This is from pre-reopening, so my folks and I were seated out on the patio. Bavel is a favorite (Chefs Ori and Genevieve’s new cook book is also fantastic) so we branched out and tried a few new things. This was also coming in at the end of our weekend eating odyssey, so we didn’t quite want to tuck in to our usual move with lamb neck shawarma.
Duck Hummus
This is automatic. I’d argue it should be in the LA Dish HOF.
Chicken Liver Paté
Another banger. It’s really tough to decide which is better, the carbs or the spreads in these initial courses. But it’s also obvious that both together are transcendent.
Oyster Mushroom Kebab
Double take to check it’s actually not meat.
Heirloom Lettuce Salad
While I’d say this was about getting some vegetables on the table, this is a legit good salad. It’s not going to ever define the meal, but it’s not a let down in any way.
Cherry Tomato
Light and refreshing, with a slick kick of heat from the harissa to balance out the sweetness of the strawberries. This is the sort of farmers market dish that I wish I’d have the confidence to just throw together after strolling through the market.
Roasted Cauliflower
This is another dish we usually always order–though it was less spicy this time so the dip wasn’t as necessary.
Beef Cheek Tagine
I’ve had different versions of the tagine before, but it’s been a minute. The beef was incredibly tender, and easily fell apart as we spooned it onto our plates.
Licorice Root Ice Cream Bonbon
We were pretty full, but our server talked us into this dessert and damn I’m glad they did. My dad is a big fan (strangely) of licorice, so he was an easy mark. It didn’t overwhelm with licorice flavor though and we all marveled at Chef Genevieve’s mastery of pastry. Really any time you’ve got the chance to have one of her desserts you should at least split one amongst the party.
This turned out to be the bite of the night.
I was still a bit surprised to see tables open when we had dinner there (though it was a Tuesday), but with LA fully reopened now it seems like this will once again, deservedly, be one of the hardest reservations in town.