Meteora (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

Meteora Restaurant
6703 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
323-402-4311
www.meteora.la
Wed 07/03/2024, 08:00p-11:30p





I last reported on Jordan Kahn's Meteora back in July 2022, not long after the place opened. I was quite fond of that last meal at the difficult-to-classify, modern-primitive, predictably-polarizing Hollywood eatery, and figured that it was time for a revisit, especially since I'd read that the team had changed things up quite a bit.


As you enter Meteora, you're greeted by the restaurant's bar/lounge area. The decor is some of the most unique you'll find in LA, and is designed to resemble a structure that's been taken over by the jungle. The space was penned by Roth Architecture, based in Francisco Uh May, Mexico, not far from Tulum, so you can certainly see that inspiration.


When Meteora first opened, it was a purely à la carte affair, but by November 2022, an $85 tasting menu had already been implemented, and was formalized the following May at $95 for five courses, with ALC disappearing completely sometime last fall I believe. Tonight's tasting menu was still priced at $95, with optional juice and wine pairings tacking on an additional $45 and $65, respectively. You also get a choice of five supplemental dishes that you can add on to your meal, if desired. Meanwhile, the restaurant began offering a 12-course "omakase" option at $195 a head back in June 2023, while an à la carte lounge experience commenced in September. Brunch was also initiated in February last year, but is apparently no longer offered. Click for larger versions.


Here we see the cocktail list (now divided into Native, Timeless, and non-alcoholic sections), which has got to be one of the more unusual in the Southland, especially since it ostensibly restricts the use of sugar and other refined ingredients. Apparently, it's the creation of Dave Purcell, an alum of Winston House/The Waterfront Venice, NoMad, Melrose Umbrella Co, Dirty Laundry, and Playa. Click for larger versions.



Meteora's wine list has been greatly expanded since my last visit, and is uniquely arranged based on geographical features. Click for larger versions.


Tonight's experience commenced with a small serving of housemade pineapple-lime-elderflower kombucha. I found the tea generally light and tangy, and interestingly enough, it actually reminded me of the popsicles of my childhood, I'm assuming due to the sourness of the lime/pineapple interaction.


QUEEN KALUGA CAVIAR [$38.00] | biodynamic dwarf avocado, avocado leaf oil
Up first was a coal-fired avocado, one that demonstrated this remarkably savory, "eggy" (think hard-boiled egg yolks), yet refreshing quality that surprised me. The fruit paired perfectly with the salinity of the caviar, while the avocado oil help bind the two components together. There was an impressive depth and concentration for a relatively straightforward dish. A super smart, somewhat mysterious start, and a real statement of intent.


1: PACIFIC KINGFISH | grilled pineapple, horseradish cream, longaniza oil, toasted seeds, asin tibuok
The kingfish also impressed, and was likely the best preparation of the ingredient that I've encountered. The clean shards of fish coalesced beautifully with the smoky-sour-sweetness of the pineapple as well as the nutty, toasty character of the seeds. However, what really elevated the dish for me was that longganisa oil, with its wonderfully savory spicing, while I also felt that the Filipino salt really seemed to intensify the flavors at play.


CLOUD FOREST MARGARITA [$24.00] | grilled papaya juice, aged tequila, clairin le rocher, allspice, sea buckthorn, lime
We ended up working our way through the entire cocktail list, and up first was what must surely be the most beguiling margarita I've ever tasted, with its mélange of smoky, savory, spicy nuances moderated by omnipresent fruit and the long-lasting kick of agave.


2: HEIRLOOM GRAPE TOMATOES | bathed in an oil of warm spices, smoked almond, job's tears, embered cherries
This was another showstopper, and one of the strongest tomato dishes I've eaten. The crux here was really the interplay between the tartness of the tomatoes and the warm, spicy depth of their marinade (cinnamon?), which was unexpected, but oh-so effective. Also key was the counterpoint offered up by that airy almond milk tofu, while grilled Job's tears provided a nutty astringency and plenty of texture. Overall, the various elements appeared to draw out the inherent sweetness of the tomatoes, and curiously, the smokiness of the dish seemed to grow as it sat.


FLAME-SEARED OYSTERS (3PC) [$16.00] | flaming beef fat, smoked tomato compote, allspice
Virginia oysters were cleverly "cooked" by the flaming, flambadou-furnished fat of dry-aged beef, which altered the consistency of the bivalves while also overlaying this wonderfully smoky, meaty savor on top of their natural brine. And if that wasn't enough, you also had additional complexity provided by the tomato jam, allspice, and Cuban oregano. This has to be one of my top cooked oyster dishes.


ASTERA [$22.00] | gin, feijoa, sea buckthorn, lillet blanc, pisco, lime
This cocktail was quite fetching as well, with its bevy of citrusy, nutty, floral notes supported by something lurking in the background that I just couldn't quite put my finger on.


GRASS-FED WAGYU BEEF TARTARE [$18.00] | emulsion of smoked bone marrow, pickled shimeji mushrooms, vinaigrette of toasted seeds and dried chiles, chinese cinnamon bark
Here we had what must certainly be one of the City's more ambitious beef tartares. The meat itself was perfectly textured, and I liked how the mushrooms lightened the mood, while the bone marrow helped bind everything together. However, what really made this work was that vinaigrette, which had this delightfully multifaceted heat and depth. Also interesting were the cinnamon bark "spoons," which imparted this sweetly spiced sensation every time I went in for a scoop.


3: BURNT WHEAT PASTA | braised pistachios, green cachucha pepper, crispy collard greens, broth of smoked pea shells
Pasta was served in a way unlike any other I've witnessed. I loved how the fresh, bright, crunchy qualities of the peas were set against the smoky, slippery sheets of pasta and the bitter char of the collards, all while a tangy broth served to harmonize everything. This one wowed me a bit.


PALOMA MILK PUNCH [$22.00] | tequila, grapefruit, ancho chili, lime, hoja santa, clarified coconut
This mash-up of a milk punch and a paloma was the least successful cocktail for me. I found the flavors a bit muddled, and didn't get much from the coconut, though the chile and lime were definitely there, as was that signature bittersweetness of the grapefruit on the back end.


BURNT MURASAKI YAM [$22.00] | smoked trout roe, sauce of grass-fed butter and yeast, cucumber, grilled hazelnuts
Murasaki sweet potatoes were cooked for hours in embered coal using the rescoldo method, giving the yams a wondrously crisp "second skin" while keeping their insides nice and soft and sweet. At the same time, Persian cucumbers and lime zest delivered a countering brightness, while grilled hazelnuts proffered plenty of nutty crunch, but my favorite thing here was the moderating, integrating effect of that trout roe-studded yeasted butter. Everything just came together beautifully, making this what has to be the best sweet potato dish I've ever eaten.





DEEP SEA SCARLET PRAWN [$35.00] | seared over hot stones served with a tempura of the prawn body, smoked prawn shell-infused butter, spicy green peppercorn paste, coconut flatbread for wrapping
A lone deep-sea prawn was served two ways. The tail was seared on a hot stone, giving it a meaty, substantial, yet still light and supple texture that I positively reveled in. It was eaten taco-style with that burnt coconut flatbread, while the shrimp's unabashedly sweet-n-saline, shattery, tempura-fried head was wrapped in lettuce leaves enhanced by the sting of peppercorn paste. However, neither preparation would be complete without a dab of that smoked prawn shell-infused butter, emulsified with coconut cream and then broken. It had this simultaneously buttery and coconut-laden character that was super neat, and seemed to emphasize the inherent sweetness of the shrimp--a fantastic finishing touch.


EROSUS [$22.00] | fresh sugar cane juice, jicama, pineapple, ginger, lemongrass-infused pisco, pox
Here, floral, almost lotion-like flavors were moderated by the creeping spiciness of both lemongrass and ginger. This was our server's favorite cocktail, and I can see why.


4a: PACIFIC STRIPED BASS [$36.00] | praline of smoked chilies and hazelnuts, swiss chard, crispy banana skins, coconut infusion
Striped bass arrived with a substantial, somewhat dehydrated texture and was teeming with smoke and saline. The real beauty of the dish came when you paired the filet with those glazed plantains, which had this lingering sweetness that was a brilliant match with the fish, and something that I don't think I've seen before. Concurrently, the chard served as a bitter, vegetal foil, while the onion tea-laced broken coconut vinegar functioned as a unifying force.



4b: ACORN-FED PORK | smoked berries, torpedo onion, recardo negro paint, forest berry vinaigrette
Cuts of Iberian pig were utterly dense to the bite, and taste-wise, far more concentrated than most, almost reminding me of duck due to its richness (that heady layer of skin/fat probably had something to do with it). The pork stood up well to the mole-like recado negro, while the citrusy greens and onions lightened things up just enough. Meanwhile, accompanying the meat was short rib brushed with cacao paste and topped with onion blossoms, which didn't quite make complete sense with the rest of the dish.


AMAZONIA GIN & TONIC [$22.00] | wild amazon gin, cinchona bark, granadilla
This take on the iconic gin-tonic was more compelling than most thanks to the cocktail's multiplex spiciness and tropical disposition.


4c: PASTURE-RAISED BEEF RIBEYE – AGED DAIRY COW [$55.00] | long beans, pencil asparagus, wild onion, sesame cream, tamarind
Cuts of aged Holstein showed off a super sophisticated savor and was some of the best beef I've had in a while. Though the steak was delicious on its own, I did appreciate the various accoutrements presented as well, which include a tangy, "plummy" tamarind sauce, creamy sesame labneh, a super zesty green paste, and an array of bitter, smoky veggies.



It was time for dessert at this point, and the staff was gracious enough to first serve a homemade berry cake that we'd brought, accompanied by flaming stones. There was no cake-cutting fee, surprisingly.


COMOSUS [$24.00] | kiwi, verbena, pineapple, yuzu, destilado de pulque, heritage artisanal mezcal
This next cocktail displayed a good amount of tropical fruit up front, but backed by acerbic tones and hints of spice, and was pretty easy-drinking overall.



5: ATEMOYA SORBET | aged rum cream, tiger nut, nutmeg
The dessert from the prix fixe menu was a textural treat, with a lovely contrast between its "cakey" portion and the crisp wheat(?) tuile on top. Curiously, when everything was taken together, I was reminded of cereal milk.


Not satisfied with only one dessert, we requested the à la carte dessert menu as well, which was joined by Meteora's selection of coffee and tea. Click for larger versions.


RIO TOCANTINS WILD CACAO [$16.00] | wild cacao ganache, amazon cacao "cake," brazil nuts, cucumber, jungle peanuts
Here, classically elegant chocolate flavors were matched up with nutty, crunchy elements and a bright, herby "snow." Do note that brownie-like cake on the side, too.


GALIUM [$26.00] | black currant, single-malt scotch, ancestral corn whiskey, sherry, candycap, woodruff
Our penultimate cocktail featured tangy cassis at the fore, alongside an undercurrent of both sherry and sweet spices.


CRISPY SQUASH BLOSSOMS [$14.00] | light batter of aged rum, filled with warm tonka bean custard, woodruff (3pcs)
I've had squash blossom on numerous occasions, but I don't think I've ever tried it for dessert. The kitchen did a nice job blurring the line between savory and sweet, with the flowers' vanilla-like filling meshing well with their crisp-fried exteriors.


Given the hands-on nature of the dish above, some tightly-rolled moistened napkins were provided--a welcomed touch.


ANCIENT OLD FASHIONED [$26.00] | whiskey, aged rum, ancient purple corn, dark spices, lime, sacred pepper leaf
Our last cocktail was this fascinating riff on the old fashioned, one with a brazenly earthy, astringent quality, tempered by the corn while being perked up by those dark spices and the aromatics of hoja santa.


Last up were super sweet, super juicy cuts of melon, sprinkled with black lava salt.



Kalimaz [$9.00] | Gerba - Guji, Ethiopia
The coffee was some of the fruitiest I've had, and came with a serving of oat(?) milk and a trio of sweeteners.


Pictured above is Meteora's famously vegetated main dining room, cleared out at the end of the night.

Following my last dinner at Meteora, I described the food here as "live fire-focused, elemental, naturalistic/modernist cooking with a pre-colonial Latin American bent," and I think that long-winded descriptor still holds true. However, Kahn's cooking has become more focused, more curated, really showcasing the Chef's singular, imaginative, original vision through a parade of dishes that veer toward both the primal and the avant garde, that look back while looking forward. Meteora may very well be the most underrated restaurant in Southern California, and definitely deserves to be Michelin-starred, so hopefully that'll be corrected in the next revision of the Red Guide. In the meantime, just know that there's nobody else cooking like this in LA, probably not even in the entire country.