Now I'm writing nearly back to back restaurant reviews, but this one was way overdue. I've heard from various non-foodies at my office who have visited Craft that they found it underwhelming at best. Perhaps they didn't order the right food because I found the food to be excellent and the service to be perfect.
I'll say with a caveat that I think we got a little bit of special treatment because I was taking pictures (for this food blog) and my friend Daniel was telling them that he had applied earlier in the week for a position in the kitchen as a line cook.
We met earlier that evening after he finished his shift at another large Century City restaurant (to be unnamed) at Pink Taco's 2 for 1 Happy Hour. We quickly downed a pink margarita and half bottles of Dos Equis before bolting to Craft on a complete whim. Daniel wanted to check out the dining room and observe their dinner service while I just wanted a few more drinks at the bar.
We sat at the wide but comfortable bar near the entrance and was promptly served by the bartender, Pete, a tall guy that reminded me much of Michael Ruhlman. I asked for the Collins, which came generously with Plymouth Gin and topped with lemongrass soda. It was mixed superbly and was a refreshing aperitif.
Daniel and I decided to just eat our dinner here so we ordered the pig's head and housemade pickles, braised short rib, and pureed potatoes. A quick amuse of shrimp fritter and corn custard began our adventure, an appetizing interplay of hot-cold and fried/creamy. Next came the pig's head, dressed with parsley, endive, and the spectacular pickles providing a sufficiently vinegary contrast to the deep fried pig's head slices. The slices reminded me much of donkatsu but without the sauce. It was an excellent start.
Shortly thereafter, the kitchen brought out a simple ravioli of braised pork and quail egg, the fresh pasta covering the dark discs drenched in jus. While the ravioli was near the threshold of my salt tolerance, it was savory and comforting, the luscious meat and egg yolk contrasted with the al dente pasta. With a glass of Hungarian pinot noir (suggested by our man Pete), it was a smashing pairing. The bright ruby tinted wine was balanced in structure with very little tannin. The bouquet was superbly aromatic, but the palate was a bit more prosaic, perhaps all the better to pair with the ravioli.
At a perfect pace, our entree came when our appetites were hungry for more. The pureed potatoes, which came in a small copper sauce pan, were velvety as if hand-pushed through a tamis. They weren't as rich as what you might expect at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, but they were a perfect accompaniment to the braised short rib, whose dark brown color and perfect sauce were presented in a mini-dutch oven. Daniel employed his plating skills by spreading the pommes on our plates and topping it artfully with short rib. I rudely splattered some of the sauce over the construction and dug in. The textures were mesmerizing, the rich potatoes undergirding the slightly sweet, smoky short rib meat. Aromas of herbs and braised root vegetables danced on the palate like waltzing dignitaries caught in a sudden up-tempo. Bliss resulted.
The portion was very generous and neither Daniel nor I finished off the entree. We saw the dessert menu and were astounded by its variety. There were enough ice cream flavors to make Scoops green with envy. We ordered the sampler of lemon verbena, buttermilk (!?), and maple bacon, along with an order of the roasted peaches with basil. There really couldn't have been a better pairing than the peaches with the buttermilk ice cream. I doubt I could ever find a dessert so satisfyingly simple but purely pleasurable. The lemon verbena ice cream was a little strong for my tastes and the maple bacon was actually savory with smoky bacon bits! We were given some delightful petit fours and handed a small plastic bag of blueberry cornbread muffin to have with our coffee the next morning (which I just consumed at my desk).
In retrospect, I believe we were given some of the best service I have ever received at a restaurant. Each course supplied new silverware and clean, warm plates. Water was promptly refilled and Pete kept us highly entertained. He's a bona-fide foodie himself, passionate about wine and knowledgeable about the entire menu, which apparently changes on a daily basis. Daniel and I were very impressed by his crisp service and easy-going demeanor. The chef de cuisine, Matt Accarrino came afterwards to greet us and speak briefly with Daniel regarding his potential employment there. We left extremely full (and still slightly buzzed), but nevertheless very pleased with our experience. Perhaps a more casual meal at the bar would be preferred over table service in the powerhouse dining room full of Industry powerbrokers, but when it comes down to it, the food and service shines brighter than anything else at Craft.
(photos unavailable and in my opinion, unacceptable. As a budding photographer I'm ashamed of the flashed photos of our meal but I may post them later. My SLR's been out of commission as of late, so maybe I'll take pictures at another visit, which I certainly will if Daniel gets the job). Above photo courtesy NY Times
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