Dishes We Tried at Here’s Looking At You
Paseo De La Fama
Photo courtesy of Lauren Lamothe
Yes, Here’s Looking At You also gets its hype from their intricate, diverse, and eclectic cocktail menu. The bartenders work tirelessly to research, create, and prepare these exclusive drinks. We are certainly here for the spicy, more smoky cocktails and this one hits it out of the park. With Anaheim & Serrano-Infused Pura Sangre Fuerte Tequila, Rhum JM Sirop de Canne, Cranberry Purée, Pineapple, Lime, Salt, and Black Pepper, this cocktail comes out to be a beautiful purple color topped with a cute row of cranberries. A delicate balance between sweet and smoky is the exact way we wanted to kick off the meal.
Ahi Tuna Terrine, Karashi Mustard, Sesame, Baguette
Photo courtesy of Lauren Lamothe
Now, hear us out. We don’t normally see a terrine created with fish. But now all we want to eat is tuna terrine. Recommended by Lena, one of HLAY’s fabulous bartenders, this dish was well-rounded and all elements blended well together. The tuna was extremely fresh and the addition of seaweed to the terrine added the perfect amount of herbal and vegetal flavor. The karashi mustard brought the perfect amount of acidity to the sweet butter pickles on the side and the warm, fresh baguette leveled out all of the intense flavors.
Tomato, Bagna Cauda, Lap Xuong, Creme Fraiche
Photo courtesy of Lauren Lamothe
We had to try this as it is Lien’s favorite dish on the menu. Really, she said she could eat it anytime, anyday. Diced momotaro tomatoes in a bed of creamy creme fraiche. For those of you who don’t know what bagna cauda vinaigrette is, it is fried and smashed garlic combined with anchovies, often seen in italian dishes with veal. As for the lap xuong, or chinese sausage, these crumbles will now be on everything and anything we eat. They added an essential, meaty crunch to a fresh vegetable that resembled the flavor profile of your favorite BLT. This ethnic dish really surprised us and we will never want tomatoes made any other way.
Frog’s Legs, Salsa Negra, Scallion, Lime, S&P
Photo courtesy of Lauren Lamothe
First we hit you with the Ahi Tuna Terrine, now we are throwing frog’s legs at you. Sorry, we really aren’t sorry at all. This was our first time having frog’s legs and we were astonished at how delicious they were. Usually, when we have chicken wings we feel like we are in a constant battle getting all the meat off of the bone but with the frog’s legs, the meat was cooked so sensationally that it fell right off the bone. Tossed in Jonathan’s special salsa negra made with six different types of chiles, this dish hits on the spice level-but just the right amount. We didn’t feel like we were anxiously reaching for our waters, instead we felt a nice kick that was evened out by the side dip of salt, pepper, and lime juice. So simple, but so effective in elevating all of the intense flavors on the plate.
Frozen Pear Soda Espuma, Fermented Honey, Avocado Leaf, Sorrel
Photo courtesy of Lauren Lamothe
You know how people usually have a normal dinner stomach and then a dessert stomach? We are those people. But, we didn’t even need our dessert stomach this time because this dessert was beyond refreshing. Light, a bit herbal, and vibrant is how we would describe this dish. It was nice to expand out of our comfort zone of ordering a dense, chocolatey, and indulgent dessert. Insider tip for this one: really make sure that you dip your spoon through all the fluffy layers because the fermented honey and sorrel at the bottom of the dish tie all the elements of the dish together.
It doesn’t end with Here’s Looking At You. Lien and Jonathan knew that they still had more to say in terms of story and flavor, which inspired the opening of All Day Baby, their sister restaurant in Silver Lake. We will be stopping in soon to be even more impressed by the outstanding hospitality and delectable dishes from Lien and Jonathan.