sometimes, during the course of the work week, i feel like an ox. one that pulls heavy loads and walk through sh*t strewn about by careless folks that don't think too much about anyone else. although i make it out alive, on a daily basis, my inner ox calls for lazier times made merrier by good food, good wine, and great company. thank god for pam, marie, and remil for giving me that extra gust of wind for my sail last thursday so i could trod through the rest of my work week intact. AND, what better place to refuel the spirits than good eats at lazy ox in little tokyo.
to start off any form of merry making, one must fist a beautiful glass of wine. my choice that night was a glass of gruner veltliner from austria ($9). the wine had wonderful sweet, fruity notes to start off the night.
having read about their infamous lazy ox pig ears, i immediately scanned the menu and the chalkboard for an order...but couldn't locate them. a frantic inquiry with our server revealed a stash of pig ears in the back, the ones that the big bad wolf hadn't already consumed.
when the plate came out piled high with thick strands of crispy piggly wiggly ears, my own ears wiggled in anticipation. they were suprisingly plump, yet crispy. the tart tang from the lime juice and the pickled veggies alleviated the oiliness from the dish and made for a much tastier bite. delectable and a must order for me at the lazy ox.
when the plate came out piled high with thick strands of crispy piggly wiggly ears, my own ears wiggled in anticipation. they were suprisingly plump, yet crispy. the tart tang from the lime juice and the pickled veggies alleviated the oiliness from the dish and made for a much tastier bite. delectable and a must order for me at the lazy ox.
the beef tongue escabeche with pickled tomato ($12) was tender and tart. the liberal use of acid masked the delicate tongue flavors, but the dish was still good in its own right and was a delicious addition to our feast.
crispy rabbit livers with cucumber and salmorejo ($12). little wabbits, big livers. the thin coat of flaky batter encased perfectly cooked livers. after a bite of that, what i really wanted was a glass of beer to go along with my wabbits.
lamb belly with lebni and mint ($16) might give pork belly a run for its money. unctuous and fragrant from the mint, this piece of baaaa baaaa belly will melt in your mouth. the real question is, can you deal with another piece of belly fat? i did.
the caramelized romanesco with chile, mint, pinenuts ($9) had strong broccoli flavors and was as dense as cauliflower when masticated. the charred bits of romanesco left a smoky presence in my mouth. the whole dish felt like a beautiful summer breeze.
the creamy farro with smoked sundried tomato and bone marrow butter ($13) was a creamy spoonful enjoyed by us all. and bone marrow butter?!? i die.
the blistered shishito peppers with mojama ($7) was simple and delightful.
the night ended with two wonderful desserts. the rice pudding with caramel and whipped cream gave this carb lover another reason to run around the block before heading home. the rice pudding itself had liberal amounts of cream incorporated into it and though unnecessary, the caramel and whipped creme sides should be spooned in for every bite to add another layer of decadence.
the dense chocolate cake was deliciously bitter. a nice reminder that bitterness is not always unpalatable as it is in real life.
AND that, my friends, was my wonderful thursday evening at lazy ox. man, what a fabulous watering hole for all the hard working oxen in l.a.
Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-5299
Between your review and Weezer Monkey's, I'm officially dying to go back to Laxy Ox for more of their dishes! Two for a snack was just not enough!
ReplyDeleteAwesome post! And your pictures turned out beautiful. It was a knock-out meal, I've been wanting to go back ever since (especially for the pig ears). And bone marrow butter - that explains why I loved that farro so much!!
ReplyDeleteYour pics are spectacular!
ReplyDeleteoh man... why haven't I eaten a meal here?! marrow butter and farro! it's the only way to treat whole grains.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it. Next time you gotta go for the fried chicken!
ReplyDeletediana- two bite sized plates are definitely not enough. it's worth checking out again.
ReplyDeletemarie- the pig ears were pretty spectacular. yumz.
sharon- thank you! missed you that day. we will have to nosh soon.
cathy- i like the way you think lady!
danny- i heard about the fried chicken...hubba hubba.
oh gosh, I'd do just for the rabbit livers! never had that before.
ReplyDelete