Providence, Los Angeles, 7/18/16

Exterior
Exterior

This is a second visit to Providence and it hasn’t lost its touch – it’s a lovely dining experience. You can see why Michelin awarded it 2 stars when they covered the LA area. The service is top rate and friendly. There were some similarities to last year’s menu but overall it was a new set of tastes and some different takes on ones we saw last year.  A different table gave me a better feel for the dining room and although it still feels “dated” it also felt quite comfortable.  Most of the guests were dressed well but it’s LA and you’ll still find sneakers and t-shirts. They offered a seasonal tasting menu, one for DineLA week and a chef’s tasting menu which we opted for, all with optional supplements.

entrance
entrance
table set up
table set up
interior
interior
ceiling treatment
ceiling treatment
cocktail menu
cocktail menu
menu cover
menu cover
menu 1
menu 1
Dine LA menu
Dine LA menu
seasonal menu
seasonal menu
Chef's menu
Chef’s menu
Frankie and their old Michelin award
Frankie and their old Michelin award

 

The menu started with a lot of amuse bouche. First were the Mojito cocktail bubbles which were a one bite wonder – the exact taste of a mojito.  Great!

Mojito cocktail bubble
Mojito cocktail bubble

 

Next was a nasturtium leaf filled with scallop tartar and puffed rice- so tasty.

Nasturtium leaf with scallop tartar and puffed rice
Nasturtium leaf with scallop tartar and puffed rice
another view
another view

 

The crab on radish was nicely sweet and combined with the ginger made a very tasty bite.

Dungeness crab on daikon radish with pickled ginger on top
Dungeness crab on daikon radish with pickled ginger on top
Frankie liked the candle
Frankie liked the candle

 

The melon soup was divine. It was so fresh tasting and I loved the slick little pearls of basil seeds in it.

Chilled melon soup with Espaliet pepper and olive oil
Chilled melon soup with Espaliet pepper and olive oil

 

The oyster was just plain intense – in a good way.

Shigoku oyster with horseradish and wasabi powders
Shigoku oyster with horseradish and wasabi powders
Brandon helped take care of us and Frankie
Brandon helped take care of us and Frankie

 

The egg white with sausge was wonderful combination of tastes and textures.

Egg white with sausage, mustard and caramelized onions on buckwheat bilini
Egg white with sausage, mustard and caramelized onions on buckwheat bilini
close up
close up

 

The cigar was presented as the way to end this fine array of amuse. It was braised Waygu beef rolled in a very crisp filo dough. A very fun presentation but the least of the tastes presented.

Waygu beef in thin filo dough wrapper with uni mayo
Waygu beef in thin filo dough wrapper with uni mayo
Frankie checked out the cigar box
Frankie checked out the cigar box

 

The tasting menu now starts! The clam cocktail was a combination of little neck, razor and other types of clams with a little nasturtium leaf

Clams and nasturtium
Clams and nasturtium

 

The spot prawns were served with a chip made from rolling the heads to pulp and baking them between sheets of wax paper. They were amazing but the prawn itself was also quite good especially mixed with the caviar.

Spot prawn jewels with golden ossetra caviar and finger lime
Spot prawn jewels with golden ossetra caviar and finger lime
as plated
as plated
shrimp chips
shrimp chips
Frankie posed with the wild wall
Frankie posed with the wild wall

 

The bread was a white roll which was chewy but bland, a very buttery brioche and seaweed foccacia that tasted mostly of foaccia. The butter was French from Briton.

bread tray
bread tray
They wanted you to try them all
They wanted you to try them all
butter and salt
butter and salt

 

The Japanese mackerel were strong and had a velvety texture. The pickled vegetables were fun a perfect accompaniment.

Goma Saba (mackerel sashimi with white sesame) with pickled spring vegetables
Goma Saba (mackerel sashimi with white sesame) with pickled spring vegetables
as plated
as plated
Frankie found an orchid
Frankie found an orchid

 

The urchin and custard were covered with  Australian winter truffles and served alongside of  brioche and baby corn. The truffles were nicely strong and wonderful. Brioche overshadowed the urchin but the custard mix was quite nice.

sea urchin
sea urchin
Brentwood corn chawan mushi, black truffle
Brentwood corn chawan mushi, black truffle
as plated
as plated
reminder from Frankie
reminder from Frankie

 

The Japanese scallop was served with mussels, clams and squid body and tentacles. The shellfish broth was tasty and the scallop amazingly tender.

Live sea scallop with coquillage, ginger, shiso
Live sea scallop with coquillage, ginger, shiso
another angle
another angle
as plated
as plated

 

The salmon belly was served with tapioca and really small chanterelle mushrooms. The salmon was moist wihtout the usual storng taste. A nice dish, considering I’m not a salmon fan.

Salmon Belly with chanterelle, nori brown butter and red ogo
Salmon Belly with chanterelle, nori brown butter and red ogo
as plated
as plated
Frankie enjoyed the long bench
Frankie enjoyed the long bench

 

The John Dory was from New Zealand and wrapped in lardo and filo and served with foie gras. You could call it rich!

John Dory with porcini, lardo and cherry
John Dory with porcini, lardo and cherry
Frankie enjoyed the flowers
Frankie enjoyed the flowers

 

The a5 wagyu beef was a plate I hoped they repeat and they did and it is without a doubt the most amazing beef you can put in your mouth.  This beef rocks! The pluot was very tart as was the onion. The brown thing is turnip greens with smoked sesame seeds – it could have been left off the plate. But I don’t think many accompaniments could stand aside this meat and be worthy.

a5 wagyu with ebony rose pluot and spring onion
a5 wagyu with ebony rose pluot and spring onion
close up
close up

 

The cheese course was an array of 2 year old Comte, blue cheese, cows milk cheese, sheep milk cheese and a chestnut-apricot cheese. It was served with a wonderful fig sauce that made them all taste great.

cheese cart
cheese cart
bread for cheese course
bread for cheese course
artisanal cheese with seasonal accompaniments
artisanal cheese with seasonal accompaniments
from the other side
from the other side
Marco our waiter with Frankie
Marco our waiter with Frankie

 

The rhubarb sorbet was served with a meraingue. It was good and very refreshing.

Ume sakura with rhubarb and yogurt
Ume sakura with rhubarb and yogurt

 

The camomile panna cotta was smooth and nice and served with a honey mustard ice cream. They were dull alone but combined it was quite good.

Chamomile with honey, pistachio and dijon mustard
Chamomile with honey, pistachio and dijon mustard
Frankie checked out what was left
Frankie checked out what was left

 

The last dessert on the menu was a vanilla mouse coated with green tea powder and served with black sesame cake and milk chocolate.   Nice.

Kawa-ishi with kinako and black sesame
Kawa-ishi with kinako and black sesame
inside
inside
Frankie checked out the dessert
Frankie checked out the dessert

 

To make sure you don’t leave hungry you then had pineapple jellies, peach macaroons and chocolates.  The chocolates were tasty.  In case you wake up hungry they sent us off with some nice muffins.

pineapple jelly, chocolates, peach macaroon
pineapple jelly, chocolates, peach macaroon
Frankie peered at the final treats
Frankie peered at the final treats
Frankie looked over our take away gift
Frankie looked over our take away gift

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