You don’t have to be a long-time Swan Fungus reader to know about my infatuation with the television program Top Chef. Hell, I even feigned interest in one of the show’s judges for years in what surely must be the Internet’s most extreme case of long-term, long-distance faux-stalking. There’s much more to take away from Top Chef than the size of a judge’s cans (yes, even if they’re massive). There’s all the delicious looking food, for example! Which is why whenever a new season begins I look to see who the chefs from LA and, if I haven’t already, seek out their food. I was elated to see Dakota from the Backyard (at the W in Westwood) compete this year, as well as the guy from Vertical Wine Bar in Pasadena. In years past I’ve sought out the cuisine of chefs ranging from Betty Fraser, Ilan Hall, Antonia Lofaso, Alex Eusebio, Ariane Duarte, Fabio Viviani, Stefan Richter, Alex Reznik, Angelo Sosa…who else am I missing? I don’t know know! Oh yeah, and I scored a reservation at Michael Voltaggio’s new spot, ink., which is apparently the hardest reservation in town at the moment (tougher than Ludo? hard to say…)
As for Season 9 of Top Chef, Nate and I have taken a liking to Nyesha Arrington, the girl from LA who keeps winning the one-on-one “Last Chance” challenges. She seemed awesome. She made food that looked good. I wanted to try her food, so a few weeks ago I headed out to the strange confides of Santa Monica — to The Wilshire — to sample some of her wares.
Nyesha’s job as executive chef at the Wilshire was announced just a few short months before the announcement of her Top Chef gig. She’s previously worked for Josiah Citrin at Melisse in Santa Monica, and for Joel Robuchon at L’Atelier and The Mansion, both in Las Vegas. Not a bad resume. The Wilshire, which has been named to numerous Best Of Los Angeles and Best Of Santa Monica foodie lists, touts itself as a purveyor of “New Urban Food.” I guess that’s like fancy pub grub? Who the hell knows what anything means in regards to menus anymore. “New Urban Cuisine” sounds like there’s probably at least three variations of pork belly on the menu.
Our meal started with a variation on the heirloom tomato salad, but instead of tomatoes the chef sliced persimmon, which was topped with arugula, burrata, basil pesto, croutons, chopped walnuts and prosciutto. It was great. The persimmon wasn’t too cloying, and its sweetness played well against the salt of the burrata and prosciutto.
Next came the chicken liver terrine with plum chutney and toasted brioche. The liver was intensely rich, which made the chutney all the more important for balance. As always, wish I had more toasted brioche, but probably didn’t need the excess carbs considering there were still a few dishes left to try.
Having gorged myself the two nights prior to this, I thought about trying something slightly different (no more duck confit, please! no more shortribs!). So, I went with something called “the garden” which was butternut squash gnocchi served with shiitake mushrooms, brussels sprouts, pomegranate seeds and goat cheese in a brown butter sauce. So good. And, compared to the other options, a relatively healthy choice!
Of course, I also had half of the Wilshire’s burger, because I can’t go to a new restaurant (especially one serving “New Urban Food”) and not try their burger offering. I didn’t quite force the burger on my dinner date, but I strongly suggested she try it when she let me know it was on of her “final two” choices. The burger at The Wilshire is a hulking mass of beef on a lightly toasted bun topped with the usual trimmings of lettuce, onion and tomato, but with the added bonus of a bacon hollandaise. There’s a side of nicely seasoned but sadly limp french fries, and a pickle spear, but the spear was too cucumber-like for me. The beef wasn’t the most flavorful but it was cooked to a perfect medium rare with a decent sear (that could have used a bit more salt) and the grind was medium coarse. It doesn’t stand out among the best in the city, but it’s a decent option if you’re here and you feel like a burger.
The food was washed down with a big boy old fashioned, which they make here with Buffalo Trace. It’s a good choice, though at $12 I wasn’t about to order a refill. Water would suffice.
I was shocked by the size of the space. Hell, the indoor tables alone would have made for an adequate-sized restaurant, but the outdoor patio and rear bar transform the Wilshire into a monstrous location. Furthermore, it’s impressive how they keep the outdoor back patio so warm. Even on a cold night, the army of space heaters ensured ours seats were comfortable. The bourbon helped, too.
Service was good, our waiter was friendly and attentive. He poured on the praise for chef Nyesha just a tad too much, making reference to her “numerous” television appearances (I think there are two, Top Chef and one other show) and almost spitting back verbatim her biography as it appears on the Wilshire’s website. Alas, some of the praise was warranted, because the food is really good. It’s obvious Nyesha is a talented chef, and I appreciate her ability to alter menu items based on what’s fresh or in season. Although all the items ordered on this night appeared on the menu, there were tweaks that differentiated what arrived at the table from what was listed. All modifications were welcome, and nothing was missed. Great effort.
Next up, ink.
Kurt Vile – Baby’s Arms [MP3]
