Baroo: Pure Imagination in World of Chef Kwang Uh's Creation

The feeling you get when you first pull into the non-descript strip mall where Baroo holds ground, and when you first step into the quaint yet pleasantly unsettling nook, is a version of what I would imagine the kids who won Golden Tickets felt when they first set foot in Wonka's factory.

Except that Baroo is tiny, where Wonka's factory was gargantuan, and Baroo is obsessive with natural ingredients, fermentation and locavorism, as Wonka was about sugar spun confections produced en masse...but it's that core feeling of wonder, and being unsettled in a simultaneously fantastic and unnerving way.  Because you are greeted by things you may not ever have even thought to think of.

When you first step into the 'free-style experimental kitchen', you see a big wooden communal table, barstools by the counter, and a back wall with shelves packed with every-color science-lab-like jars of things quietly fermenting.

You don't see any staff for a while (because the hardworking staff of two are busy in the kitchen whipping up dishes for hungry diners), so you take the time to peruse the jars.  (Yes, most of what Baroo will feed you has to do with mold and foods in various stages of breaking down.  And you'll love it.)

You wander to the fridge, packed with housemade kombucha in flavors from elderflower to rose & passionfruit to yuzu to lemon verbena.  (And tepache (fermented pineapple juice))  Healthy and tasty - though a menu of fermented foods, those not into that intense fermented taste of kombucha may not want to double up.

You read up on the chef, who after spending time in the kitchens of Daniel in NYC, Nobu Bahamas, Noma, Quique Dacosta and Piazza Duomo, and in the halls of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in northern Italy, earning a masters degree in Food Culture and Communication: Food, Place and Identity, that he has decided to pour his passion into Baroo, a place where he can combine natural ingredients and fermentation and let his creativity flow.

But you would never know about his fine dining background, on meeting the owner/chef, as he seems to embody the humble philosophy behind the name of his restaurant: Baroo means "a bowl that Buddhist monks are allowed to possess and use for their meals until their last breath," which also seems to symbolize the minimalist approach to life in order to focus on what's really important: respect, trust in and love to nature and people.  This he channels through food, using local, sustainable and organic ingredients.  He is not a big talker either, but lets his creative dishes speak for themselves.

My favorite seat is at the counter, where you can glance over the collection of cookbooks, dry ingredients, and peek into the kitchen.  Homey, like being invited over to a friend's house for dinner, and checking out their life as a collection of knick knacks on their shelves, while waiting for the party to commence.

And when the food arrives, it's understated but very simply spectacular.  Some dishes are composed of ingredients you'd never heard of, which you excitedly Google.  Some are twists on more familiar favorites.

Though Chef Uh loves all his dishes, when pressed, one standout he and partner Matthew Kim would recommend is Noorook (Koji) ($12) Job's tears, kamut & farro, roasted koji beet creme, concentrated kombu dashi, toasted seeds (sunflower & pumpkin), macadamia nuts, finger lime, and rose onion pickle.  Every grain makes its presence known here, perfectly cooked and clean, distinct, made cohesive with the beet creme and dusted with super finely grated cheese (?).  It has risotto qualities, but is at the same time unlike anything you'd ever tasted, especially with the umami and subtle tartness of koji (edible mold) kombu dashi, crunch of seeds, nuts and exquisite tiny bursts of brightness via finger limes cutting through the grains which are rich yet light at the same time. Confounding in the best way.  The only thing I knew was that a few forkfuls in, I was hooked, and had already decided this was my favorite and I needed to come back for more.

 Gim (Seaweed) ($12) has a similar mix of grains but with different 'toppings' / 'mix-ins': Job's tears, kamut & farro grains with amaju, assorted seaweed compte with shiitake, tofu, spirulina, nasturtium, nori chip, mixed berries, wasabi daikon, lime onion jalapeno, pickle.  I didn't think that berries would go with warm grains (the only time I'd encountered the two together would be in some kind of cold salad) - but the earthiness of the mushrooms, grains and tofu were well balanced by the vibrant juicy sweet/tart of the berries, punctuated by the slight heat of wasabi, jalapeno, and acidity of pickle and lime, and the crisp crunch of the nori chip.

Then there were new takes on dishes familiar to LA food lovers: my favorite is the Kimchi Fried Rice ($9) pineapple fermented kimchi, amira basmati rice, 63 degree sous vide egg, gremolata, pineapple jalapeno salsa, purple potato chips, roasted seaweed, toasted buckwheat & quinoa, and micro greens (option to add slab bacon for $2)

Changing up the rice to basmati apparently makes a huge difference! Again, many ingredients and tastes you wouldn't think to combine, come together to blow your mind.  This one, like Chef Uh's other dishes, also pay amazingly detailed attention to balance of levity and density, juicy, crunchy, crisp, sweet, sour, spicy, savory all in harmony - and again every grain of rice is clean and distinct.  Chef Uh's Kimchi Fried Rice is the new crack.

Then there is Baroo's Ragu Style ($15) spicy oxtail faux ragu, tendon puff, gochujang gremolata with cherry tomatoes, krout powder, three years aged parmigiano reggiano with handmade pasta.  With mostly recognizable ingredients, this dish may seem the least exciting of Chef Uh's limited menu, but you'd be remiss to skip it - it may be one of the most flavorful, and again shockingly rich AND light at the same time of any pasta dish you've had.


And then will also make you realize that most of the other dishes don't have any meat in them: and you never even missed it, because the flavors and textures are so amazing.  And when you get up from a meal at Baroo, you are fully satiated, but not lethargic like you might be at a gluttonous meal at many other restaurants in town.  I love that the taste is amazing first, and that the 'health' aspect makes it even better (and there is no 'sacrifice' or forced abstinence of any sort).

Baroo's dessert menu consists of baked goods and one fancier option.  Don't overlook the goodies under the glass dome on the side counter - they are incredible, like the savories.

The Classic Shortbread ($2) 84% butter cacao nibs and citrus bursts is probably the best, most clean crumbly piece of shortbread I've had in recent memory.

The Caramel Pearl Chocolate & Oat Cookie ($2) 70% Valrhona chocolate, nocciola is delicious and fun to eat with the chocolate and white 'pearls' sprinkled throughout.

The fanciest dessert on the menu is the Passion Fruit Tart ($7) vanilla bean tart, macha yuzu chiffon, passion fruit curd, elderflower meringue.  Elegant and decadent.  Definitely do not leave without trying this tart.

Jonathan Gold referred to Baroo's cooking as "a taste of the future".  Along those lines, I think that when looking ahead, and considering mass nutrition needs of the species, and moving to vegetable/grain-based diets, some people choose to reduce the things that inhibit efficient energy use and food production, and in doing so remove the human element (Soylent for example seriously makes me think of the slop they funnel through feeding tubes to human incubators/battery farms in The Matrix).  Others, like Chef Uh, choose to celebrate the beauty of nature and pushes in all their efforts with their vision to sustain it.  For the sake of humanity, I hope that Chef Uh's way is the winner.  Please 'vote' for that future by supporting his restaurant :)  Thank you!

On a 7 point scale:

Flavor - 7 bites  
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 7 bites
Ambience -  5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

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Baroo
5706 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038
Ph: 323.819.4344

Website: baroola.strikingly.com  
Parking: free, in attached strip mall open air parking


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LA Weekly Sips & Sweets: December 12th at The REEF!

LA Weekly is presenting their second annual Sips & Sweets event, this time at The REEF in Downtown LA.

If you missed last year's inaugural event, my public service announcement to you would be to prep like you were about to run a sugar marathon, while hydrating with endless holiday spirits.

From the moment you enter the historic and appropriate named the Majestic / the Reserve, it's a wonderland of desserts and cocktails as far as meets the eye, from some of the best pastry chefs and mixologists in the city.  From adorable cream puff snowmen by Heirloom LA (buttercream stuffed profiteroles, almond financier, meringue & 'ice glaze')...

...to treats with a festive sheen (hazelnut and coffee torte by Patina) and peppermint ice cream pie by Roxana Jullapat of Cook's County, to classics from masters like sticky toffee pudding by Shannon Swindle of Craft LA and tiramisu from Osteria Mozza...

...to Patina's helpers with dramatic pours of liquid nitrogen into peppermint meringue bites (so much fun to eat: breath smoke out your nose and mouth!) and macaron trees...

...to spreads of inventive savory-sweet pastries from Proof Bakery (like Walnut Sweet Potato Mezze Lunas with cinnamon sugar and Zimsternes almond cinnamon cookies) and Sugarbird Sweets and Teas (every flavor scones from pumpkin almond to green tea), it's an AYCE sensory feast that will satiate the most shameless glutton.

Part of the fun last year was exploring the different spaces - my favorite was the Reserve's entrance to the lounge, converted from a former bank vault.

Inside the vault is where a lot of the best craft cocktails are to be found, including concoctions from Raymond 1886 (Southern Sling) and Corazon y Miel, Cana Rum Bar and Pour Vous.  The best part of the event is that the mixologists were personally serving up the drinks for you, and you get to meet and chat with them about their creations (as much as the patience of the line behind you will allow).

My favorite sip of the show though, had to be this one by The Corner Door, called French Exchange Student with cognac, earl grey tea, lavendar tincture, orgeat and lemon juice plus a giant orchid on it (because every drink tastes better with a tropical flower on top).

Pours and portions of edibles are all more than generous, so by the time I dragged myself out of the event I was well into a sugar coma.  If I would have one suggestion it would be to break it up a bit with a few savories, but then again...the event wouldn't really be Sips and SWEETS. 

This year, the event is curated by Roxana Jullapat and LA Weekly's food critic Besha Rodell.  I'm excited to check out sweets from Shannon Swindle, the brilliant chef behind the fantastic pastries at Craft LA, Mariah Swan of bld Restaurant and ICDC, Luis Ayala of Broken Spanish, and from those whose restaurants I have not been to yet, like Superba Food + Bread, Hatchet Hall and Ledlow.  Some of my favorite ice cream purveyors will also be there including Choctal and McConnell’s.

Also looking forward to craft cocktails by Mikki Kristola of The Varnish, Mike Lay of Broken Spanish and B.S. Taqueria, Chris Whelan of Sassafras Saloon, Ryan Wainwright of Terrine, Ben Scott of Alexander’s Steakhouse, Christiaan Rollich of the Lucques Group, Jesus Gomez of 1886 Bar, and sampling from places I have not been to yet like EP + LP and Sonny's Hideaway.

Plus, today only through Saturday at 10pm, general admission tickets are on FLASH SALE for HALF OFF!  See deal alert below for details.

Wishing you a sweet and buzzy start to your holiday!

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LA Weekly Sips & Sweets

When: Saturday, December 12, 2015 8pm – 11pm (VIP Hour 7pm – 8pm)

Where: Magic Box @ The REEF 1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 9000

How much: $45 GA (but get half off with flash sale today - see deal info below) $60 VIP

Website: laweekly.com/sips-and-sweets

[Deal Alert: Flash Sale 50% off General Admission tix only from 7am today Friday Dec 4th through Saturday Dec 5th 10pm! You can thank #NationalCookieDay. Buy tickets here: http://ticketf.ly/1MLJ5M9]

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EMC Seafood and Cambodian Hot Sauces - Sea Change Coming to Suburbia?

The tide of rising-quality-food-venues has been moving north in LA, as seen most particularly in Top Chefs / chefs from Michelin-starred kitchens setting up in Studio City and Sherman Oaks in recent years.

So I was excited to see the upgrading of dining in shopping complexes, like at Westfield Century City and The Americana at Brand, to offer affordable good food was hitting the SFV as well, namely at one of my new favorite shop/dine/play spots - The Village at Westfield Topanga with EMC Seafood.

EMC Seafood's first location is a highly successful and popular one in Koreatown.  That location is attached to the City Center Mall - a shop/dine/play complex with good foot traffic due to a giant Korean supermarket, cute beauty and novelty shops, and a top floor of entertainment / fitness from a karaoke bar/club to a korean spa that also features a gym.

Smart play to replicate the new-school-mall-based strategy in Woodland Hills, a sprawling suburb in need of better quality dining venues - especially seafood with a dash of excitement - a psuedo-blue ocean strategy localized edition, if you will (irony intended).

I LOVE the set up and vibe, actually much more chill than the one in Ktown.  There is a mostly al fresco seating plan (with a few tables under a 3-walled, glass roofed area), including a lovely raw bar where you can slurp down oysters, clams and take down fresh shellfish while enjoying a glass of local wine under the gorgeous SoCal sunshine pretty much year round.  On a November day, after putting in my pre-meal burn time at YogaWorks (newly opened on the 2nd floor) - I had a beautiful Sea Urchin in one of the most simply artful presentations of the creature I've seen in the city.

(And yes, I also may have a #foodporn bias for this location thanks to the gorgeous natural lighting that makes even iPhone photos look much better)

Then I double-downed with the decadent Uni Pasta ($21) with Cream, Fish Roe, Chives, Dried Seaweed.  I was in Sea Urchin umami / carb heaven between the two dishes.

It may not be destination dining for those who already live ocean-side - but it's another fantastic option for those who don't.

Hoping that the local community will support and sustain it - so far since its opening in September, looks like there has been a solid turnout.

And, foodie-night-owls-in-the-SFV take note: this location of EMC Seafood is also open for late night dining (til 2am, daily)!  Now there is an actual tasty option beyond corporate chains, and an alternative to 24 hour diners!

So, although foot traffic to OG malls have been declining, I'm a big fan of the NEW complexes that make it convenient for you to spend the day doing the key things you need to get done without needing to fight LA traffic.

For me, that's usually: work out, eat, food / juice shop, and the occasional bit of clothing / accessories / beauty shopping.

You can do all this at The Village: YogaWorks is there as I mentioned, 24 Hour Fitness too if you're into that, and FlyWheel is coming soon; Burke Williams spa if you feel like splurging; EMC is there now, GoGreek yogurt, and there are other restaurant options I have yet to try; quite a few small chain / boutique shops (big chain stores if needed are just across the street like Nordstrom), Pressed Juicery, and then Costco for your grocery / home needs.

BUT ON TOP OF ALL THAT:  they also host a Farmers Market every Sunday from 9am-1pm!

It spans about 2 blocks in the parking lot by Pressed Juicery, and beyond local produce vendors, they also have a fresh fish stall, artisanal Breadbar, and the fantastic Vagabond Cheese stall who is very generous with samples and with sharing knowledge about cheeses and meats (Lactaid is even offered in consideration of those who neeed it)!  They carry some great gourmet selections of both, including moliterno truffle cheese, iberico bellota underloin, and white truffle salami made with berkshire pork.

The one stall I was very surprised (and delighted) to find was Yeak Inc. Cambodian hot sauces ($8/ bottle) - definitely not something I would have expected in a mall farmers market in this part of town!

The local, handmade, small batch sauces on offer include: 

Krahom (red) made with Tien Tsin Chilies & Charred Garlic, Baithong (green) made with roasted seasonal green chilies and garlic charred and blended with palm sugar, vinegar and touch of fish sauce, and Kmao (black) made with dried Bird's Eye chile and Tien Tsin chilies wok-fried with garlic, that will set your mouth on fire, and still make you come back for more with its complex and nuanced flavors.  Each is recommended to go with anything from eggs, breakfast burritos, fried rice, grilled steak, roasted chicken to crawfish tails to oysters to dim sum and potato chips.

In addition to the hot sauces, Yeak also offers seasonal pickled chiles called Chruk, which I will need to try next time.

The two-person team behind these tasty sauces are passionate about sharing culture through food, and that's the beauty of the farmers market setting, that you get to chat with them about their heartfelt project! (If you don't live in the area or can't make it over there, some of their products are available for sale online)

I anticipate that we'll be seeing a lot more of and about these sauces in the food world - will be rooting you guys on, Melinda and Allen!

On the way back, along the row of shops next to the Farmers Market, I noticed a charming shop called Bitter Root Pottery, which was advertising classes for just $35 a person.

Exciting for another fun activity to do at The Village.  Sadly, though, I noticed on closer inspection that the classes are only on weekdays.  Hoping that they will offer weekend options soon for those of us who are not independently wealthy, self-employed or HousewivesTM, but actually holding down full-time jobs during the week.



All in all though, a big fan of the changes afoot on this side of the city, and hoping the shop/dine/play concept with local small businesses mixed in will catch and spread within the SFV.  But this is a solid start - sometimes, it just takes The Village.

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EMC Seafood & Raw Bar
6252 Topanga Canyon Blvd. #1695 (Inside The Village at Westfield Topanga)
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Ph: 818.704.1899
(Other location: 3500 W. 6th St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90020. Ph: 213 351 9988)

Website: emcseafood.com  
Parking: in mall parking structure

Farmers Market at The Village at Westfield Topanga
Sundays 9am-1pm 

Yeak, Inc.

Website: yeakinc.com

Vagabond Cheese
Website: vagabondcheese.com

********** 

Not food, still delicious:
YogaWorks
6256 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91367  
Ph: 818.337.3571
New users get a free week here.

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