5955 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
http://www.providencela.com/
In order to get access to the most yummiest food, it helps to be informed. That's why we set up a separate e-mail account to subscribe to all our favorite restaurant newletters. It costs nothing and you get a lot of "inside" information on special dinners and restaurant offerings. That's how we found out about Providence's "Feast of Seven Fishes" - Chef Ciramusti's traditional dinner inspired by the cooking of his grandmother, Josephine Strazza and great grandmother, Domenica Cimarusti.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
http://www.providencela.com/
In order to get access to the most yummiest food, it helps to be informed. That's why we set up a separate e-mail account to subscribe to all our favorite restaurant newletters. It costs nothing and you get a lot of "inside" information on special dinners and restaurant offerings. That's how we found out about Providence's "Feast of Seven Fishes" - Chef Ciramusti's traditional dinner inspired by the cooking of his grandmother, Josephine Strazza and great grandmother, Domenica Cimarusti.
amuse bouche: white fish spread - A classier version of the generic spinach/artichoke appetizer. There were hints of truffles throughout and the olive oil had a subtle earthiness. The fish played a supporting role in this dish as it was the flavorful cheese that was featured. Served with slices of crusty bread and gourges. The crunchy bread and melty cheese were great together. The cheese puffs were delicious as well. Although much more sophisticated, the flavor of the puffs were very similar to those of Pepperidge Farm's Goldfishes.
1. Insalata di calamaretti - Accompanied by fennel, beans and some of the best tomatoes we've ever had. We commented on how good they were to our server who informed us that they were grown by Harry's Berries. I believe they were slightly roasted which brought out the fantastic sweetness with just that slight hint of tomato acidity. We'll definitely be keeping an eye out for them next time we're at the Farmer's Market. Otherwise, the dish was fairly mediocre. The squid was nicely prepared, not too soft and not too chewy, but relatively flavorless on it's own.
2. capesante al tartufo nero - sea scallops and black truffles - We always hear that searing the perfect scallop is a difficult task, but Chef Ciramusti pulls it off with aplomb. This, larger than normal, mollusk was seared perfectly, with the slightly crispy skin and soft warm interior. The scallop was very sweet and the slight bit of truffle added an extra layer of delicious aroma.
3. san pietro alla giglia - John Dory, limone, oilivo, salvia, carciofi, a slightly tougher white fish than the soft flaky stuff we're used to with sea bass, but incredibly tasty none-the-less. This preparation had a slight crust which brought a lot of flavor. The deep fried sage leaf on top was an interesting touch, tasting almost of dried nori. Danmy wasn't as much of a fan prefering more of the softer, flakier stuff.
4. spaghetti alla chittara - After having the $24 spaghetti at Scarpetta, we had a pretty good idea of what well-executed pasta was suppose to taste like. This version stood shoulder-to-shouler with some of the best. The spaghetti was a fantastic al-dente. The sherry lobster sauce tasted fresh with the hint of natural sweetness from the lobster meat. As we finished the dish, we'd actually wished for more pasta to go along with the leftover sauce and lobster bits.
5. striped bass livornese - Another one of those firmer white fishes. Although the flavor profile was much different from the John Dory we had earlier. Served with crushed potatoes underneath and a wine/tomato sauce, this was not as good as the earlier white fish. We've come to realize that we're not huge fans of tomato-based sauces when paired with fish. Not a bad dish, just not something that we can't appreciate.
6. dark chocolate, hazelnut ice cream, espresso - If you're a fan of chocolate, this is right up your alley. But for us, it was almost too much chocolate. Your taste buds were overwhelmed with the heavy chocolate ganache. The hazelnut ice cream did little to cut into the chocolate flavor. We both left over half of this dessert on the plate.
7. struffoli - Bleh, yuck, yuck. A traditional dessert served in Naples during Christmas, but we were not a fan. Fried dough covered in honey and sprinkles. It was served slightly chilled and had a gummy/chewy consistency. We have not been fans of sprinkles on our desserts since we were five. So overall, not a great way to finish dinner, which may have been for the better as we were pretty full by the time this came out.
Overall, we are still very impressed with Chef Ciramusti's ability to serve fantastic seafood. The highlights being the Harry's Berries tomatoes, wonderfully prepared scallops and fantastic spaghetti pasta. Providence has become one of the few "nicer" places in LA that we're always willing to return. It was a great way to spend Christmas Eve.
Pro tip: If you're heading to Providence via Melrose off the 101, try to stick to the center lane, as after the heavy rains we just had, NUMEROUS pot holes have appeared along the sidewalk gutter.
Happy holidays everyone!!!