Lukshon report

Sort of feel it’s the later?

Now that I’ve had the “low brow” posole at Potzol den Cano I def have some higher standards…I need to go to TM, even though their current mains don’t interest me really at all (sigh).

But who else makes abelone and geoduck posole in LA?.. Even Fox uses regular clams at Rustic Canyon.

I’m going to go try some posole at Otium tomorrow of all places… maybe they use geoduck there, so will see lol

Seems to me like TM’s tacos would’ve been better.

No one has eaten TM’s fish tacos and been like “wtf, Ricky’s are infinitely better, and like 1/3 the price”, so there’s still something to what you’re saying in that Yoon is not really changing or enhancing or twisting dishes in the most appealing ways.

I mean, it is for sure kind of fascinating to make cabbage the star ingredient of a tea leaf salad, and Yoon actually pulls it off imo, it remains a good salad that is pretty tasty. But is that kind of twist going to appeal to a lot of people? My guess is simply no.

However, does Cassia suffer from this same criticism? No one does laksa even close to as good as Cassia, no twists there, just fucking incredible laksa. Has someone eaten the pot au feu and been like “bleh, I get this better in the SGV every Tuesday at X”? I’ve never heard that…I didn’t even know you could get pot eu feu anywhere else? Maybe I’m missing something there lol

That’s probably why I never thought much of Lukshon. It reminded me of a less focused, less tasty version of Momofuku Ssam.

Even more impressive is that despite the copy cats, the dishes at Momofuku Ssam still manage to stand out (nice unexpected bursts of acid) even though they may appear similar on paper.

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My understanding is that there wasn’t enough $ during construction for the desired sound baffling. :frowning:

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Cassia mixes it up a bit. But I ain’t gonna pay 14 bucks for their papaya salad or 18 for their chicken wings or even 39 for their sea bass.

Also I just took a look at their menu, the pot au feu is 46 dollars??!?!?! WTF how much was it when they opened?

I still need to make it out to Momofuku Ssam for dinner. I’ve been for lunch and I just went to Momofuku Nishi… what do you recommend at Ssam?

The menu changes but his warm head cheese preps are good.

The anchovy toast is excellent.

So is the grilled mackerel.

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Exact words were uttered at work yesterday as someone was checking out the menu prior to a business dinner @ Cassia :grin:

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My understanding is also that this isn’t one of their better dishes…

Although, honestly, once you see the space, the # of employees they have, blah, blah, blah, you can understand why the prices are high.

To bring it back to Lukshon, I haven’t been since it first opened (or thereabouts), but I thought it was great… ::shrug::

Damn yeah, I am like 99% sure it was $26 for the pot au feu when they opened… it barely felt worth it at that price… wow

Thanks for the heads up about the cold ramen. Looks delicious.

That’s a pretty good lil stretch of road. Surfa’s, FO, Lukshon, Guerrilla Taco’s (sometimes), Bar & Garden. Cool Haus, Pinches… I always miss Bucato when I’m over there. Once I went to Bucato for lunch with my cat in a crate on the way back from the vet. Had a nice meatball sandwich that day.

Skip Surfas. They are on life support.

I meant it more for the store than the cafe. I actually haven’t eaten there for quite some time, but I do like to stop by the store to look around. They have some good cheeses, butter and a lot of flour options. I’ve also been tempted to buy some foie gras and try my hand at cooking it. Never tried before.

decent bottarga too

Surfas two best cheese experts left within the last few months. My understanding is the current few working food are wildly uninformed

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Interesting. For the company, or just the Culver location? The lady who helped me a couple weeks ago was nice and seemed knowledgable enough. Of course, I don’t know very much about cheese, so she could have been a complete fool!

Consider yourself lucky. Not getting in to specifics but real problems in that company. You might want to consider other options.

Thanks for the heads up. Any recommendations for other similar ish restaurant supply stores?

I hope they get their act together because there really is nothing similar. There is Chef’s Toy’s on Sepulveda for equiptment but not many places have their selection of Olive oil, Flours, Pastas, Spices, leaf lard, all butter puff pastry ect…

Lots of good things to be found at Guidi Marcello in Santa Monica. You will find bottarga, lardo, great selection of Italian cheese. I was there last week. They were sampling a salami with truffles. So good. Also love the roast artichokes and the anchovies are fantastic.

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It seems that either Lukshon has taken to even dimmer lighting than previously, so apologies for the dark photos this time around.

Business appears to have increased since J Gold named the place #3 on his list, as it was mostly full on a Tuesday night. The cooking remains as precise as ever.

Crispy Rice Cakes

Crispy is a slightly odd word for them to use in the description as they are only a touch crisped, while being closer to soft pillows of glutinous bliss. Juxtaposed against the crunch of the yu choy, bolstered by shiitake mushrooms and a potent mixture of black vinegar and soy sauce, this was a well-executed dish of comfort food. A bit acidic, a bit sweet, a touch bitter with alternating gummy and crunchy textures. My dining companion was highly impressed.

Pork Larb Meatballs

Showing off a rather elegant plating, the little larb meatballs could perhaps have had more of a curst, but perhaps they were meant to be soft and yielding in texture as a contrast to the puffed rice crackers. The cabbage, herbs, and a green fire aioli combined to create lovely bites that capture much of the melange of textures and flavors anchored by heat that one would expect from a great larb, yet at the same time the dish felt nothing like traditional Thai food. Creatively compelling, and highly tasty.

Heirloom Black Rice

I believe this is a classic at Lukshon, and for good reason: it is one of the tastiest rice dishes in LA. Immensely savory black rice coated in egg yolk bolstered by garlic, onion and large chunks of sweet lap cheong. It is savory, hearty, and a touch sweet. The rice itself is cooked perfectly and has a great chew to it without being overly hard. Just fantastic.

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

A clear reference to the much beloved khao soi, this is another dish that doesn’t seem to actually mimic khao soi at all, yet captures the essence of the dish entirely. The sweet/spicy contrast of the broth set against some beautifully cooked chicken, and very precisely cooked noodles makes for an absolutely addictive bowl. The noodles are just wonderful, being perfectly chewy and thoroughly soaking in the broth. Perhaps the best example of how Lukshon can recreate the brilliant effect of favorite dishes without replicating them outright.

Masala Chai-Spiced Donuts

Finished up with some lovely donuts. They were lightly-fried, and quite bready, and were quite fragrant with the masala spice. The chocolate sauce on the side was spiked with green cardamom and had just enough of the spice so as not to be overpowering. A delightful way to end the meal that was not overly heavy and showcased a more savory spicing in each of its components as opposed to being overly sweet.

Aged Tung Ting Oolong ca. 1980s

We also had a pot of aged Oolong tea to finish off the meal. A truly fascinating tea that tasted a bit smokey, and distinctly had notes of fish sauce. It was a great accompaniment to the donuts. The single origin tea program at Lukshon is really quite interesting.

Overall, my image of Lukshon as an intellectual kitchen remains in tact, though I think the dishes are beginning to become even more immediately satisfying on a visceral level.

All told, the damage for this meal was only $84, making it about $44/person, which is fairly low for this level of cooking. On the other hand, perhaps it’s extraordinarily high depending upon ones frame of reference. Their alcohol selection is also nice; especially the odd dessert wines from Jura (I availed myself of a lambrusco and a macvin, but did not include them in the price of the meal).

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