Obika Mozzarella Bar - There You Are, Mozzarella Mojo for the Masses

While waiting for our scheduled showtime for 'The Social Network' (excellent movie, btw) at AMC Century City, my friend "Cyclist" and I decided to check out food options down the row on the same level.  She had already eaten earlier, so we didn't want to commit to a sit down place, where only one of us was going to order - and with only about a half hour to scarf down the food.  Though Century City hosts one of the most upscale and interesting shopping center food courts in LA, I remembered at the last minute that Obika Mozzarella Bar was there, and I just had to try it! 

As this branch had just opened in September, it seems mall management has not had a chance to update store directories to show where the place is located.  Luckily, a food court worker was able to point us to it - it was right on the row of shops just beyond the food court, on the same upper level of the mall. 

An Italian import, of which the original bar in Rome was responsible for inspiring Nancy Silverton to bring us the amazing Pizzeria and Osteria Mozzas, Obika has arrived to elevate the art of a cheese most Los Angelenos up until now (and prior to Osteria Mozza) had taken for granted as commonplace, with their innovative restaurant concept inspired by Japanese sushi bars.

The space is sleek and modern, with a wraparound bar where diners can watch as their food is prepared - just like the counters at sushi bars.  The decor is upscale, yet accessible - wise given the restaurant's location in a shopping center.  There is a small table placed strategically outside the entrance, inviting guests to peruse the menus, and letting them know their Mozzarella di Bufala is flown in fresh three times a week direct from Italy. 

We sidled up to the counter - the better for ogling at the array of cured meats, fresh greens and plump cherry tomatoes separated from us only by a thin sheet of glass. 

Though not a cheese connoisseur by any means, I just know what excites my own palate. For context, my favorite cheeses are Brillat Savarin, and Sottocenere, both rich in flavor.  I also think the Burrata at Osteria Mozza is divine, which I have yet to find a rival for in LA.  But I was excited about the opportunity to discover the subtle sophistication in artisan Mozzarella via Obika, whose reverence for the cheese is clearly on display. 


Stracciatella di and Burrata with
Tasting of Prosciutto Crudo San Daniele DOP
Oven Roasted Ham and Felino Salame ($18)

What champagne is to France, similarly mozzarella is to Italy - they have a designated status to protect regional / local producers of this specific mozzarella - "Denomination of Protected Origin"  (DOP).  Obika serves their Mozzarellas di Bufala Campana DOP - you can choose from three types: Classica (delicate), Affumicata (smoked), Stracciatella di and Burrata (sweet and creamy).   Having loved the burrata at Osteria Mozza, I was drawn immediately to the Stracciatella di and Burrata.

The next step is to choose your accompaniments - I chose the Tasting of Prosciutto Crudo San Daniele DOP, Oven Roasted Ham and Felino Salame ($18).  The whole thing came with slices of meat on the a plate, with the mozzarella placed in a bowl atop pieces of spinach, with some sliced cherry tomatoes and cured olives thrown in for good measure (and extra bursts of flavor).  We also got a selection of breads and breadsticks interestingly served in a mini burlap sack.

While the salame and prosciutto were deliciously salty, meaty and very enjoyable, the oven roasted ham was a little bland for my taste (though I understand its place in the trio to balance out the portfolio of flavors).  As for the cheese - while fresh tasting, it was not as smooth and creamy as I expected, and definitely not as life-changing as the burrata at Osteria Mozza (which ruined burrata for me anywhere else, no other burrata has measured up).  In this case, I think the 'student has become the teacher' - though Obika was the original inspiration for Nancy Silverton's Mozza restaurants, I find the caliber of the Mozzarella at Osteria Mozza leaps and bounds above Obika. 

The menu also includes organic salads, pasta entrees and rolls - almost all involving some form of mozzarella or other Italian cheese, of course.  They even have two desserts involving cheese - Ricotta Mousse with Honey, Orange Peel and Pine Nuts, and Tiramisu (mascarpone). 

As far as price, at least for my order, it's a bit high for what you are served - while taking into consideration that Obika's cheeses are flown in fresh, I prefer the taste of Nancy Silverton's mozzarella, handmade on the premises, and would rather hold out for the prix fixe menu at the Amaro Bar at Osteria Mozza on Sundays, where you get three fine dining courses and a wine for $35, compared to the $18 for one starter-sized sampling plate at Obika.

I do have to acknowledge the great service - we did not feel hassled at all for only ordering one plate between the two of us, and as requested the food came quickly so that we could make our movie showtime.

So as the name of the place says (Obika translates to) "there you are!".  All in all, Obika does add a refreshing jolt of creativity and originality to mall dining, and provides a lovely space for sampling of fresh mozzarella cheeses flown in directly from Italy, along with a fairly extensive wine list.  Good for those looking for a quick wine and dine in an upscale setting, but not a full blown fine dining experience, while at the mall. 

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 80%

___________________________________________________________



Obika Mozzarella Bar
Westfield Century City Shopping Center
10250 Santa Monica Boulevards
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Ph: 310 55 OBIKA (62452)
Website: obikala.com
Twitter: twitter.com/obikala
OpenTable: Look for reservations
___________________________________________________________

Sweepstakes alert! "10 Best" in Santa Monica

"10 Best" in Santa Monica Contest

To celebrate 10-10-10 (October 10, 2010), Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau is taking submissions for a creatively themed list of your "10 Best".

Grand prize: The most creative-themed list will win dinner for two at 10 different Santa Monica restaurants including Whist, Cezanne and Jiraffe!

Enter here: santamonica.com/10-best-form

End date: October 31, 2010 

Limit one (1) entry per person. See Official Rules (at bottom of entry page) for details.

Check out my Sweepstakes Page "Win Your Next Bite" - for more awesome promotions!

Cafe Pinot - dineLA Fall Restaurant Week Power Lunch!

Cafe Pinot is a proud member of the Patina Group - but you would only realize its elite status from the caliber of its menu offerings - not from the decidedly unpretentious dining space and service (in the best possible way)!  'Contemporary California' fare is served in both a breath-taking al fresco setting - a casual urban oasis offering a bloom of greenery amidst views of the downtown LA skyline - and an upscale yet cozy and intimate indoor dining room. 

For me it was love at first sight and bite - dating several years back.  You can't help but fall for the charming garden setting (as brilliant during the day as it is at night with its twinkling lights), and menu that would set any foodie into a fevered frenzy.  Top that off with amazing, friendly servers who genuinely make you feel at home whether you are dressed head-to-toe in designer garb or in literally pedestrian gear (which also happened to be half-drenched from the unseasonably heavy downpour this week) - and you have a winning combination!

The stars aligned when I was selected for jury duty downtown, on a trial that will run through dineLA's Restaurant Week(s).  Cafe Pinot immediately landed at the top of my itinerary - to be able to have a crazy indulgent 3-course lunch for $22,  mere dollars above a meal at CPK, was amazing to me.  Though initially it looked a little too far outside the radius around the courthouse to comfortably fit within the 1.5 hours allotted for lunch - my friend "IT expert" gave me a shortcut that reassured me we could make it, though we may run that limit down to the minute.

So with a sense of defiance - fueled by the irresistible dineLA prix fixe menu (available now through October 8, and 10-15) - we finally headed out to Cafe Pinot to do a power / speed lunch !

At our server's recommendation, we started off with a highly refreshing watermelon lemonade - first place I know of that served this.  It was awesome - and we ended up having two each!  For his first course, "IT expert" ordered the Confit of Local Albacore Tuna with fingerling potato, celery remoulade, and black garlic oil - which was beautifully presented and apparently tasted as great as it looked!   

With my philosophy to always maximize value, I would have gone for the seafood appetizer as well - except that it was a very cold, rainy day - so I opted instead for the Butternut Squash Soup with Vanilla Essence, chai tea spiced Chantilly cream, toasted seeds, and fried sage.

I was ready to love this soup, but it ended up being an uncomfortable mixture of textures and tastes that did not come together in a cohesive way for me.  The consistency of the soup base was a little too fibrous for my taste, and was not infused with layers of flavor as I had expected from the description.  And the toasted seeds / fried sage, perhaps meant to add some texture contrasts and bursts of flavor, ended up in my opinion being distractions - instead of fluid enjoyment of the warm smoothness of the soup, it was disrupted by the need to chew on these rather large, isolated pieces of debris - creating a sort of stop-start experience.  I was still glad to have tried it though.

The main course - Crispy Skin Wild Salmon parsnip purée, green lentils, toasted bacon, and pinot noir reduction brought me back into my full adoration of Cafe Pinot. 

The craftsmanship was clear in all aspects of this dish - with the weightiness of the fish balanced by the lightness of the crispy wisps of fried onions (at least I think they're onions?!) and the mild flavors of the salmon filet offset by the blast of saltiness in the crispy skin, and the slice of heaven - I mean - bacon sitting on top of the fish! The lentils lent some additional crunch, while the parsnip puree provided a creamy finish to the dish. The other entrees on the menu weren't even a consideration when we saw the salmon - we both went for it, so I can't tell you about the other items...
 

For dessert, I didn't realize that we also both ended up on the Butterscotch Panna Cotta gingerbread streusel, candied acorn squash, and cinnamon gelato - would have been good for us to get different dishes so we could sample each - but we were in a rush and it was too late to change by the time we realized this! 

So, I can only review the Panna Cotta dessert here - which I loved in concept.  Panna cotta is in general one of my favorite desserts based on its sheer simplicity, creamy yet light finish to the meal, and the creative variations that you can apply to both the panna cotta itself, and/or its accompaniments.  In concept, pairing an inherently 'heavy' substance - butterscotch - with the by nature 'light' panna cotta, could have been interesting, if skillfully balanced.  However, this particular execution proved to be very thick and weighted - so that in consistency and texture it no longer felt like a light custard that came away with the slightest flick of the spoon, but more like a congealed mousse you had to cut through to scoop out your spoonful.  Also, I felt the cinnamon in the gelato competed somewhat with the already rich butterscotch flavor in the panna cotta - it would have been nice to have the gelato take more of a backseat so that it complemented / supported the butterscotch for better balance.  I did love the gingerbread streusel (crumbs) and the contrasting texture and crunch that this added to the dessert!

All in all, still an amazing deal and great lunch - the Crispy Skin Wild Salmon from the regular menu, though slightly different from the dineLA offering, is marked at $22 just on its own.  One of the other entrees offered on the dineLA lunch menu, Wild Mushroom Risotto, goes for $18 on its own on the regular menu.  And dineLA lunch at Cafe Pinot is a total of $22 for three courses!  With two watermelon lemonades each, and a 20% tip, our total costs came out to about $36 each.  Awesome deal for fine dining, especially given that I had to shell out $24 the previous day for a pizza, shared spring roll appetizer, and Arnold Palmer at CPK - where my fellow jurors wanted to go just the day before, and Cafe Pinot is obviously in an entirely different league in all aspects.  Would just recommend ordering the Albacore Tuna first course, Crispy Salmon entree, and maybe giving the Chocolate Mousse Gateau a try for dessert.

And happily, I was able to make it back to court in time (ok, a few minutes late, but luckily they hadn't been ready to start yet)!

Will definitely be returning to Cafe Pinot next time I'm downtown!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks during dineLA) $$$ (3 bite marks non-dineLA)
Probability of return visit - 95%

___________________________________________________________

Cafe Pinot
700 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Ph: 213.239.6500
Website: patinagroup.com
OpenTable: Look for reservations
___________________________________________________________