Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-6566
www.thejar.com
Who knew watching a TV show could cost so much money? Well, D signed up for Blackboard Eats so we had a 30% coupon for this Top Chef Masters contestant's establishment. It has been on our list since the show last year and now with the discount, it moved to the top of the list. Chef Tracht actually popped out of the kitchen before our meal and came by to say hello. We were a bit shocked, which left little time to snap a quick photo. Our short, 5 second, conversation with her could not have been any more awkward.
1. crab devilled eggs -
Crab = yummy.
Egg = yummy.
Crab + egg = yummy * 2.
I was always good at math.
2. special - grilled calamari salad, lime vinaigrette - Very tender. Heavy citrus undertones. Pretty good.
3. half dozen oysters on the half shell, black pepper ponzu - The oysters were overpowered by everything else piled on them. Tasty, but not what you really want when you order oysters.
4. japanese purple yam, creme fraiche, chives - We were very excited about this dish. We big fans of sweet potato fries and figured this would have the same flavor profiles. Turned out to be a pretty big letdown. Very mildly flavored and the texture was a bit too firm. Probably would have been better served were it mashed.
5. mashed potatoes - Compliments of the house. And thanks goodness. These were some fantastic mashed potatoes. I could eat a whole bowl of this myself. Light and fluffy. Very yummy.
6. french fries, garlic, parsley - Also a winner. Not sure what they did to these fries, but they were super crispy and light. The waitress also gave us a lobster bernaise for dipping. Although it was good, the sauce was unnecessary. These fries stood on their own. Simply delicious.
7. jar signature pot roast - Jar's signature dish. However, it didn't knock me off my feet like the fries or the mashed potatoes. It was good, but not great.
8. char sui pork chop - We're suckers for asian-influenced food. Probably why we're such big fans of "New American" cuisine. The pork was very tender and the char sui provided a wonderful flavor combination. Worth ordering again.
The service was a bit of a letdown. The waitress rarely came by to check on us. We starred at our finished plates for much too long. It took even longer to get the dessert menus and even longer than that for her to return to ask if we were going to have anything off that menu. Although initially prepared to order dessert, by the time she returned, we decided against ordering the sweets.
This place is a protein lovers paradise, with large portions of all types of meat. The service leaves a lot to be desired. It would be worth a return trip for the mashed potatoes, french fries, char sui pork and to see what the dessert menu has to offer.