the magical number that brought me to providence

here's a few facts about the number 40. it's an even number. if you double 20 then you will see 40 again. if you get your speedometer up to 40 on a residential street, then a speeding ticket you will make. and lastly, if you're my dear friend eric, turning 40 will get you to....

if done right, turning 40 can be an elegant celebration indeed. one willed into reality by celebratory thoughts and a unanimous love for great food and great company. as i sat there peering at all the folks that came to celebrate our friend eric's 40th birthday, i thought, "you really picked a good one my friend. providence is infamous for its divine intervention to the tongue."

then i sat back, mesmerized by the tea light nestled in the beaded sea anemone and waited for the rebirth of my taste buds a la providence style.

the celebratory night started off with an asian pear cocktail. fruity, sweet, and smooth, i felt the spiked pear juice wiggle itself down to the core of my belly and subsequently warmed me through and through.

the bread basket that was then circulated amongst us was overfloweth with all manners of carbs. though challenging to narrow down the options, it really wasn't.

you ALWAYS pick bacon, and bacon it was. tiny flecks of porky bits dotted this rather delicious bacon roll that went straight into my mouth.

the amuse-bouches of the night included a yummy foursome; a petite rectangle of icy mojito, spherified greyhound, a cheesy gougere, and last but not least, a shot glass of cured trout with lemon jelly.

edible gold flecks dotted the cured trout for a decadent touch.

the first course of the night was the japanese kanpachi. crispy rice crackers gave each bite texture while the soy creme fraiche with pickled endives added tartness to the fish. delicious, fresh, and craveable.

the second course was bobby's block island sea scallops with buckwheat, dashi, and nappa cabbage. the perfectly cooked, sweet centered scallop was deliciously bathed in a savory dashi foam bubble bath.

the third course was the wild alaskan halibut with fresh cranberry beans, meyer lemon, red pepper, and mussels. i really enjoyed the burst of acid from the meyer lemon as the flavors interplayed with the subdued flaky fleshed fish.

the fourth course was the sous-vide veal tenderloin with tahitian squash and broccolini. the veal was wonderfully tender and melted in your mouth as one would expect from meat prepared in this manner. the crispy veggies were addictive as well.

the night could not end without a cheese plate which was an addition to our five course tasting menu. we had a compilation of muenster reserve cheese, an award winning blue cheese, black truffle cheese, artisanal goat cheese amongst many others. take that lactose intolerance! who says asian folks can't eat dairy?!

my belly was stuffed at this point...but a plate of well crafted cheeses i cannot resist....

the fifth and last course was the banana bread pudding and barley ice cream. i really enjoyed the tart coating over the banana and the bread pudding was the perfect size to indulge your sweet tooth.

the mignardises of the night included cubes of elderflower jelly, chocolate macarons, and hand crafted chocolate marshmellows. i.was.stuffed.

and that concluded our two michelin star rated gustatory experience with our three michelin star rated friend. happy slappy birthday eric! here's to many, many more!

-five course tasting menu is $65/$100 with wine pairing (october deal. follow them on twitter for updates)
-full tasting menu is $110/$165 with wine pairing
-chef's menu is $160/$245 with wine pairing

Providence
5955 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170

www.providencela.com

price: $$$$
verdict: omg, i love it!