Top Chefs Test Tastes Here
Good news for Go Go gourmets…top chefs and mixologists are debuting new dishes and drinks almost daily at the Test Kitchen starting this week and if you act fast with the cash, you can be one of the few, the oh-so-lucky guinea pigs.
Here’s the concept: there’s a pop-up test kitchen at the site of the former Spark Woodfire Grill on Pico where visiting chefs can fine-tune food offerings for upcoming restaurant projects; Ricardo Zarate of Mo-Chica hosts the kitchen. (Go Go’ers, you attended one of his monthly, Peruvian-perfection tasting dinners in April per Ms. Go Go’s post, right?) The Peruvian meal maestro will briefly guest chef on August 24th to test Anticucho, his upcoming Peruvian skewers bar. (Think tapas but impaled.) Master mixologist and 2010 Rising Star award winner Julian Cox (Rivera) recently returned from the infamous Tales of the Cocktail (when mentioned, TOTC survivors attendees just shake their heads, wild-eyed and speechless) so he should be armed and dangerous for his stint guiding the Test Kitchen cocktail program. Award-winning mixologist Joel Black (you know him from Comme Ca and Cana Rum Bar) and Matthew Biancaniello (Roosevelt Hotel’s Library Bar) will create cocktails to complement the different-every-day dishes. Go Go’ers, if you feel dizzy with pre-meal delirium, you’re not alone.
Good for what ails you....
Test Kitchen actually debuts on August 18 (through August 22) with Jordan Kahn, the youngest chef (he was 17) to ever work at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry, and the first pastry chef in years to win “Best Dish” at the StarChefs Gala. Kahn also makes wood ice cream. As if you weren’t already impressed.
The dishes Kahn is testing for his upcoming, Vietnamese-inspired Red Medicine – cured AMBERJACK, lime leaf, french melon, nuoc cham, bird chili and mint; bay scallops with pomelo, young ginger, tamarind syrup, puffed tapioca and charred friseé; and a Saigon tartine of pork belly, pate, coriander, carrot pickle and green chili — will be served family style so gather a batch of like-minded pals or shine up your social skills. Bar Manager Matthew Doerr will complement the twelve course, prix fixe menu with cutting edge cocktails such as Plymouth, Astringent Wine, Crenshaw Melon, Honey, and Douglas Fir Eau de Vie.
You, of course, have always preferred your astringent wine mixed with fir brandy.
Ready? U Know U Want 2 Go Go….
Test Kitchen
Opens Wednesday, August 18; 6PM – midnight (Last seating at 10:30PM)
(Thereafter, dinner served Tuesday through Saturday)
9575 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles 90035
$40 for the 12 dish, prix fixe meal (includes 18% gratuity); cocktails are $10
No food substitutions
For info or to make a reservation:
Limited seats will be held for walk-ins.
Filed under: Daily Go Go Tagged: Anticucho, Joel Black, John Sedlar, Jordan Kahn, Julian Cox, Matthew Biancaniello, Matthew Doerr, Mo-Chica, R26, Red Medicine, Ricardo Zarate, Rivera, Test Kitchen
