooked egg, and an exotic jellyfish salad with t b ic

chef Josef Centeno takes it one step further. At his refined , crispy and - dressing. str Orsa & Winston downtown, Centeno combines various “Southeast , particularly Vietnamese, di

European traditions—predominantly French, Italian and meshes well with for one obvious reason: the y

Spanish—with Japanese and occasionally other Asian colonization,” says Ng, who certainly doesn’t romanti- tes

cuisines to create unique, contemporary American fare. cize that era. “There was some delicious food that came our c

On his daily changing tasting menu, you may encounter out of this sordid period.” Like any good brasserie, p:

made with prized Koshihikari rice that is laced Cassia offers impressive platters from the raw bar, as well to m

with uni and topped with a clam espuma, or dry-aged as a charcuterie selection that includes Singaporean can- ro f

. Chinese-inspired duck with cherry mostarda. died , Vietnamese meatloaf and Sichuan lamb . s o l

Cassia is part of the burgeoning dining empire of Snow-crab claws are offered, but so are steak frites with ue previous spread: restaurateurs Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan, the couple Phú Quoc island peppercorn and whole grilled sea

a feast of indian-inspired Ban flavors at sambar responsible for Rustic Canyon, Huckleberry Bakery & bass with turmeric, dill and . For dessert, there are esus J

Café, Sweet Rose Creamery, Esters and Milo & . riffs on classic French , beignets and a seductive : from top: the ge

Ensconced in a historical art deco building in downtown pudding. a

dining room at the p Santa Monica, Cassia combines the concept of a French “Understanding the soul of a cuisine is the greatest district by hannah an; ous

whole grilled brasserie with the flavors of Southeast Asia, courtesy of challenge,” says Ng, who insists a chef needs to do vi re

sea bass at cassia immensely talented chef Bryant Ng, who most recently more than simply introduce a single ingredient or tech- p

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038-045_DINING FEATURE_GBLA16.indd 40 12/16/15 11:47 AM nique to make this kind of cross-cultural cooking work. “Trying to incorporate multiple culinary influences requires a lot of self-editing and discipline,” he says, adding that the final compositions need to respect the represented cultures. When it comes to a modern interpretation of , the An family—consisting of matriarch Helene and her five daughters—is the clos- est thing L.A. has to royalty, and the District by Hannah An is its latest achievement. The family dynasty began in San Francisco, where Hannah’s grandmoth- er opened the family’s first restaurant, followed by the original Crustacean. The Beverly Hills edition of Crustacean, with its glass-covered, koi-filled stream meandering through the dining room, is a perennial celebrity hangout that’s also welcoming to civilians. After her sisters opened restaurants in Orange County and Santa Monica, Hannah, who was pursuing a career in engineering, returned to the family business. Last year, it was her turn to create a new restaurant concept, debuting the District in a two-level building near Cedars- Sinai hospital that fuses colonial charm with modern sophistication. The District is Hannah An’s very personalized inter- pretation of her native cuisine, a restaurant where classic Vietnamese dishes are created with high-quality, seasonal California ingredients and where influences from France, Spain, and Japan remind diners of Vietnam’s complex culinary history. The menu celebrates the five elements of Vietnamese cuisine—spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet—in dishes that are inspired by both street vendors and French-trained Vietnamese chefs. One can start with a pork-belly bánh mì or a bone-marrow dish that features elements of French before moving on to a signature dish of noodles with crab and uni, Vietnamese braised short ribs or -crusted lamb with mint pesto. Like Hannah An, chef Shawn Pham took a circuitous journey to opening his own restaurant. As a chef, Pham worked in some of the top kitchens in California: the French Laundry, Craft and the Bazaar by José Andrés. Eager to explore his Vietnamese heritage, the chef, who was born and raised in America, spent several years in Ho Chi Minh City, immersing himself in Vietnamese culture and cuisine. When he returned CHEF RAY GARCIA ADDS SOME KICK TO HIS to L.A., Pham opened a restaurant that reflected CAMPECHANA VERDE his multiple personalities as a chef. Little Tokyo’s AT B.S. TAQUERIA, Simbal combines the best of Ho Chi Minh City’s food DOWNTOWN.

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038-045_DINING FEATURE_GBLA16.indd 41 12/11/15 2:53 PM “There are, undoubtedly, many immigrant populations all over the U.S. but very few cities with L.A.’s breadth and diversity.”

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038-045_DINING FEATURE_GBLA16.indd 42 12/11/15 2:53 PM stalls with sophisticated Western technique and Pham’s - salad, a staple on contemporary American playful attitude. menus, an Indian makeover at Sambar by using paneer The creative chef plays fast and loose with interna- as a cheese and dressing it with a turmeric-oil-lime vinai- tional borders, suiting L.A.’s cultural sensibilities and grette. On Sambar’s menu, Richmond even offers a generating excitement. Pham proves that sweetbreads, “Chindian” bowl, an homage to the small Chinese com- an ingredient long associated with staid Continental munity in . A true fusion dish, it combines restaurants, can be brought to life with Asian flavors. stir-fry with cabbage, , , , long At Simbal, they’re served crispy with a fish-sauce glaze , and sauce. and plated with pickled Chinese mustard greens. Pham Richmond first visited India many years ago, when deconstructs a Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich into a she was studying yoga, and when she moved into an salad inspired by an Italian panzanella and presents ashram in L.A., she began incorporating ingredients mussels with chili jam and Chinese doughnuts. His with healing properties (e.g., turmeric and ginger) into short-rib potpie with tendon, a nod to the beef Western dishes. “The menu at Sambar was inspired by called bò kho that he grew up eating, is seasoned with years of studying and eating Indian food lemongrass and . all over the world,” she says. Other attractions at Simbal are a 14-seat -view The unconventional, celebrity-favored chef is also counter that hosts monthly guest-chef pop-ups, as well as inspired by the city of L.A. itself, where she has lived a full bar with an extensive inventory of whiskey, bour- for 35 years. “We have real ethnic communities in L.A., bon, and . Biodynamic and local which gives us all kinds of great restaurants, incredible craft are also on offer, and mixologist Brandyn street food and the opportunity to experience authen- Tepper complements Pham’s cusine by incorporating tic dishes from different cultures,” she says. “I like to intriguing Asian ingredients like Thai basil and approach my own city like I would if I were traveling,” lemongrass into his creative cocktails. adds Richmond, who refers to her cuisine at Sambar as The potential for Indian cuisine to withstand contem- “Indian-inspired and reimagined through a California porary, progressive treatments has long been underesti- lens.” mated. Downtown’s Badmaash, a contemporary Indian At Little Sister, a bastion of Asian eclecticism that gastropub, has advanced the cause. There, cross-cultural debuted in Manhattan Beach and recently expanded to items like chicken poutine and cheddar-stuffed downtown L.A., executive chef/partner Tin Vuong dem- that mimics an American grilled cheese sandwich onstrates the diversity of Asian cooking on a menu that demonstrate Indian cuisine’s versatility. simply ignores international borders. Vuong is classically Recently, chef/restaurateur Akasha Richmond, whose trained but grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, where

n restaurant Akasha helped establish downtown Culver hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese bánh mì shops line Valley oo

p City as a dining destination, unveiled Sambar just Boulevard alongside glitzy Hong Kong dim-sum palaces. k

ic steps from her original establishment. The pioneer- “Nowhere else in the world, in my opinion, has better r :

te ing Richmond has devised a fun, approachable cuisine food than the San Gabriel Valley,” says Vuong, whose i opposite: chef bryant ng os at Sambar, which applies Indian concepts to familiar menu features “626 Provisions,” a special section that and Sous Chef Tracey pp o

. American . Under the menu heading “New Wave pays tribute to his old stamping grounds. “Little Sister Harada prepare platters s

o of seafood at cassia.

l Masala” are various Indian treatments to iconic, all- Downtown is the restaurant I’ve always dreamed of

ue American dishes, including masala-spiced chicken wings opening,” he says. “My grandparents fled Vietnam dur- this page, from top:

Ban and a lamb burger topped with preserved chut- ing the fall of Saigon and have passed along a wealth of ma la beef tartare ney instead of ketchup. The innovative chef even com- knowledge about Southeast Asian cuisine,” says Vuong, esus at little sister; bines Indian and Mexican concepts in her “truck stop who draws on that and his San Gabriel Valley upbringing the Bangalore Blues py; J py; o goat tacos,” in which paneer, chili-lime slaw, tomato- for inspiration. cocktail at sambar ll o onion and pickled jalapeños are layered on corn The young chef is remarkably fluent in a dozen or that resemble Mexican . more cuisines represented on his menu. Signature dishes

p: dan p: c dan For her sevpuri, a ubiquitous stuffed- in include deep-fried Balinese with ketch- t

m India, Richmond substitutes California for the up (a Filipino condiment), and an celebrat- ro

f o typical filling. Conversely, she gives the beet-and- ing the exotic cuisine of Myanmar (Burma). “I find the

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038-045_DINING FEATURE_GBLA16.indd 43 12/16/15 11:48 AM word ‘fusion’ to be implied,” says Vuong, who explains, Case in point is Garcia’s clever transformation of “Southeast Asian food is already fused with influences an unadorned slice of , a morning staple in from other cultures. At Little Sister, we just aim to pres- L.A.’s Mexican-American neighborhoods, into some- ent authentic dishes with classic French technique and thing with extravagant French undertones at Broken modern plating.” Spanish. Standing in for a slice of brioche, the pan dulce Its proximity to Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam is slathered with a thin coating of foie-gras butter and makes the Land Down Under even more of a Pacific dusted with piloncillo (brown ) for a memorable Rim culinary melting pot than L.A., and Aussie entre- experience. preneurs Grant Smillie and David Combes bring exotic Garcia takes queso fundido—a dish akin to jalapeño- cross-cultural concepts to E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood. spiked, microwave-melted Velveeta that’s served in some A musical inspiration—E.P. (“extended play”) is the neighborhood Mexican joints—and laces it with bacalao second-story dining room, and L.P. (“long play”) is the and roasted tomatoes, making the dish feel more ground- sprawling rooftop lounge—comes naturally, considering ed in the Iberian Peninsula than the Yucatán Peninsula. Smillie’s status as a globe-trotting DJ and investors who And the chef’s seasonal creamed corn, enriched with include a member of the band Swedish House Mafia. Japanese Kewpie , heated with manzano The chef at this hipster hangout is Louis Tikaram, peppers and dusted with Parmesan, is a rich blend of whose heritage includes Fijian, Indian and Chinese and European and Asian elements that wouldn’t seem too out who is himself a product of Australia’s underappreciated of place in a classic American steakhouse. culinary diversity. The young Lakers fan honed his skills Garcia’s menus borrow from different continents yet at one of Sydney’s most exclusive Japanese restaurants still honor his Mexican heritage. At B.S. Taqueria, his and rose to prominence as executive chef at Longrain, tacos feature some of the same toppings Mario Batali a trendsetting Southeast Asian-influenced eatery in the might put on his at Mozza, from mushrooms and same city. to clams and lardo. “Los Angeles is a great place A signature dish at E.P. & L.P. is nama “sea pearls,” to eat and operate restaurants because of its diversity,” a version of one of the first things Tikaram cooked in says Garcia. “Dishes like the clam-and-lardo are Fiji with his grandmother, who inspired his passion for examples of how we integrate ingredients and techniques cooking. Nama, a salty seaweed, is served -style from other cooking styles into traditional Mexican favor- with coconut , lime and chilies. Other intriguing ites like the taco,” a culinary approach he likes to call starters include wood-grilled baby green-lipped abalone “cross-pollination.” on the half shell with curry and aromatic Thai The imaginations of all of these chefs are consistently seasonings, and a hot-and-sour wagyu beef tartare fueled by the cultural diversity of L.A., the most impor- served with and rice crackers. Bar like tant ingredient of all. “Immigrants define Los Angeles as Southeast Asian chicken wings pair well with exotic a great food city,” says Cassia’s Ng. “Driving from neigh- beverages consumed at L.P., such as boozy boba-pearl borhood to neighborhood, you can experience a culinary cocktails and “Pump Up the Jam,” served in a wild- landscape that takes you not only from country to tha is p ge: the dining room looking vessel shared by four. country, but regions within those countries,” he explains. and bánh mì salad at tser i

simbal in little tokyo The art of fusion, or whatever we should be call- “There are, undoubtedly, many immigrant populations r c

ing it now, is hardly limited to Asian cuisines. In all over the U.S. but very few cities with L.A.’s breadth y or

opposite: a smattering of c

downtown L.A., innovative young chef Ray Garcia and diversity.” :

small dishes at e.p. & l.p. te infuses with clever cross-cultural Fellow chef Garcia—he grew up in the same city at i os

nuances at Broken Spanish, as well as at a more casual about the same time but viewed it from a totally different pp venue called B.S. Taqueria. Garcia’s menus reflect the cultural perspective—concurs with Ng’s assertion. “In a o vision of a native Angeleno chef who appreciates his single-mile radius in L.A., you have instant access to a (2). ter

Mexican-American heritage but has been influenced dozen different cultures’ cuisines and ingredients, all at a e w

by diverse cultures and cuisines simply by growing up your fingertips,” he says. Clearly, both Garcia and Ng, v

in multicultural L.A. As a result, myriad flavors find along with the other outstanding Angeleno chefs deft bo a their way onto a menu that may be grounded in tra- in the art of cross-pollination, work wonders with their s ad

ditional Mexican cooking but is not constrained by it. hometown’s own special sauce. he

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038-045_DINING FEATURE_GBLA16.indd 44 12/16/15 11:48 AM