Dining Room at the Langham - Pasadena, CA - Avant Garde in a Stuffy Room

Though it seems almost diluted now, where with Top Chefs popping out of Bravo's hit show every few months, and now with Top Chef Masters coming online, who's to keep track of so many of these culinary stars? L.A. was blessed with its first Top Chef winner (well, at least one that was working here when he won) in Michael Voltaggio, a sharp tack of a cook who was portrayed as a man who would do anything to win the prize. Still, I was impressed by his impresario and bravado during the season, battling his own older brother Brian, and Kevin Gilespie of Atlanta's Woodfire Grill until the end.

I've heard many things about his cuisine at The Langham, an old stodgy palace hidden in the lowlands of Pasadena. The hotel had a minor refreshment when it was taken over from its old Ritz Carlton days (when my family would come for tea time or Sunday brunch - both of which are overly expensive affairs). The Dining Room looks like it's been unchanged for the most part, with expansive tables spreading white linens and shiny silverware for the privileged, wealthy, and now adventurous.

Since Voltaggio was pulled away from The Bazaar, where he was chef de cuisine, he has taken over the kitchen at The Dining Room and incorporated his avant garde paradigm of cuisine with the staid, wood-paneled Dining Room at the Langham. Note that The Bazaar received a (truly) rare 4-star review from LA Times Restaurant Critic S. Irene Virbila when Voltaggio was helming the kitchen (under the overall direction of Jose Andres of course). Before The Bazaar, Voltaggio was working with his brother at Charlie Parlmer's Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg.

I came to this meal with David Haskell and James Suckling of Wine Spectator and Cigar Afficionado. At first it was a bit intimidating to be dining with two experts in the wine field, but I felt at ease when Josh Goldman, the sommelier at The Dining Room who trained under Haskell at BIN 8945, brought us flutes of Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil. The champagne had an elegant nose, and crisp but fruity notes that excited the palate.

The amuse bouche was an emulsion of fish, perhaps salmon, due to its smoky aroma and pink color. The rest of the flavor eludes me as would a dream, but it endeared me enough to want more, which is precisely what an amuse should do.

First course was Japanese shima aji, a type of mackeral that was presented like crudo, with pickled baby peach, a thin sliver of bonito flake, and a marshmallow like puff called a "sea sponge." The rich fish was a delicious bite, tempered by a bright salinity and smoky hint while the countering pickled peach and briny sea sponge brought out layers of flavor. The bonito added a final dose of pure umami. Goldman paired this dish with a chilled sake, Kamoizumi. Though I personally don't care for sake too much, I liked how the sake bound the flavors together.

In between courses we were served fresh, warm bread. The one that stole the show during the evening was the perigord truffle brioche, a loaf the size of a child's fist that broke open with the mystifying, alluring aromas of black truffle. To call it addictive would be an understatement, especially when slathered with slightly translucent goat butter. Haskell commented that he hadn't had something that simple and delicious since Joel Robuchon's Jamin in Paris.

Next was a dish that absolutely shined in the pairing, skate wing with brown butter, dehydrated cauliflower and a line caper powder. Fennel fronds dusted the dish and provided an anise-like essense. Goldman paired the melt-in-your-mouth skate wing with a Tuscan wine. It's hard to pinpoint how this amazing pairing worked on the palate, but it hit all cylinders.

We were then poured a glass of Duchesse de Bourgogne Flemish Ale, an ale that had a nose of tomato and light vinegar (perhaps like ketchup). When paired with our next dish, a pigeon pastrami (made with cured squab), the ale turned into sour cherries, the fruity sweetness finishing on the palate. The sauerkraut gelee provided another vinegary kick to the dish. The play of flavors on the palate and nearly every element was riveting at this point.

The only issue that kept coming up with the decor of the room. The service was good in my opinion, though at times it seemed a bit too formal and stiff. It didn't help that the room is lined with miniature yachts like an country club in the New England. The planned makeover of the Dining Room should help in easing the tension and relaxing the staff to provide a service that's commensurate with the whimsical cuisine being presented on the plates.

I don't quite remember dessert at this point, though I do remember ice cream. I'm sorry, but you'll have to go yourself on that one. We finished the meal trying to finish up the wines (I had a tough time as usual) and chatting away until the Dining Room emptied out on a quiet Tuesday evening.

Here's to hoping that Chef Michael Voltaggio and sommelier Josh Goldman continue to prepare food that's refined and edgy at the same time, almost at the level of Alinea, but something that can be grasped by the local clientele. It's a culinary feather in the cap for Pasadena, one of very few for this city of roses.

Dining Room at the Langham
The Langham Hotel
1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue
Pasadena, California 91106, USA
(626) 568-3900