Here I go completely upending what I discussed in my previous blog and writing a restaurant review. Well, I think Animal deserves a bit more attention because it's one of the more serious dining experiences I've had in the past few months. I say serious because I'm there to eat and evaluate the food rather than just have a good time. Of course with the companions that I had last night, it was still a fun night, but no one goes to Animal for the scene. At least I hope not.
As evidenced by Yelp's current Hot List or the various press Animal has been getting in the blogosphere, I think it could be safe to say that it's probably the most exciting restaurant in Los Angeles right now. Aside from the celebrity infused Westside and the burgeoning SGV in all of its ethnic glory, Los Angeles has been mired in a bit of mediocrity when it comes to dining. I say this because the other night I was driving around Mid-City frantically looking for a decent place to get some food. I settled on Chaya in West Hollywood.
I shouldn't have to settle, so I was happy to come back to Mid-City last night and dine at Animal, founded by the two Food Dudes "catering" Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, named from last year's short-lived reality series about the duo on Food Network (2 Dudes Catering). It's obvious these guys are passionate about cooking and namely that curious part of the food chain known as Animal.
The white shoebox dining room lined with nothing more than white plaster and intermittent exposed incandescent bulbs on metal fixtures amounts to the entire decor of the place. On the back wall is a bar lined with wine bottles and high-stools for solo diners or those wanting the bar food experience. The thick, warm brown wooden chairs and smooth tabletops sans white tablecloth evidence one thing: you're here to eat, and eat well.
The din of the room isn't really a din as it is a howl like a raging Ferrari Scuderia or a Boeing 767. It is really LOUD IN HERE! They sadly attempted to break up the noise with the criss-crossed metal wires hovering about 14 feet over the dining room but it didn't help too much (I notice stupid things like that).
The silverware and water cups were high-design and the wine glasses were a perfect size for comfortable swirling. The menus were a single brown printout with the listed dishes and wines on the back. Words like "grana" or "fra' mani" assume diners know what the heck these things are. Yes, the people eating here are probably foodies. Prices are reasonable at $23-29 per person, with the exception of the steak for two, listed at $70. It'll have to be another visit until I try that monster.
Our table of six ordered a bevy of appetizers, including the (something)jack fish, sliced asparagus, grilled beans, and pork ribs. The fish was delicate and subtle, balanced with citrus, oil, and jalapenos. Microgreen and sparse mint made for a Nobu-like zen in its freshness, purity, and expression. The grilled beans were generously served with sliced cheese and seasoned with the slight kick of chili. The texture was amazing and the grilled smokiness carried the beans well. The pork ribs were sweet, as I remember it, but tender and rich. The asparagus was a bit deconstructed, with the shaved asparagus loaded with bacon fat and bits. It all covered a poached egg whose gooey yolk sold me on the dish. Yolks and bacon fat are a quick way to say: "this dish will be delicious no matter what. It cannot fail." Nice one, Dudes.
The entrees came a bit later than expected, giving me a slight pause in eating which I could have done without. I ordered the halibut, a minor offense at a restaurant named Animal. No worry though because my friends ordered everything else I wanted: the pork chop and flat iron steak. The halibut was slightly overcooked, but the broth was simply stellar. Black fava beans, delicately sliced onions, and crumbled tomato contrasted the slightly acidic but savory brodo that housed the fish. I ordered some grilled crostinis to help soak up the excellent broth.
The steak was good and well sided with deep-fried sweetbreads, fingerling potatoes, and a binding sauce. The pork chops were deep-fried as well - rich, oily, fatty - everything you want in meat. The accompanying grits were fabulously unctuous and the side of pork belly slices was probably extraneous in its lipidinous disgust. I tried a piece anyway for kicks. My heart was having kicks, let's just say that.
Desserts were a triumph - they apparently brought back the strawberry shortcake and the warm cake contrasted with cool berry and citric sauce made for a nice start. The bacon-caramel-chocolate bar could sell quite nicely if introduced to your local convenience store though I doubt the FDA would allow its absolute sinfulness to permeate to the masses. The crunch of bacon is a welcome surprise in the ganache-like richness of the chocolate. My favorite was the peach-blueberry cobbler with a fine crust resembling something I read recently in a Julia Child book. Oddly, that cobbler made me a child, causing me to "ohh" and "ahh" in palatable pleasure. I could repeat that again.
Service was acceptable though the mandatory 18% for groups of 6 or above didn't let us decide if we could back that up with a good tip. I probably would have tipped 20% if they didn't slap that on the tab and do the math for us.
Overall I'm pondering Animal's overall cohesiveness in its execution and menu-planning. While there were strong dishes along the way, the excellence of a restaurant is measured in the firm and concrete belief in its concept and the consistent follow-through of that promise. While Animal doesn't disappoint in its desire to showcase the delicious beasts which comprise our diet as omnivores, I wonder how Animal will persist in our zeitgeist without a definite "cuisine" or "style". I was pushing for a straight-forward "New American" cuisine a la David Burke but with the brashness of Angeleno bad-ass one might expect along Fairfax, with its skateboard boutiques and rock-star glimmer. Our city could get used to this kind of food and I'm prepared to accept that. Just keep the noise down a bit, so I can hear myself when I'm ordering the next set of dishes that end up on that ever-changing menu. Carpets do a wondrous job of that, as do those nasty foam boards along the wall. On second thought, just keep it loud and exciting, the last thing we'd want the wild Animal to be is domesticated.
Animal
435 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 782-9225
www.animalrestaurant.com
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