The Other Critics

Gold Paints A Majestic Vision of Red Medicine; Virbila Gives A-Frame One and a Half Stars

Photo: Tatiana Arbogast

Jonathan Gold paints a resplendent portrait of Red Medicine, starting with a dish of early season roots and legumes “as easily comprehended by its beauty, or by its surprisingly sharp scent, as by its taste.” He deems Jordan Kahn’s impressionist vision as “less an interpretation of the cuisine than an artist finding new paints to work with, new brushes to use.” The chef’s cooking “is probably the most modern in Los Angeles at the moment. And if you pick your way through the menu, and ignore what the dishes happen to be called, you will find that most of them are stunning.” He doesn’t like everything of course, but declares, “there is too much to love here, and too many reasons to return.” [L.A. Weekly]

S. Irene Virbila visits David Reiss and Roy Choi’s A-Frame, which from the get-go seems to not really be her kind of place. The communal tables don’t bother her though, she digs the service, and even appreciates the “rambunctious” noise. She loves the ribs, the furikake kettle corn, the chicken, the Thai chowder, and crab cakes, but diverts from our own tastes when she disses the tempura’s batter and peel ‘n eat shrimp. She then complains that Choi is going down a dangerous road marked by an “exaggerated flavor profile.” Whatever. She gives it one and a half stars, but don’t let that deter you from feasting here yourself with a gang of friends. BTW, did she even make it to the beer list? [L.A. Times]

Can you imagine being Jonathan Gold’s son and getting to eat things like a burrito ahogado instead of PB&J; with the crusts cut off? That’d be pretty cool. Anyway, Gold takes his tyke to Mas Malo and they seem to have fun, where the chips might be kind of expensive, but are really good. He’s perplexed by a vegan menudo, naturally, but is stoked to see Silver Lake represented Downtown, perhaps instead of a Bayless-less restaurant or another Sandoval project and the pickle and beef tacos could always use another home. [L.A. Weekly]

Need a great tasting menu to splurge on for your 50th b-day without the stuffiness one might expect? Mr. Gold might do an entire herd of “rare-breed swine roasted in a backyard” himself, but suggests you go to Providence, where Michael Cimarusti’s menus “shift more often than the tides, but small, exquisite courses of fish and crustaceans are presented with an artist’s exactitude.” [L.A. Weekly]

Los Angeles magazine visit Obika and writes, “While the shopping mall setting doesn’t exude Milan, the sophisticated Italian design and drink menu—featuring Italian beers, wines, and Negronis—certainly help.” But of course, “It’s all about the cheese here.” [Los Angeles]

Gold Paints A Majestic Vision of Red Medicine; Virbila Gives A-Frame One and a