Superba Snack Bar

It is a thing of beauty when the “To Eat” lists of friends overlap. On a recent double date with fellow food lovers, we all wanted not only to catch up but also to cross a spot off our ever-growing lists, which led us to Superba Snack Bar in Venice.

Superba Snack Bar is the brainchild of restaurateur Paul Hibler (Pitfire Pizza) and chef Jason Neroni (Osteria La Buca). The restaurant, which has large cut-outs exposing the main dining room to the open air, feels a bit like an auto repair shop …if your mechanic were to serve up housemade charcuterie, fresh takes on veggies, and handmade pasta, that is.

We began by delving into Superba’s boozy offerings, ordering three of the restaurant’s four cocktails.

The crisp, fizzy Elder combined elderflower syrup, Cocchi Americano, citrus and a splash of prosecco ($12.00).

The Pepino Fresco with Dolin Vermouth, Bonal, lemon juice, cucumber, ginger and a splash of prosecco ($12.00) was dry but refreshing.

In the Superba Sour ($12.00), Cardamaro was tempered with simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and egg whites, yielding a rich, frothy drink with a hint of sweetness.

As is common with small plates restaurants, a glance at the tables around us confirmed that our server was overstating the number of dishes that our party of four should order. As such, we settled on four smaller plates and two pastas.

To start was the Porchetta di Testa Pastrami ($10.00) from the “Cold Cuts” section of the menu, in which head cheese was cured pastrami-style and served thinly shaved atop a slice of rye bread and topped with dill pickles. While I don’t normally give head cheese a second glance on a menu, I appreciated the inventiveness of this take.

Off the “From Our Backyard” portion of the menu, we selected two items– first, this cool, crunchy combination of grilled watermelon cubes, whole basil leaves, bao crumbs, fried chicken skin and pickled ramp dressing ($15.00). We found the flavors to be balanced and refreshing but all agreed that the bowl could have used more fried chicken skin and couldn’t explain the pretty steep price tag on this simple dish.

Our second veggie plate was the Cauliflower T-Bone ($16.00), a steak-like slab of cauliflower dressed with avocado puree and topped with pickled beets and castelvetrano olives. While this is undoubtedly one of Superba’s breakout dishes, our group felt that the cauliflower didn’t wow when eaten without the other components on the same forkful.

This simple plate of charred figs, housemade ricotta, opal mustard and shreds of porchetta ($14.00) from the “Snacks” portion of the menu was a winner. Each bite was simultaneously salty, sweet, tangy, creamy and delightful.

Cacio e pepe may seem unadventurous, but the simplicity of this al dente whole wheat rigatoni bathed in pecorino and black pepper ($14.00) hit the spot.

Our final savory course was also my favorite, a plate of pillowy sweet corn agnolotti spiced up with jalapeno butter, ancho powder, and fresh lime ($18.00). Crumbles of creamy sheep’s milk cheese finished the plate. These kicked-up accompaniments were way more exciting than the brown butter which is usually paired with corn agnolotti.

To finish, we dug into the menu’s two desserts.

This grown-up take on s’mores with graham cracker crumbles, creamy chocolate pudding and a mountainous toasted marshmallow ($9.00) didn’t bowl me over but was perfectly enjoyable. We also missed the cute lil’ jar that we’d seen house the dessert in pictures (#InstagramExpectations).

While I didn’t quite understand the combination of burrata gelato with macerated strawberries, lime curd and corn pops ($9.00), the sweet, crunchy spoonfuls just worked, and I stopped thinking about it too hard. 

Despite some misfires, Superba’s blend of fresh, California-inspired cooking and standout pastas will keep me coming back.

Superba Snack Bar

www.superbasnackbar.com

533 Rose Avenue

Venice, CA 90291

(310) 399-6400

Dinner at M.B. Post

My love for M.B. Post’s brunch has been well-documented (brunch #1, brunch #2), but chef David LeFevre’s Manhattan Beach restaurant also serves up one heckuva dinner. As with brunch, the dinner menu features seasonal small plates in cheekily named categories such as “Pass the Bread” and “Seafood…Eat Food.” When friends who recently moved from LA to NorCal were back in town for a weekend, they had only one spot in mind for our catch-up dinner: M.B. Post. Justin and I were more than happy to comply.

Although reservations are tough to come by on short notice, we walked in and were pleasantly surprised by the estimated wait time of 30-45 minutes. However, we saddled up to the bar to have a drink and were called to a table after only about 20 minutes. Guess it pays to be on-hand and ready to dine.

My Mo-Pho-Jito ($12.00) upgraded a traditional mojito by adding starr, kaffir lime, ginger and coriander honey with refreshing results.

Justin’s choice of the Pirate Ship: Revenge ($12.00) was a twist on a Dark ‘n Stormy with Gosling’s Black Seal, quince, maple and ginger.

The only way to start a meal at M.B. Post is with a plate of the Bacon-Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits ($5.00, two orders pictured). Flaky, buttery and positively jam-packed with bacon and cheddar, they deserve their cult status and grew even more delicious with a generous slathering of fluffy maple butter.

Next to hit the table was another signature dish: Pomegranate Couscous ($9.00). Here, a pomegranate-punctuated bed of couscous was topped with marcona almonds, mint, lavender feta and brightened with grapefruit. I typically avoid grapefruit but loved the interplay of its tartness with the other floral and fruity notes of the dish.

Arriving next were Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Baby Zucchini and Sauce Piperade ($10.00). In each bite, the initial satisfying crunch gave way to a creamy ricotta filling, and the tempura-like coating perfectly soaked up the sauce.

Our final pick from the “Eat Your Veggies” portion of the menu was an order of Roasted Brussels Sprouts ($10.00). The sprouts were halved, roasted (and served in) a cast iron skillet, then hit with enmental, hazelnuts and sage straight out of the oven, allowing the cheese to melt over the perfectly charred sprouts.

The arrival of our Thai Marinated Shrimp Ceviche ($13.00) signaled the beginning of our heavier courses. Diced coconut, cucumber and pineapple imparted a delightful brightness to this shrimp ceviche, and the accompanying shrimp chips served as a handy vessel for chowing down.

Our table also enjoyed the tender Vietnamese Caramel Pork Jowl, which sat atop a crunchy green papaya salad ($13.00).

Among the handwritten specials on the ever-changing menu was Quail Saltado, a farm fresh take on the Peruvian classic made with Wong Farm tomatoes, red onions and fried potatoes ($14.00). Although I would have preferred thick cut french fries to these wedges, this interesting version of a familiar dish hit the spot.

Closing out the night was a sizzling cast iron plated Confit Pork Belly ($14.00). Thick slabs of tender pork belly were layered with grilled asparagus, dollops of a rich bernaise, a fried egg and crunchy chicharrones. My favorite bites mixed together a little bit of each of the components.

I may love Manhattan Beach’s ocean views, but it’s the cooking at M.B. Post that keeps me (and our LA transplant friends) coming back to this oceanside town.

M.B. Post
www.eatmbpost.com
1142 Manhattan Ave.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 545-5405

ink.

Recently, I rang in my 25th birthday and, to celebrate, my sweet boyfriend planned a lovely day chock-full of surprises. After a picture perfect day, I had high expectations for our surprise dinner spot, and the fella did not disappoint.

On season six of Top Chef, Michael Voltaggio not only took home the title but also (and, arguably, more importantly) captivated audiences with his bold, modernist sensibilities and even bolder attitude. ink., specializing in “modern L.A. cuisine,” was Voltaggio’s hotly anticipated follow-up to his win. Nearly two years after its opening, the Melrose restaurant continues to garner accolades, recently being crowned the Best New Restaurant in America by GQ and earning Voltaggio the title of Best New Chef from Food and Wine.

Justin and I had long been interested in the restaurant, but the stigma of small plates with big prices kept us away. With a birthday to celebrate, however, we cast aside concerns about frugality and finally headed to ink.

The dining room at ink. is a hip, minimalist space with butcher block tables, polished concrete floors and a dark gray wall color reminiscent of the restaurant’s name– a sleek counterpoint to the vibrant, imaginative plates for which Voltaggio is known.

The dark colors and low light also draw your eyes to the bright, open kitchen.

Before considering the dinner menu, we first concerned ourselves with the cocktail one, where drinks were named simply by the type of alcohol most prominently featured in their crafting.

I loved the combination of sweet and smoky flavors in my Tequila with sherry, pineapple, orgeat, lime and mole ($12.00).

Justin ordered a refreshing beer-infused cocktail with floral notes whose name escapes both of us.

With the booze situation under control, we moved onto dinner. Our server explained that dishes at the top of the page were the lightest and became progressively heavier as you worked your way down the menu. He suggested we order four to six dishes for the two of us and decide later if we wanted to order more– a far cry from the obnoxious, pushy upselling and mandate to order everything all at once that we recently encountered at another popular restaurant.

First to arrive was the Charred Avocado, which was halved and nestled under a generous mound of Dungeness crab, bolstered with almond sponge and drizzled with smoked oil ($16.00). The dish spotlighted both ink.’s Californian and modernist aesthetics and served as a perfect introduction to Voltaggio’s food and kick-off to our meal.

Next to hit the table was my favorite dish of the evening– the Lollipop Kale, which was served in a bowl with crème fraiche and togarashi and topped with translucent ribbons of lardo and a jumble of shoestring slices of crispy pig ears ($14.00). Our server poured kale juice into the crème fraiche-togarashi combo and suggested that we mix everything up to create a “fancy Ranch dressing.” Porky, creamy, salty and crunchy, this is one of my new favorite dishes in the city.

Next up was a mash of corn, nori and miso paired with oversized house made “Doritos” of the Cooler Ranch variety ($12.00). While not particularly photogenic, this high-class stoner food felt simultaneously comforting and imaginative and really hit the spot.

We then progressed to our meatier dishes. The Suckling Pig served with onions, mustard bavaroise, miso, chicharrones and green apple sauce ($26.00) was perfectly tender and elevated by just a touch of playfulness. Mustard Bavarian cream? My taste buds were baffled but intrigued.

Our final savory dish was the Beef Short Rib, which arrived in a pho broth, garnished with radish noodles and baby bok choy leaves and served with a side of shrimp chip-like puffed tendon ($30.00). The dish captured the distinct Vietnamese flavors that served as its inspiration but added a meaty, masculine touch.

We had no idea what to expect when we ordered a dessert described only as “Mountain Yam” but were delighted to receive a dessert just as well-conceived and whimsical as our earlier courses. The almost topographical-looking dessert featured mountain yam ice cream, caramelized white chocolate and dollops of whipped cream alternately topped with coconut sheets and biscotti-like “popcorn” ($11.00). This imaginative dessert was not at all what we expected but everything we wanted.

With exquisitely executed dishes (that were perfectly paced to boot) and attentive service, ink. exceeded our high expectations for my birthday dinner. Also, our preconceived notion that we’d leave still hungry but with significantly lighter wallets was completely misguided; we left full and felt that our experience more than justified our tab. In fact, ink. might just be one of my new favorite restaurants.

ink.
www.mvink.com
8360 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(323) 651-5866

The Hart & the Hunter

Nestled inside the lobby of the Palihotel is The Hart & the Hunter, a Southern-inspired restaurant from chefs Kris Tominaga and Brian Dunsmoor. The cozy space, with kitschy decor and touches like mismatched plates, feels at once both shabby chic and hip, and the blend of comfort with vibrancy extends into the cooking.

We started with an order of butter biscuits, which were served with dollops of creamy butter, pimento cheese and blackberries ($6.00). Each condiment suited the delicate, crumbly biscuits well, but my favorite combination was a dab of butter with a blackberry.

Those who dismiss chicken skin as “too unhealthy” would be sorely missing out on these chicken cracklins ($6.00), crunchy, salty chicken skin chips with the perfect amount of fat.

While kale salads are ubiquitous in Los Angeles, the Hart & the Hunter’s version is anything but banal. Apples and dates lent a sweetness to the leafy greens that was nicely balanced by creamy and piquant shavings of sheep’s milk cheese while pecans added a crunchy textural note ($11.00).

While I love brussels sprouts ($6.00), I found their flavor in this side dish to be lost amidst the overpowering taste of bacon and sheen of oil.

One of the Hart & the Hunter’s unique offerings is their take on a raclette– a dish of Swiss origins– consisting of melted, pleasantly funky raclette cheese, butterball potatoes, and ham, served with mustard, cornichons and soft bread ($15.00). Something about tearing into the loaf of bread and topping it with the melty cheese and accoutrements felt hearty and homey.

The fried chicken livers arrived nestled under a mound of arugula, radishes, apples, onion jam and toasted hazelnuts, which nicely balanced the heavier central element ($12.00).

For our final savory dish, we ordered the shrimp and grits, in which plump, snappy shrimp swam with creamy grits, salty bacon and woodsy mushrooms to create a complex bite ($20.00).

With Instagrams of pastry chef Sarah Lange’s sweets in our heads, we made sure to save room for dessert and, arguably, some of the restaurant’s signature items.

In the lemon ice box cake, pillowy meringue (blowtorched to order) and tart lemon semi-freddo sat atop a buttery, crumbly graham cracker crust ($6.00). This sweet, chilled, mile-high slice felt simultaneously light and decadent.

Gimmicky savory elements can easily doom a dessert, but Lange’s apple dumpling is no stunt. In this dessert, apples were nestled inside a soft, golden-brown dumpling and topped with a slice of Hooks white cheddar ($6.00). A scoop of vanilla ice cream rounded out the different flavor profiles and temperatures. Despite being pretty full from dinner, I would have happily polished off one of these on my own.

The Hart & the Hunter is a delicious addition to the LA dining scene and to my personal list of favorite restaurants.

The Hart & the Hunter
www.thehartandthehunter.com
7950 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 424-3055