Akiko I.
Yelp
- Locale Destination -
It's on Hilllhurst Ave and Russel Ave in Los Feliz. Restaurants around here all look alike but it's easy to spot.
Ambiance: casual but nice bistro like atmosphere, dim, simple, loud but ok
Service: this is the biggest issue for me. (I usually don't care about service, though I'm a restaurant consultant - so long as I get fed tasty food in a timely manner).
1) they don't take reservations?!: First come, first serve?! You need to come and put down your names and wait 30 min-2 hrs. They even said putting down the names wouldn't even guarantee me to get served. I understand they just opened and had full of customers already non stop. For the $$$ price point, I think it's problematic for both customers and the restaurant in the long run. Food is so tasty, so I want you to succeed.
2) service level is sadly quite low, especially for the $$$ price point. I did mind the rough service (one of them ran into me, hit my foot yet no apology, tried to serve me the plate right in front of my face, about $100 wine bottle wasn't opened in front of us (though we start seeing it more lately), food delivery was too slow (long wait) cuz they didn't seem to check tables enough etc.). Food quality was so high but even I expect the bottom line basic. Most people do care about service unlike me, so you should improve it. Actually one of the kitchen staff helped the floor - she was very nice.
Menu: tapas like small dishes. Fusions from British, Mexican to French dishes with their own unique takes. Quite fun. Wine menu is like that.
Price: We ordered many dishes and a bottle wine. +$150 each. Taste and cooking levels are quite high!
Parking: street
- Gluttony Expedition -
Grilled cheese: Bomb. The melting cheese got a meaty yet great flavor! Bread wasn't too soft and crispy - excellent dish!
Deep Fried pork dish: pork was seasoned very well, rich but flavorful. The lemon and the sauce cut the heaviness and enhanced the overall quality. Batter was so crispy. Surprisingly great dish!
chicharron & jicama salad: meaty chicharron and light jicama go well together. Dressing was light, unique and refreshing. Great.
Steelhead carpaccio: good flavors, but a bit too much oil for me. Compared to other dishes, this was a bit weak for me.
Chips: one of the best French fries I've ever had (from the fresh potato), though I'm so finicky on French fries. So impressive. Size was perfect, not too skinny and wide. Outside was crispy yet moist inside. That's hard to do it with fresh potato. That's why i generally prefer frozen potatoes to fresh ones. Flavors and texture were unreal. It really showed how high the kitchen level was. You must try it.
Fried fish: don't be fooled by typical impression of fish & chips. Fish was meaty, cooked and seasoned perfectly. Batter was so light and crispy but not greasy. I'm not a fan of peppermints, but the fresh mints enhanced the sauce. Simple yet so sophisticated dish. Bravo!
Duck: I'm a big fan of duck, so quite tough on this. Duck was cooked well and tender, but I prefer slightly more pink. It was so rich as if I ate with foie gras. Some people might think it was too gamey. It looked French style, yet the sauce was a lot lighter with a touch of vinegar than the one at French bistro. Their own twist to surprise us. For duck, I slightly prefer at Pasjoli in Santa Monica. I'd try other dishes next time.
Taffy dessert: texture was quite unique, crumpled but moist at the same time. Flavor was nice but a bit too sweet for me.
Espresso: this was too acidic for me. I've tested hundreds of coffee shops, so do understand coffee. Espresso you get in Italy and France were more solid and smooth than this. They use expensive Italian coffee machine, but you should avoid it.
- Conqueror's Deduction -
I go to restaurants for tasty food, not for service, not for ambience. Service needs improvement, but the food was very creative, unique, fun and solid. The cooking level was very high. You can get this level in San Francisco, but not so much in LA easily.
Quite impressive food quality - food only is 4.5 stars! I just don't want to wait that long for food. Definitely I'll go back for the great food!