Cure for the Common Meal

Salt's Cure West Hollywood Spring '11
www.saltscure.com
eat: Charcuterie & Pickles, Braised Pork Shoulder, Veal Burger, Yellowtail, Mussels, Blackberry Crumble, Bread Pudding, Homemade Ice Cream
sip: North Coast Coturri Rosé 2009, Alesmith IPA


When I spied the "I Love Bacon" paperweight, I knew I had come to the right place. This porcine valentine sits atop the kitchen/bar counter at Salt's Cure, a delicious, down-to-earth spot in Weho. As one would expect from a restaurant/butcher shop, the air is perfumed with roasted, smoked, and braised meat. The small chalkboard menu changes daily due to the fact that the food is admirably sourced from Californian farms. Inside, the sparse space forgoes fancy decor. Instead, the open kitchen, exposed brick wall, flickering candles, and hum of happy diners create a simple backdrop where the focus is on the food. Forget the Food Network and grab a seat at the kitchen bar, where the chef duo, Chris Phelps and Zak Walters, cook right beneath your nose.



The well-curated wine and beer list keeps up with the Cali-centric theme. We are wowed by the North Coast Coturri Rosé 2009, a gorgeous, ruby-red rosé. Made from Merlot, an uncommon rosé grape, this medium-bodied quaff is ripe with currants and proves that pink wines aren't just pretty to look at. San Diego's Alesmith IPA is a refreshing mix of bitter hops and sweet malt. As the back of the bottle rightly boasts, "It's Pretty Awesome".





Start off with a house-made Charcuterie Plate featuring a rotating array of cured meat morsels. Skinny, beet-red strips of duck prosciutto is a tasty twist on this buxom bird. Potted rabbit is packed with lardo-like fat, while thinly sliced, smoked pork shoulder is delicate, yet intense. The unique, in-house pickles, like black radishes and cherries, are delightfully original. A whimsical pretzel roll--imagine a doughy bun sprouting a crisp, pretzel appendage--and grainy mustard round out the plate.





Braised Pork Shoulder is melt-in-your-mouth good. Served with it's succulent juices, creamy grits, and a healthy handful of cilantro, this is southern comfort.







A juicy, Veal Burger topped with veal bacon proves you can't have too much of a good thing. Held together by a tasty, and squishy, poppy seed bun, it's a charred, smoky, meaty masterpiece. There's such a fight for the Belgian-style fries that we consider ordering a second round.





It's not just meat at Salt's Cure. After honing their skills at fish-centric Hungry Cat, these chefs know their way around the ocean. Yellowtail is served raw with green olives, shallots, dill, and drizzled olive oil--it's sashimi, American-style.








Plump mussels are bathed in a beer broth - the IPA adding a yeasty heft to the shellfish--as well as a delicious dunk for buttery, garlic bread)






Seasonal sides are plucked-from-the-fields fresh. A dish of Roasted Corn, thyme, butter, and aged goat cheese is farm fabulous. Our waitress earns mad points when, upon discovering the corn was sold out, she convinces the kitchen to scrape together a mini-version for our table.





The dessert choices are so tempting that we each gluttonously order our own. Normally, I shy away from liquorous desserts, but in the Whiskey Brioche Bread Pudding, the booze blends wonderfully with the butter. As we swirl the bread in luscious crème anglaise, my friend, Hollis, exclaims how good this would be for breakfast. I second that emotion.



Blackberry Crumble is a steaming bowl of summer. When warmed, the tart berries are mellowed to sweet goodness. With chunks of buttery pastry and vanilla ice cream, it's pure yum. Other homemade ice cream flavors include a lovely Lavender Shortbread, a delicate Wildflower Honey, and a bracing Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip.



Eating at Salt's Cure feels like a meal at an old friend's house, albeit one who is a damn fine chef. Here, the staff is so amicable that the lines between waiter/customer are blurred. It's a convivial, casual dinner party, where the menu and guest list change daily, but the deliciousness remains the same.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm

The Gorbals Downtown 05 May 10
www.thegorbalsla.com
eat: Bacon-Wrapped Matzoh Balls, GLT, Crispy Broccoli, Potato Latkes, Welsh Rarebit, Fettucine with Artichoke Hearts, Sticky Toffee Pudding
sip: Cheesebro Rousanne, Dirty Martini

My job as a costumer requires that I spend most of my day in clothing stores. Lately, I've noticed an unfortunate trend in fashion - everything looks the same. Before, preppy JCrew and hipster Urban Outfitters never had crossover merchandise; now, they both carry oxford shirts, fedoras, and boyfriend blazers. A similar homogeneous current is affecting restaurants; even quality ingredients like pork belly, Jidori chicken, and beets have almost become monotonous due to their ubiquity on menus around town (how many gourmet burgers can one city have???) Consequently, I have been craving something different, something non-traditional, something to make me go "hmmm". Enter The Gorbals, an eclectic eatery in downtown LA, that will pique your culinary curiosity.

As their website accurately states, The Gorbals "does not fall into a category". The cuisine is a unique hybrid of Jewish, Scottish, and Spanish cooking. It's run by a Top Chef Winner, Ilan Hall, yet there isn't an ounce of pretentiousness from the celeb chef. They serve food until the rare hour of 2am. An ethnic folk band, The Petrojvic Blasting Co, plays Thursday nights. The restaurant is housed in the enchantingly bizarre Alexandria Hotel. Although the historic Alexandria has recently been renovated into low income apartments, the building still has a faded, Lynchian charm - a trip to the bathroom reveals a hidden jazz club and a dusty, majestic ballroom. The decor is industrial and raw, with highlights including an enormous communal table of rough-hewn wood, kitchen-view seating, and angular, wooden pillar-like stools. In spite of the minimalism, the room still hums with a convivial, homey vibe thanks to the affable staff. Since the menu features obscure organs like sweetbreads and gizzards, an adventurous and carnivorous eater will be in hog heaven here; however, when I came with my pseudo-veggie friend, Gretchen, she was able to find something to nosh. Having dined here three times, here is a smattering of my faves:


Many have dubbed the Bacon-Wrapped Matzoh Balls to be the "signature dish" of The Gorbals. They have garnered a lot of attention due to their shamelessly un-Kosher combo ; yet they are more than just a provocative plate. The crispy, fatty bacon accentuates the soft, doughyness of the matzoh ball and the fresh grated horseradish and parsely add a welcome zing to the plate. Surprisingly, these are amazingly light; like donut holes, one could practically pop a dozen in your mouth before getting full.


Latkes with Smoked Applesauce I wish latkes were not just restricted to Jewish delis. In spite of their deliciousness, they are a pain-in-the-arse to make, both because of their tendency to disintegrate mid-frying as well as the pungent oil smell that permeates your kitchen for days . Ilan's version is crispy, salty, thin and tinged with rosemary. The accompanying smoked applesauce pairs well with these and other meaty menu items.



Gribenes, Lettuce, Tomato Sandwich Gribenes, aka chicken skin, is the Jewish version of chicharrón -pork rinds. I had expected the gribenes to resemble the crunchy, oily skin of a roast chicken, but was sorely mistaken (as you can see from the photo on the right). In fact, the skin is cooked in it's own fat (similar to the French confit) which keeps it juicy, succulent, and meatier. Admittedly, I am that eater who relishes the fatty gristle around the steak almost as much as the steak itself, but I strongly believe that even the faint at heart would enjoy this sandwich. The combination of the fresh lettuce and tomato, the creamy dill aoli, and the gribenes is excellent. I would even go so far as to say I like this better than a traditional BLT. In the words of the Sizzlean adds: "Move over bacon....."



Crispy Broccoli with Soy, Chiles, Vinegar Don't be fooled by the few ingredients; this dish packs a powerful punch. On the outside, the broccoli has been charred to a shriveled crisp , yet inside the green flesh is flavorful and moist. It is a clever spin on the usual side of greens sauteed with garlic; it's so good that we debate ordering a second round.



Fettucini With Artichoke Hearts is a light and refreshing pasta perfect for springtime. The pasta glistens with a buttery, lemon sauce which is so unctuous that we are convinced that cream is a primary ingredient (turns out it's not even in the dish!)





Welsh Rarebit with Fried Egg My English ancestors would be ashamed, but I always thought this was a meat dish (maybe I mixed up "rarebit" with "rabbit"?) Thankfully, I tasted my inaugural rarebit here and was excited to find that it is essentially melted cheese sauce on toast. I like the addition of the fried egg and Worcestershire sauce on top; this would be a perfect late-night, prevent-a-hangover snack.



Sticky Toffee Pudding with Nutella-Buttermilk Ice Cream This is more cakey and dense than the traditional oozy version. I sampled this dessert twice; the first time, the pudding had just a hint of toffee sauce, but the second time, the cake was drenched. The sprinkled sea salt transforms the pudding into the flavor du jour, salted caramel. Love the tangy ice cream too.


In beverage-land, The Gorbals has quality liquor, a smattering of microbrews, and an inexpensive wine list. In keeping with my recent white-wine infatuation, I drink Cheesebro Roussane a Carmel Valley, Rhone-style white which has a nice balance of fruit and minerals.


To be frank, this isn't a restaurant for everybody. The eclectic menu is small and lacks any food wimp options. Some have said the decor feels unfinished. Downtown parking sucks. Some experimental dishes are flops. In spite of these critiques, The Gorbals succeeds because it is like nothing else out there - it is artsy, innovative, communal, and relaxed. Each time you visit, who knows what you will find. The ever-changing menu is full of surprises. One night, Ilan served us his famous matzoh balls himself. Another night, my friend hosted a circus-themed, costume soiree. Maybe it's the hybrid cuisine or the diverse crowd, but The Gorbals feels like it could be located anywhere. Fortunately, it's here in good ol' Los Angeles.