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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Great report, thanks.
I like Lukshon and really should go more often.
How is the seating at Lukshon? Is it mostly high tops with no-back stools? It looks that way from pictures, but never been.
Half inside the restaurant at the communal table is, but 2/3 of all seating (indoor + outdoor) is regular tables.
Ate at Lukshon last night and had a nice time.
Split between three:
- Hawaiian Butterfish
- Chinese Eggplant
- Chiang Mai Curry Noodles
- Cold Sesame Noodles
- Masala Chai Donuts
- Thai Tea Sunday
We sat at the chef’s counter, which is nice to watch the prep. It can get pretty loud with the pans’a’rockin’, but I didn’t find it too loud to maintain a conversation. I’ve never sat in one of the booths, but that seems like a good time too if you’re ordering a bunch of dishes.
The butterfish is always good and bright. My dining partners loved the eggplant. I liked it too, but not as much as they did. Both noodle dishes were tasty, but the great bite of the cold sesame noodles won me over. The donuts were ok - I probably wouldn’t order again. They weren’t bad, but nothing special to me; however, that thai tea sundae was a real treat. A big blob of thai tea ice cream, set atop some crunchies, with blobs of pandan, jackfruit and coconut.
Oh! And the cocktails were friggin really great. I’ve been having mai tai fever, and their Five-Spice Mai Tai was one of the better one’s I’ve had. I also had a sip of the Lukshon Plum Sour, and I would’ve been well happy to have had the whole thing.
I probably won’t be rushing back, but whenever I do return, I’ll be happy to do so.
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