That 'murican unagi looks mighty fine @PorkyBelly
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So bummed I cannot do it this week
Love lobster fra diavlo
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How did you like the truffle menu last week?
Didn’t do it. Not a truffle lover.
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TLDR: Yet another week of this…
@Bagel If you’re still on the fence, maybe this might convince you!
salad niçoise | olive oil-poached tuna, niçoise olives, fingerling potato, dijon-shallot vinaigrette
nice and hearty salad. the flavorful yet not-too-salty olives give you pops of salinity. working in tandem with the olives are the sweet and tangy tomatoes playing its role in brightening the salad. texturally, between the crunchy sugar snap peas & red bell peppers, supple soft boiled eggs, and meaty poached tuna, you get the whole darn spectrum here.
poached tuna isn’t my favorite way to enjoy tuna but it’s nicely done here.
bread city | fougasse with niçoise olives and herbs de provence, croutons, rouille
- rouille + croutons + broth = absolute highlight of this meal
- fougasse = herbaceous + crusty + chewy + saltiness from olives
bouillabaisse | lobster, local crab, mussels, clams, rockfish, john dory, saffron potato
hot damn. this is ariel’s worse nightmare. her friends are insanely delicious and perfectly cooked! i haven’t had john dory cooked this well since…uhhh…providence last served john dory to me! the broth is oceanic liquid crack…oh…i particularly enjoyed the ridiculously plump mussels that taste like it was cooked with white wine.
sorry, are you sebastian?
i’m gonna call you flounder
or are you sebastian?
clafoutis | fig, crème fraîche, port reduction
the clafoutis is rich, eggy, and custardy yet thick. the accompanying crème fraîche, however, lightens the dessert with tanginess while the earthy and peppery port reduction adds another complex layer of acidity. you really need all three elements in each bite for this dessert to sing.
mignardises | apricot & plum jelly
these are like fruit essence. tasty.
Needle bang bang
almond “jello”, orange, nectarine, mango, pluot, goji berry, lychee jelly
finally have a chance to try these! the almond “jello” is nicely almond-y and more custard in texture than actually jello. individually, the fruits don’t taste like much because they’re cut so finely. BUT, everything works in sync with each other oh-so-well and it’s strangely addictive and refreshing especially on this ridiculously hot day! even though it’s only moderately sweet and not having much acidity, i kept digging in bite after bite until absolutely nothing’s left…
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Truffle Truffle Truffle… and A Fat Wine Pairing too.
A little late reporting on this one, because we had three En Voyages close together. Don’t you just hate when a restaurant makes a mistake and you’re forced to eat lots of fresh Maine lobster? 
Paccheri Gratiné - Pasta Stuffed w/Black Truffle, Duck, Parmigiano & Ricotta, topped w/Tomato Infused Velouté and a finishing sprinkle of Black Truffle
At this point in the En Voyage series we agreed this was our favorite dish so far! 
It could’ve been too heavy & rich with the pasta, duck ricotta filling, topped w/velouté & black truffle - but I agree, the infusion of tomato in the sauce cut the richness and the Australian black truffle is earthy but not overwhelmingly truffle-y.
Black Truffle Crusted Swordfish - Kandarian Farms Cranberry Beans, Tomato, Kale, Summer Squash, Genovese Basil, Black Truffle Vinaigrette, EVOO
Someone knows how to cook Swordfish! Wakeup @PorkyBelly. I know how much you love beans - this was such a good combo that I’ve already tried my hand at duplicating it. But can I say something weird? The chefs at Providence really know how to do good things with celery. There were celery leaves in the bean salad, but it was more than that, like they dressed the salad in a light, savory celery juice. Lovely.
Ciabatta
Chef Cimarusti brushed over this by kinda’ gesturing towards the loaf quickly saying The bread service is Ciabatta, then moved on. He was right… it was Ciabatta.
Pairing - Village Levely Bourgogne (Burgundy) Pinot Noir / Loire Valley Chenin Blanc / Hungarian Tokaji
I always think it’s me when I just don’t get something that others do, like wine pairing. But now I’m thinking it’s because not many really know what they’re doing? The somm at Providence so does! The proof was I didn’t even especially love these wines on their own, but each pairing with each course was spot-on perfection. Another nice thing is the somm doesn’t have a set plan - so I was able to discuss preferences, etc. He liked your idea of the light, red burgundy with the swordfish @beefnoguy. $75 for two 750ml and one 500ml, plus as @beefnoguy put it, you’re paying for “the thoughtfulness of the somm’s picks to pair“.
A Truffle Pig Finds a Chocolate Truffle
Psst… it was actually a Corn Macaron, not really a pig.
Black Truffle Crème Caramel Sprinkled w/Maldon Sea Salt & Paired w/Hungarian Tokaji Dessert Wine
I also thought the black truffle detracted from the smooth texture & flavor of crème caramel. It was kinda’ rough and tasted a bit burnt. The Tokaji was perfect and my favorite on its own. My dessert plating still sucks. If anyone can find this plate below I will give you my pet goldfish.
It seemed apropos to watch the latest escapades of that blood sucking Hungarian Count while indulging in sweet Hungarian wine and a Truffle dessert. 
I was on the fence about whether or not I actually like truffles. But the OP aka Moonboy403 sparked my interest by saying something like A 3-course Takeout Truffle Dinner is something you won’t get everyday. Then Chef Cimarusti added to my interest by saying what a treat it is to have winter truffles with summer squash & tomatoes - the joys of the modern technology that provided these inoculated tree truffles from the Southern Hemisphere for a summer dinner in L.A. So, I figured with 3-courses I should be able to decide once and for all if I like truffles. Well, I certainly liked these mellow, earthy delights.
Thanks Providence!
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So good. 
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Wow! Have you ever had your IQ tested?
Man, you’re good! I searched and searched and only came up with a photo and no seller on Pinterest! Yes, my goldfish is house trained and does tricks… but he does occasionally spit water at you if you’re not giving him enough attention.
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I have an African aquatic frog named Indugu?
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Going broke, one plate at a time.
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I believe we have a nominee for understatement of the century.
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@TheCookie nice report!
With wine pairings, sometimes what you see in a wine list could be fairly telling of their style, approach, sourcing, and the rest is up to the style or personality of the sommeliers. It is also possible that some pairings include bottles that are off menu, as it could be something the somm is trying out for the evening or got in a special and didn’t have time to update the ever changing wine menu at the moment.
It really helps also to communicate your preferences (as you have likely learned and done so) as otherwise they are strictly going to go for what they think is best at the moment, based on what they have or can get, in order to move product. The ideal scenario is that the restaurant stocks exactly what it needs and goes through multiple vendors just to secure wines whose profiles matches the style of the kitchen and thus the pairing style which should be a strength. But this is not always the case.
Some Michelin star places really aim to please, so if they think you’re very serious about trying out of the box pairings, or if you are able to talk shop and connect well with them, they may find something niche to surprise you if that’s your thing. Usually when the conversation is geared towards that way, the sommelier gets a better sense of your tastes and preferences, and if they are really good, they will know exactly what you will need next (because well, they are supposed to). Or if you are more into celebrity labels that have very particular flavor profiles (those would tend to exist on a menu as a grand pairing, not a regular one if available. For example Keiko A Nob Hill in SF has three wine pairing price levels, the highest one require participation for the entire table of four, because literally you would be ordering by the bottle and get 1.5 to 2 pours each across one or two courses).
Some of what I recommended to you for Providence based on a quick look at sections of the wine list I’m a touch more familiar with, are actually tried and true pairings (and safe). You can also search for a food item + wine pairing, and you will find search results for swordfish and what wines to drink with it that confirmed some of my hunches.
If you really enjoyed a particular pairing, please give the sommeliers feedback and your appreciation of their thoughfulness. Goes a very long way. I remember when I splurged on a Meadowood wine pairing (cost almost as much as the meal itself) and I got extra pours… and some spur of the moment “here i think you should taste this!” added generosity.
It’s much harder now with takeout. First, your feedback of what you like/didn’t like and appreciation it actually makes the sommeliers think of what to serve for their wine pairings for you and others, rather than just pull out a bottle from the cellar, as well as put their training to use. Second, they will remember you and perhaps once they get to know your tastes, they may recommend something even more fun the next time, or if you didn’t particularly enjoy a particular wine, they could find something else next time to your liking. It goes both ways, but the goal is that you enjoy and learn something new. Like my mentor has said and I will say the same to everyone else, there is no substitute for tasting. Exactly the same for sake and food pairing. You are the best judge of what you like, and you can only go so much by wine scores (some of which are overhyped to sell bottles, even some celebrity status labels).
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Thanks for the knowledge @beefnoguy!
I think it’s a little of both. They are a seafood place and stock wines to compliment their dishes - you’ll read that on my next report. Also, restaurants are trying to move stock and discounting takeout bottles to do so. I ain’t mad!
I get the feeling not many takeout customers order Providence’s wine pairing, so they actually like you to call and order directly the day of instead of on Tock. This gives you a chance for discussion (but call early).
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The fact that Providence has been a favorite of LA CH and FTC for such a long time and written much about all these years (including from esteemed writers who have left our board or never came over from LA CH), and has cult/legendary status for all of you, and I’m sure their wine program was always very well thought out, with wine service/pairing etc very comprehensive and well executed.
As soon as the pandemic hit, some restaurants up here pretty much opened up their cellars to keep them afloat. Quince, Saison, Spruce, Californios for example. And I think they have ways to sell just the wine itself without buying food. In the case of Californios, they have not reopened…
But also it’s not just the wine pairing but the complete service. You purchase a bottle and it’s opened in front of you. Or if you pay corkage, the corkage is not just the privilege of allowing your own bottle to be consumed with food, you get the full wine service, from popping the cork, ice bucket, dishwashing, serving etc. For dine in, it’s the complete experience of being served, when the somm pours you a glass, when your next glass comes, what glass to serve in and at what temperature based on the food or course that is next…does your interaction and happy mood lead to another glass or extra pour on the house etc etc. All that spontaneity is unfortunately lost and doesn’t port over in takeout form. And for those dining solo for takeout, drinking alone sucks galore. But those who really care, do it to support and add to the businesses bottom line.
I am not aware of a wine pairing to go up here, mostly individual sized cocktails, or small format bottles. The fact they are able to offer this is very very good and even allow you to customize to some degree (for matching balanced with preferences). Low cost but tasty effective pairing choices (full bottles or unopened half bottles which are more difficult to get and a hassle for many restaurants and consumers except collectors)
I’ve had a couple Hungarian Tokaji sweet wines paired with dessert. Some are superb. Next time you can ask if Providence has late harvest Loire Valley/Chenin Blanc to pair with dessert. Had a glass of something I didn’t take notes of earlier this year in SF and loved it. Not expensive but some are super tasty.
So kudos for trying for the pairing. You can also think of some of the cost as a somm consulting fee and you get your “prescription” in red/white/sweet.
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