Had the opportunity to preview some of mei lin’s menu and everything from the apps to the desserts were some of the most inventive, inspired and delicious dishes I’ve had this year. Three words, mapo tofu lasagna.
Book your table now, this place will be packed.
Now open. The food reminds me of an asian inspired ink, creative with lots of strong and bold asian flavors.
shigoku oysters, passion fruit vinaigrette
Looks like a lot of vinaigrette but it paired well and didn’t overpower the oysters.
tom yum onion, coconut dip
When a bloomin’ onion meets a bag of hint of lime tostitos, in a good way. the light and airy coconut dip balanced things out. I shall coin it the yummy tom yum allium.
nantucket bay scallops, coconut vinaigrette, ginger, coriander
tart and sweet with a bit of heat.
beef tartare, sesame, egg yolk jam, kochukaru
really liked the drops of the egg yolk jam and black garlic.
tamarind glazed baby carrots, toasted coconut, carrot top emulsion
sunchokes, persimmon mole, seeded granola
Reminded me of the fried butterball potatoes at majordomo.
shrimp toast, cantonese curry
curry tasted like a less spicy crab curry from luv2eat.
lasagna, pork ragu, tofu cream, prickly ash
This was delicious and a brilliant fusion of dishes. This should be the signature dish.
szechuan hot quail, japanese milk bread, house pickles
nicely cooked quail with a howlin’ ray’s medium level of heat.
coconut mousse, pineapple, coconut lime granita, nata de coco
she put the pineapple in the lime and she put the lime in the coconut. i put the coconut in the mouth.
almond sorbet, mandarin ice
not toto
Third time back to complete the OOE tasting #forresearch
green jade tomatoes, persian cucumber, gwaimei vinaigrette
I don’t think I’ve ever had a green jade tomato and I still don’t know what a gwaimei is, but the dish was very good. The tomatoes were plump, sweet, and juicy and the dressing had acid, heat, and sesame/peanut butter flavor.
(new) foie gras mousse, calamansi and squash jam, zucchini madeleines
Highlight of the night. The slightly citrusy/sweet jam on top went great with the foie gras and the crisp, savory zucchini madeleines were the perfect complement. This was an off-menu special that needs to be on-menu.
(new) kimchi marinated kanpachi, kohlrabi, dongchimi broth
The only miss for me on the menu. Surprisingly bland with not much acid or heat.
koshihikari rice congee, xo, crispy shallots, pork floss, egg
Probably the most traditional thing on the menu, and perfect for the subarctic temperatures in la right now. The only thing missing was a side of youtiao.
After-dinner bang @ Superfine Pizza
This place should be named super-great.
salami honey - spicy salami, provolone, grana padano, buckwheat honey
Not as spicy and a little sweeter than roberta’s bee sting, but still a great slice. Love the thin, crisp crust.
came for the shrimp toast, stayed for the fucking duck, and left because their AC sucks.
hokkaido scallops, coconut vinaigrette, crispy ginger, coriander
sweet scallops with a bit of a creamy, tart sauce. good.
kusshi oysters, passionfruit leche de tigre, charred garlic oil
the oysters were great but there was a bit too much tart sauce.
beef tartare, sesame, egg yolk jam, kochukaru
very good, with a kick of nuttiness from the sesame oil. the chip could have been seasoned more.
truffled dungeness crab congee
this was a miss, under-seasoned and not much truffle or crab flavor.
lasagna, pork ragu, tofu cream, prickly ash
delicious. rich but still not as heavy as a traditional lasagna. highlight.
shrimp toast, cantonese curry
i wasn’t blown away the first time i had this but this time was outstanding. the shrimp was more shrimp-y, the toast was crispy and the curry complex, rich and buttery.
whole roasted duck, pickles, cucumbers, lettuce wraps, peach hoisin, chili crispy, kimchi
highlight of the night. the duck was aged for about 10 days and roasted so the skin was crispy and the leg and thigh meat were firm, juicy and flavorful while the breast was soft and tender. Needs to be ordered two weeks in advance but it was worth it.
coconut mousse, pineapple, coconut lime granita, nata de coco
max’s desserts are always a highlight, catch him while you still can.
cherry sorbet, cola, soft & crispy meringue
Nightshade
923 E 3rd St. Suite 109
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213)626-8888
https://nightshadela.com
Looks interesting and tasty. Good to know that most of the dishes were enjoyable.
