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Mon-Wed. 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Being a fan of the SLS Hotel for occasional drinks at their lounge, I've finally experience a different level of brunch prepared by The Bazaar. With intimate indoor offering modern minimalist or outdoor terrace with ethereal wooden nuance, The Bazaar created ambiance of Spanishness in vogue.
The menu is a mixture of traditional and modern twist of the small plate movement, where liquid gelee and nitrogen plays a whimsical role in creating magical dishes and unbelievable taste. Now, buckle up for an extraordinary gastronomic ride and feast for your eyes.
1.not your everyday caprese. the name says it all, manage to scoop the cherry tomatoes, basil puree, crackers and liquid mozarella onto the spoon. the encapsulated mozarella cheese into the tiny balls will burst in your mouth. the taste is fresh and as magnificent as the idea.
2. foie gras sandwiches. three minis buttery toasted brioche sliders with smooth textured duck liver.
3. 12 tiny eggs sunny side up. Huevos ala Cubana "Andy Garcia". 12 quail eggs, chives, bacon on top of crispy rice cake. the combination of warm egg yolk and the crispy rice cakes are so lip-smacking but 12 is too much to share for two.
4. Olive oil pancakes with maple syrup and mixed berries. 5 stacked fluffy pancakes drizzled with olive oil and warm maple syrup are the most scrumptious savory pancakes I've ever tasted. just melts in your mouth. I lust for these every time I wake up in the morning.
5. nitro coconut floating island. with caramelized bananas, passion fruit sauce, and vanilla. break the icy nitro shell and enjoy a cloudy ball of coconut cream. feels so sunny tropical on a winter time. such a whimsical delight!
pics - http://www.yummycrave....
If The Bazaar were a man, I'd demand aesthetic perfection, a flair for adventure, a unique personality, and expect him to be at my every beck and call. (Swear I'm not high-maintenance.)
I was surely taken by The Bazaar Thurs. night as he met every expectation. I was blown away by the interior as it provided a great deal of dark, warm colors - but juxtapositional to that, the cooly dressed patrons with matching attitudes certainly gave off a bit of the pretentious flair I had hoped for. Great use of lighting, flamboyant accents, and style - all of these factors made for a unique experience at The Bazaar.
Drink: I ordered the "Magic Mojito". They bring a martini glass with a puff of cotton candy in the glass, then they pour the mojito-goodness into it. "Salad-in-a-drink" as I'd like to call it.
DON'T GET:
Japanese Tacos - Eel. Although there is nothing "taco-ish" about them, they are certainly ... different. Would I order these again? No. They just aren't unique enough for me for these to be considered "modern" tapas. Such a simple dish even I can make ... with my toes, blindfolded. To pay money for them at a $$$$ restaurant? You've got to be kidding me.
Olives (Modern & Traditional) - I'm not a fan of olives but we ordered them for our table. I heard that the liquid (modern) olives are rather simple in taste and in construction. As for the traditional olives on sticks, one of my dining partners said it is entirely too over-powering. As in, "must cleanse the palate with a carbonated drink" kind of overpowering.
The Potato Salad and the Eggplant dish are bland and a waste, both in aesthetics and in taste. It's like there's a party in my mouth and everyone is throwing up. Hello!
A NO-NO on the BENCH seating, though. Ugh.
DO GET:
Jamón Ibérico de Bellota Fermin w/ pa'amb tomaquet (tomato bread) - I didn't care so much for the jamon but the tomaquet are a pleasure to eat!
Cotton Candy Foie Grais - At $5 / person, how can you say no to this sweet and savory treat? Once in your mouth, you first taste the sweetness of the cotton candy. Then, there's a certain cheesy flavor that invades your taste buds right before the explosion of delightful gamey-ness hits you full-force. What a great combination of flavors and textures.
Not your everyday caprese (Modern Caprese - with cherry tomatoes and liquid mozarella) - You have to use spoons to scoop these little circular masterpieces off of the plate because otherwise, they will pop! Putting a liquid mozarella and cherry tomato together with some pesto and oil slathered on your spoon for gathered consumption? Heavenly!
Croquetas de pollo - A bit salty! (We just brushed the crystals off.) But the inside ... oh the inside. Not to sound ghetto but it tastes like fried, warm chicken pot pie.
Philly Cheesesteak - I would definitely recommend this! Only thing I would change is the filling, as it is a bit too jarring. I wanted to TASTE the filling, not have my mouth COVERED with it. Just too much for such a small bite!
Cauliflower Couscous - At first I thought, "Why would anyone order this? Boring!" but upon tasting this little plate of magic, I immediately took back my words. I can just eat this for breakfast everyday! LOVE the pomegranate seeds!
Mussels w/ olive oil, vinegar, pimentón - One word: Oleaginous! But sublime. I, initially, wanted to order the oyster dish but they had run out. I am so glad I chose this instead! This dish is seasoned and arranged in a way that exudes SEX. Sure mussels in a tin can doesn't exactly seem SEXY but it certainly caused a micro-orgasm of sorts in my mouth.
Sea Scallops in Romesco sauce - Voluptuously tender and succulent, the scallops aren't over or under-cooked. The sauce provides a great, sludgy contrast to the fleshy, compact goodness of the scallops.
Beef Hanger Steak - Just the way I like my meat - thick, juicy, and pink. *Wink and gun* This dish does not disappoint; the groatsy sauce that comes with these perky pieces of meat is a perfect complement - except I didn't care for the lonely piece of limp, red pepper that was drowning under it all. Limpness is NOT desired when trying to savor a great piece of meat.
Traditional Spanish Flan - How can you come to a Basque restaurant and not get flan? Gelatinous, velvety, and rich. The highlight of my dessert-experience.
Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta - I had a spoonful of this and had to put the spoon back down because otherwise I would've just dug in for more! Oh the different flavors just rolls into one bite of creamy, thick, tangy goodness.
Creamy Chocolate Heart - Warm and gooey on the inside, this dessert melts in your mouth. A slender, more beautifully-presented version of a chocolate ganache.
My experience at The Bazaar was very refreshing. Eclectic spread, great variety at reasonable prices - all the pieces of a fantastic foodie puzzle one must not do without!
$570 divided 6 ways.
3 Stars because I am a foodie and I judge solely based on food.
If you like the lounge scene this place is definitely for you. The different dining area it's definitely unique experience. You first sit at the lounge for a drink, then sit at the table to dine, and you move to another area for desserts. I felt like I was doing a triathlon =)
Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich - average
Scallop - not bad
Hanger Steak - bad
Sausage - good
Boneless Chicken Wing - average
If you are bringing a date, check out this place. Otherwise save your money and go somewhere else.
I was lucky to score one of the few available reservations during Restaurant Week.. The decor of the place is electic, funky, and interesting to look at. It also greatly differs based on which section of the restaurant you're seated in.
The drinks were pricey, but tasty and very creative. The frozen caipirinha resembles lime sorbet, smooth but not watered down. The "magic" mojito features a clump of cotton candy that dissolves as the mojito mixture is poured over it.
Even though we came for Restaurant Week, we still were able to sample a large number of dishes. Some of the standouts were:
Tortilla de las Patatas - very flavorful and my wife savored every bite
Jamon Serrano - This comes with bruschetta and thin slices of ham. We were pleasantly surprised at how much this came with. It was far bigger than the other dishes.
Oven roasted Cippolini onions - the onions had the perfect sweetness combined with the nuttiness of the pumpkin seeds
Sauteed shrimp w/ garlic, guindilla peppers - The shrimp were large and meaty w/ good flavor
Catalan spinach - This had a good balance of savory spinach and sweet raisins
We finished the meal with dessert in the Patisserie. The homemade flan is sensational, especially when combined with the orange sauce that it comes with. We also ordered a 12 piece bonbon box to go. The box is quite decorative.
Despite all that, there really weren't any dishes that blew me away. I still think that the tapas from Jose Garces' restaurant Amada in Philadelphia are far superior. Nevertheless, the food here is still quite good, and I give it a solid 4 stars.
In a word. Disappointing. We went for the DineLA menu because it's a place I've been meaning to try for a while. The decor is very cool to look at, for a first timer, but is a little too cluttered for a place I'd return too often. It's more like the kind of place you'd take your parents to who are in from out of town and want to see something that describes how the rest of the world sees LA. It's like something out of LA Story ("where do you summer?", "He can't have ze duck, he can have ze chicken")
The service was actually very good though. Attentive waitress, someone who's sole responsibility it is to concoct Liquid Nitrogen Caipirinhas (yum) and food delivered 2 plates at a time with a nice break in between each service so you don't eat too quickly. The drinks we had were also delicious. The afore-mentioned Caipirinha and a passion-fruit martini. But at $16 to $20 a pop, you can't enjoy too many of them without remortgaging your house.
But none of the remarks I made above would even matter if the food was first-rate. The food sounded good on paper, but when served, was mostly bland. As others have said, the philly cheesesteak stood out, but everything else was missing flavor. Maybe, it is that the DineLA menu did not showcase their best food, but one would think that the point of DineLA is to attract new customers, even to use it as a loss leader to do so. So why would you skimp and put your worst items on the DineLA menu to attract all these food-loving, internet-savvy folks, only to serve mediocre food and not have them return?
It makes me want to yelp.
It's not about the nutrition, it's about the entertainment. It's whimsical, surprising, deconstructed style over substance.
Favorites:
Philly Cheesesteak - the Wagyu beef is delicious
Floating Nitro Island - like eating a frozen cloud of coconut
Not so favorite:
The smell of burning toast that kept wafting from the kitchen
Having to decide whether to spend $10 to get 8 olives or 3 In-N-Out burgers.
Yeah, go here after you get your tax refund.
Dinela Review:
Wow! The restaurant really was BAZAAR! The decorations and ambiance were completely outstanding! I love it! We even took a look at 6th floor pool and WOW ...I am definitely throwing a party there!
Cotton Candy Foie Grais - amazing! Liver was excellent!
Watermelon Tomato Skewers - very interesting and innovative
Modern Caprese - OMG! I love the burst of liquid mozzarella in my mouth!
Ultimate Tapa - layer of sauce was to die for
Jamon (Dry cured ham) - the ham was marbled and tasted delicious on top of the bread with olive oil
Sea Scallops - almond sauce was good
Japanese Taco - very untraditional taco! Gotta try it!
Philly Cheesesteak - Can't go wrong with wagyu beef and the cheese in the bread is a biiig surprise! YUMMY!
Dessert:
Flan - had better at M-Grill
Chocolate Heart - Delicious and tasty especially with black coffee
Drink:
Liquid nitrogen caipirinha (Waiter was pushing a cart and serving innovative drinks)
Overall Bill - $180 (Not bad at all for Dinela)
We heard the Bazaar was going to stop serving brunch, so we made the trip to check it out. I was thoroughly impressed with the atmosphere and food. Highlights included the Bloody Mary with wasabi and celery foam, philly cheesesteak, olive oil pancakes, tortilla de patatas the "new way," foie gras sandwich, well...I could pretty much list everything we ate! The service lacked a bit because they were slow, but the food was so good! They even hooked us up with a nice plate of jamon, three kinds inlcuding Iberico! We were lucky to go back later in the day to check out the sweets, which were okay, nothing too special. I will definitely go back the next time I am in LA to enjoy more tapas!
THIS RESTAURANT IS SHADY! THEY OVER CHARGED US!!!
If you decide to eat here, because honestly the food is very good, be sure to either pay cash or check that the charge to your credit card is correct.
I ate here for DineLA with 5 other girls. Two of us paid cash and three of us paid using a credit card.
All three of us where over charged on our cards compared to the receipt that we signed. And when we called to clear it up, they gave us each a different story as to why they charged our credit cards more than they should have. Why would they tell us each a different story?
Either the waitress pocketed the cash and tried to hide it by charging us more, or the book keepers are trying to make higher profits and think people wont check their credit bill.
Im very offended that such a high scale restaurant would do this, and at the very least, wouldnt just correct the problem nicely and instead give us a run around.
I don't normally give out 4 or 5 ratings, but I was very pleased with my ENTIRE experience at The Bazaar.
The food was excellent. I definitely recommend the Kobe Cheese Steak Sandwich, the Foie Gras with cotton candy, the uni steamed buns, and of course, order as much Iberico ham as your wallet and face will let you.
The atmosphere is very casual, particularly in the benched dining area. The dessert area is also very casual with a touch of home. The dessert menu was also very impressive and eclectic. Whatever your heart desires.
All in all, a good experience.
We came up here Monday night for the DineLA $44 menu. We had a 8:30pm reservation and were seated at 8:55pm. We grabbed a drink in the bar while and walked around while we were waiting. The Magic Mojito was pretty good. Most of the drinks were $16-20 each.
My only regret was doing the DineLA menu. I wish we would have just gone crazy and eaten what we really wanted to try off the regular menu. In the end you only saved about $13-15 between 2 people by doing the DineLA menu and then you were limited to what was on there.
The other thing that was kind of weird was that the food came out in a really random order. The red meat came out before the shrimp and the last dish they brought us was our order of brussel sprouts.
Of the 10 different things we tried (we ordered 1 extra item) my favorites were:
Philly Cheesesteak - Wow these little guys were tasty. It was like a little crispy hollow eclair with cheese foam on the inside and topped with rare Wagyu beef. I could have eaten 5 more.
Embutidos Platter - this was the heartier part of the meal. The toasted bread with the crushed tomatoes on it was good. There were 3 meats on the platter. The lomo (pork tenderloin) lacked flavor though.
Sautéed Shrimp - these were cooked perfectly. The green guindilla pepper sauce was really good also.
Beef Hanger Steak - Also cooked perfectly and the piquillo pepper confit sauce was really good.
Creamy Chocolate Heart - It a was small chocolate cake it a gooey center. It had a nice strong coffee flavor also.
Off of the DineLA menu we tried ordered 2 Cotton Candy Foie Gras. It was piece of Foie Gras at the end of large tooth pick that was rolled in crushed corn nuts and then twirled in a cotton candy machine. I liked the sweet, savory, and crunch mix, but the chilled cold Foie Gras was little different. I think I would have liked it more if the Foie Gras was a little warmer, but I understand that it probably would have fallen off of the tooth pick then.
The place is good for people watching also. It was an eclectic mix of people and there was at least 2 celebs eating dinner there.
I should note that the parking at the SLS hotel was $30.50 for valet. Which seemed a little steep. Especially since Morton's right next door only charges $7.
Best Traditional Tapas I have had in Years.. But, How Bizarre!! No Happy Ending!
~5 Stars for Traditional Tapas
Fantastic Traditional Tapas. The best I have had in years and years. The only place I know to get this quality.
~Service-3 Stars
Our Waiter was fantastic. It is not his fault whoever is preparing the tapas is slow and doesn't give a rats ass about how they should be served. Our waiter tried his best. 5 stars to him (an actual Spanish waiter) and -2 Stars to the person preparing them.
Example. I ordered the Beef Cheeks with the peach and onion tapas. The three came out separately 6 and 7 minutes apart. I wanted to eat these three together. Even the waiter said we do what you want and the experience is up to you.. pay 3 Bills for tapas?? This is the way to piss me off. I didn't complain..just Bizarre!
~Drinks
Paid 16 bucks a pop for some peach bubbly booze (2 Bellinis - $16 each). Why did I have to ask for it and why did it arrive after tapas started coming? %&%&^
~The Newer Tapas-4 Stars
Great gimmicks. Traditional are still the best and these newer styles are more costly.
After Dinner, we were escorted to the dessert area for our happy ending. The happy ending never came. I requested the bill and it took almost 30 minutes to arrive. Why? Shouldn't my bill have arrived at the snap of my fingers? It was bad enough my desserts were "whatevers."
Dessert-3 Stars
This place has its own separate Patisserie. I tried various lollipops, marshmallows, cookies and the coconut vanilla dessert (Nitro coconut floating island). I expected so much more when I saw the separate side for the bakery. All the items I had were 3 stars or below. Bizarre!
***Chocolate Pop Rocks- A CLASS OF THEIR OWN- 5 Stars!***
Kudos to my waiter for bringing these over as a free-bee. Wow. I ordered 2 orders to go. Nice! FUN! and Delicious! A must and my favorite. Surprise!
Oh.. My January 2010 glass of low fat milk was superb!
Such a nice place selling food in a bazaar type setting. Don't let the beauty alter your impressions. The ambiance and newer style tapas are fun..but if you want real tapas..this is the place to come. I would suggest ordering the traditional tapas and a few of the newer items. Keep low key and enjoy more of the high quality traditional items..they were amazing!!!
I will come here again, but will order the traditional Tapas, get my pop rocks and get dessert elsewhere. I will also stick to a low key drink.
Here is a summary of some of the items I ordered
Jamones Y Embutidos (Fermin Platter - Assortment of 3) - $34
Stuffed piquillo peppers with goat cheese - $10
Braised Wagyu beef cheeks - $13.mmm Yummy!
Cotton candy foie gras - $5 each (x2)
Corn on the cob with corn nuts - $11
Oven roasted cippolini onions with passion fruit and pumpkin seed oil - $8
Tuna ceviche and avocado roll - $14
Philly cheese steak (air bread, cheddar, Wagyu beef) - $16
Karen H. and Oanh N. and Anthony N. and Angela T.have great reviews on this place. I would suggest reading theirs for more feedback.
more please!
went here for the 1-yr anniversary w/ the BF. we sampled about 9 different tapas dishes, and then helped ourselves to 6 more desserts.
the menu is divided into traditional and new-agey/modern halves. meats and cheeses on one side, weird (but tasty) stuff on the other.
the stuffed piquillo peppers, the arctic char were aMAZing. mmm mm mmmm. the olives and philly cheesesteak were good too, and the cotton candy-wrapped foie gras also, despite how weird it looked. caprese salad also deelish.
i didnt like the wagyu cheek so much (none of the clementine citrus flavor came thru), or the "new" tortilla de patatas (i like the traditional spanish style better, more hearty--- but i guess at a tapas place the small bites will have to suffice).
there are a lot of dessert options, and theyre plated even smaller than the entree tapas, so feel free to try a bit of everything. the floating coconut island was only okay, the dark chocolate cake suuuuper rich. you have the option of enjoying your desserts in the "patisserie" area of the restaurant, but we stayed put in the regular part. the chairs were comfy, but i dont like the idea of sitting on a couch while you eat (luckily i didnt have to).
service was very hit-or-miss. some waiters were super chatty and told great stories about the dishes, others just dropped them off at the table. all the food came out at a good pace tho, so we weren't bombarded w/ 9 dishes at once. you can order bread if you want some to sop up leftover sauces, but for some reason they didnt have any fresh loaves for us and we had to wait ~20 min for it to come out. it was hot and olive-oily when it was finally ready tho. another yumm.
afterward we got drinks at the bar. felt like salmon swimming up stream it was so crowded around their little tiny bar. they have cool-looking special cocktails, but i just got a regular ol' vodka tonic. everyone is there looking at everyone else, hopefully this place gets a little less trendy sooner or later and the ppl who try too hard find somewhere else to enjoy their redbulls.
We went last night for dinela - without which I probably would never have ventured into such a pricey restaurant with tiny portions. I'm glad I did and I think I will come back too - for a special occasion.
The service and decor were awesome! The waiter even planned to move us over to their patisserie for desert so we can experience a different ambiance to the restaurant. Unfortunately there was an extra 20 minute wait for that move so we decided to just stay put in the dining room for our desert.
I really regret doing the dinela menu because it didn't have any of the innovative stuff I wanted to try other than the philly cheesesteak. The food on the dinela menu was great but not the cool creative stuff I really wanted!
Philly cheese steak was amazing - the cheese foam injected in the pastry thingy was superb. Mussels were good, the sauce on top was yummy. There was a bit of sand in there so that was kinda ick. The scallops were forgettable. Good but not outstanding. Gazpacho, Chorizo and Jamon were awesome - as good as ones we've had in Madrid. I wish the Gazpacho was a bit bigger - very beautiful presentation but it was gone in 3 sips. Hanger steak and sausages were good but not anything out of hte ordinary. Our friends ordered a fried chicken caserole like thingy which was okay, not my thing. For desert we had the flan and chocolate heart - both were very good.
Portions are incredibly small... so prepare to order 3-4 plates entree per person to get filled up. Only the chorizo and Jamon were real portions. The appetizers are beyond small... like one bite... so should probably order 2 per person.
Plenty of street parking on San Vicente if you don't want to pay the valet.
I will have to come back again for the cool stuff. The table next to us had ordered a lot of interesting looking items - next time, next time!
HOLY CRAP! What happened to this place? We had the pleasure of dining here when they first opened. Everything was glossy bright and on point. I was so excited to come back for round two. I should have made my first experience the last and kept it as a good memory.
For those of you who have enjoyed this restaurant recently, too bad you didn't get to experience it when the previous chefs were there. The food definitely suffered in the transition.
Don't get me wrong. It still is a unique dining experience like no other in Los Angeles. After all, they do have the balls to serve foie gras in our ever so sensitive society. GO GOOSE!
I don't have a menu of Bazaar in front of me. I wanted to take one home to share with you but I couldn't. There are intricate details that I have left out about each food and drink item I indulged in, but I will do my best to give you the meat and potatoes of everything that's in my belly. (It is odd that I remember what I drank for more than what I ate.)
As I am writing this review of Bazaar, I still don't know what to make of the place. Was it some über-trendy and fashionable hot spot where the likes of super producer Joel Silver, mega porn stars and Playboy centerfolds flock to do business with their agents, assistants, publicists and managers? Or was it a place where 5-year-old girls and post-middle-aged couples held birthday parties at 11:45 at night? It could have been the mirrored floor to ceiling bathrooms that put this place over-the-top. At some point through the evening I thought I was in a high tech chemistry lab that would make any new wave chef drool.
When it comes down to brass tax, Bazaar is merrily a place filled with good-looking people from all sides of the age bell curve that serves fine-dining finger food.
The Modern Ruin was my first drink. What was it... who knows? All I know is that when I ordered something off the extended cocktail menu the bartender said, "You don't want that, I'll make you something better." He stirred up a concoction of whiskey, absinthe, and something else. It brought a smile to my face.
The Ultimate Gin and Tonic came next. It was an elixir of life served in a plump glass and garnished with miniature ice sculptures, juniper berries, and edible flowers
I've coined my final drink of the evening the Brazilian Rum Shave Ice. That's not the correct name, but definitely tasted cool and refreshing. Served tableside, a cute waitress stirs liquid nitrogen, simple syrup, and rum in a cauldron to perfection. The drink got more eyes than any tableside guacamole I've ever ordered.
The true standout of the food I ate was the lox and bagel cone: a handmade bagel crisp shaped into a cone with a rich crème fraiche topped with smoked salmon fish eggs.
If you nibble at all with this piece or any other little tidbits Bazaar serves the waitress will shame you and than shove your own hand (with the food) in your mouth. Evidently, you're supposed to eat everything in one bite, so you get the bang for the buck in flavor.
Hey, you can't hate a wait staff that cares about the kitchen. That's something that doesn't come too often.
After that: there was the Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella bubbles, baby barbecued spitfire corn, bruschetta served with pancetta, king crab with raspberries, Philly cheese steaks, an eclectic cheese and jelly plate, grilled eel Japanese tacos, and for the grand finale: foie gras cotton candy lollipops. For dessert: a piece of house chocolate and a passion fruit marshmallow.
I've been told when one eats a cornucopia of food; they have some of the most imaginative dreams ever assemble in their minds. I only can say that my dreams that night were nothing short of bizarre.
I came with a large group (12 peoples) and it was a rockin' time.
Our waiter was extremely attentive and helped us select many small plates that kept us smiling, chatting and sharing throughout the evening.
The Bazaar's house sangria is to-die-for (not a phrase I pull out very often).
I would avoid the cotton candy pate lollipops since their flavor and texture are not as "unique and interesting" as one would hope - what I would recommend is saving that room for anything else on the menu!
Loved the experience of dining here. Definitely one of the more unique meals I have had in a long time. I'm a huge fan of molecular gastronomy and they do a pretty good job here.
The restaurant itself is rather stunning and the dessert bar is very playful and nicely done.
As far as the drinks, tried a bunch and they were all great. Defientely try the Liquid Nitrogen Caipirinha at least once. It's like drinking a slurpie that gets you really drunk ;)
And then the food, we tried to order a few things from the different sections of the menu. There are so many options its a little overwhelming. the things that stood out - foie gras cotton candy. Unique, delicious pairing and nicely presented. Try it if you like Foie Gras. The olives are awesome. They burst in your mouth because they don't have the shelling. Very intense but interesting taste. The sea urchin buns were very interesting too. I didn't love or remember everything we tried but at least the chef took risks and each dish was interesting and nicely put together.
After dinner we moved to the dessert bar, my favorite part of the meal :) It almost felt like being in a candy version of alice in wonderland especially with the surrounding artwork and collectibles. Had a couple of cookies, some dessert wine, and the nitro coconut floating island which was veyr interesting (and good).
Was a great meal overall and one of my favorites in LA
My first experience at the SLS Hotel was a dinner and drinks outing at The Bazaar with girlfriends. We had to take a pretty late reservation of 9:30pm but I arrived a little early to case the joint and enjoy a custom cocktail.
For me, SLS strikes a pretty perfect note with the Bar Centro, Rojo y Blanco, and the Patisserie. Because they blend seamlessly, one into another, the effect is visually opulent as long as you can appreciate this kind of organized discord.
To me it felt like Alice in Warhol-inspired Wonderland. The museum-like glass cases full of expensive oddities that flank the Patisserie reminded me of the "Eat Me" and "Drink Me" vials and cakes that Alice encounters after a tumble down the rabbit hole.
In the central bar area the decor is more subdued and moody, more like Alice's dark period with the hookah-smoking, poetic caterpillar. It provides the perfect atmosphere for people watching and flirtations. The bartenders were friendly and in particular Kevin was able to customize several cocktails for us that were both highly innovative and very tasty. I love the selection of bizarre accoutrements they have on hand to garnish each beverage. If you're going to pay top dollar, it helps to have some unusual but edible bling waiting for you at the bottom of your martini glass.
We transferred into the a small bistro table in the dining room, and it felt more like the Mad Hatter's tea party. This is tapas style dining, so everything is very dainty and can be consumed with pinkies extended just so. We very much enjoyed our meal, and these were the highlights:
Caprese
Philly Cheesesteak
Foie Gras with cotton candy
Stuffed piquillo peppers
Baby beets
No, it's not cheap, and it can be crowded, but we had a very pleasant experience and we loved the style and the vibe. We were sad to travel back across the looking glass into our mundane reality at the end of the evening.
After hearing all the buzz, and a few friends telling me that I must try it, decided to check it out.
First off, we had a 7:30 reservation, checked in with the maître d' and he suggested we go grab a cocktail at the bar and he would be over in a few minutes to seat us. We swam through the sea of cougars and other interesting types and grabbed our cocktails, which, by the way, took entirely too long. The bartenders are beyond perfectionists, almost to the point to where you get impatient waiting for that drink. We got our drinks and then marveled at the completely disconnected design inside; the 1800's themed patissiere, post-modern reception area, and finally the 1940's bar area, complete with black & white movies shown on the table, as well as these intriguing photos that morph humans into animals.
The first positive note was that the bartender offered to add these drinks to our table tab once we got sat. Perfect. We ended up waiting well over 30 minutes until we got our table. Fail. I don't mind waiting a few minutes, because sometimes people just camp out, but this was ridiculous.
We finally got sat, and again, the dining room now had a completely different feel from the rest of the place. It was comfortably awkward. Can't quite explain it. We perused the menu, and ordered a great selection of tapas, with a few recommendations from the server.
The food was fantastic! Well seasoned, great presentation, and perfect portions. The highlights were the Philly cheesesteak - which was a great play on a traditional philly, the chicken croquetas - practically melted in your mouth with an explosion of flavor, and the seared scallops were perfectly prepared. Food gets a solid 4 stars.
When it's time for your dessert, they actually don't serve it to you at your table. You are whisked away to the patissiere, where you are served. An interesting concept. I liked it because it broke the monotony of a lengthy meal, and gave you a different perspective.
All in all, The Bazaar was good. The food was excellent, the service was ok. I would have kindly given a 4 star review, however, I thought that waiting over 30 minutes for our table when we had a reservation was ridiculous.
Thank you to whoever started LA's restaurant week. We had a 9:30pm reservation, but weren't seated until 9:50pm. I was kinda annoyed, but at least there was so much stuff to look at. It definitely goes with the Bazaar-theme. The patisserie/gallery/store is a lot of fun and a great way to spend some time.
Sort of organized/random seating arrangements, dinnertables with low recliners, straight back chairs with coffee tables. I sat in a too-low lounge chair next to a really rambunctious, drunk group of middle-aged folks. Not the best dinner partners, but hey can't choose your neighbors. We had a really small table so they served us 2 dishes at a time, which we were fine with. The wandering bar tender was a show in itself, with various smoking, bubbling containers.
Food was amazing. We had the eel tacos, philly cheesesteak (with cheese foam!), the meat platter (really amazing chorizo), catalan toast (we were served this mistake, but they didn't charge us for it), scallops, the "ultimate tapas" (foam again!), codfish fritters (so good, esp with the honey aioli), chicken croquettes (amazing), steak (so. tender.) and then the flan and molten chocolate cake for dessert. I wanted to try some other things (cotton candy fois gras and chocolate pop rocks), but I was so full. Surprisingly full from all these small plates.
There was so much stuff to look at, you won't be bored. Our dinner took 2.5 hours and we still didn't get to see everything.
We finally went there last night. Our waitor Hugh advised the portion for Dine LA is exactly the same as the regular menu. Since we don't want to eat instant noodles for 2 weeks, going for the Dine LA menu seemed a better idea. We ordered Japanese taco, West coast oysters, croquetas de pollo, sauteed shrimp, ultimate tapa salad, prosciutto platter, beef hanger steak, and desserts. We also ordered American Caviar cones, which is not included on the Dine LA menu.
They put FRESH strawberreis in The Sangria pitcher. Although everything is just "one-bite" size, we were very impressed with the taste, presentation, and creativity! The desserts - chocolate creamy heart, Greek yogurt panna cotta, and the Spanish flan (Hugh told us it's Jose's grandma's recipe) are great. After 3 hours, we went home happily!
Reviewing Bazaar is a little difficult for me, because there is a marked dichotomy, in my mind, between the traditional and the "new tapas".
First, the decor - very trendy and modern. It's almost a showcase of modern furniture design and art, with lounge like chairs throughout. The chef's bar is a nice touch with full view of the creation of "new" tapas.
The traditional tapas were excellent. A mushroom bisque, acorn fed pork, lamb loin, all superlative in balance of texture and flavour. Less appealing were the experimental dishes. The wagyu beef mini sandwiches were overwhelmed by cheese filling. For me, the cotton candy foie gras is similarly flawed. The airy cotton candy doesn't have the staying flavour power to accompany the rich flavours of the Foie gras. Similarly, looking at watermelon nigiri is completely distressing to me. If you want juicy, sugary fluids obstructing your experience of fresh sashimi grade fish, then I think you're not really interested in sushi at all.
I tried a very unusual wine (for me), a spanish vintage with three grapes that I've never had before. It was a trifle wet, medium bodied with distinct but controlled fruit undertones left a very balanced finish. It made a great pairing with the variety of flavours of the tapas.
(A Torna Dos Pasas Tinto 2007, Galicia - Caiño Tinto, Ferrol, Brancello)
For a review of the wine -
http://www.rocowines.n...
In Summary:
A 4.5, rounded down, as the price factor is a tad high for the quality.
My son is a big fan of Jose's style and while visiting L.A. from Rhode Island we just had to experience his restaurant (plus we were staying in the SLS where his restaurant is located).
Our server was great and we left our food selection to his discretion.
The tapas came fast and furious and were absolutely delicious. A little much with the cured meats, but the tastes were spot on. The dinner was fantastic and I would definitely return again.
The only thing that held back a 5 star rating was the desert.
They bring you from your table into the patisserie were you kind of feel like you're back in the lobby of the restaurant. A little weird. But, the deserts were also delicious.
By far one of my favorite restaurants... I love going here beautiful and unique decor, great crowed little pricy but I always have a good time here I really like their bar and their food is amazing....
Highly recommended also a good place to meet beautiful people...
we went here to celebrate our 16-month last week. i went with no expectation and was pleasantly surprised. :)
the best part of the meal was that some server made a mistake (or there was a glitch in their computer system? who knows ...) and we were served with "philly cheesesteak" and "japanese tacos" we didn't order. call us naive or spoiled, but we thought they were complimentary dishes until our waitress noticed what was going on and made sure our freebies stopped then and there.
the worst part of the meal was that our appetizer (gazpacho soup) came in last, after we reminded our waitress that we didn't have one of our appetizers, at the end of the meal. also, the desserts (spanish flan and chocolate cake) were not that impressive and i don't think the prices can be justified. lastly, the service was just ok.
otherwise, the food was great (for the most part) and we'll definitely go back to try more dishes.
If I was only reviewing the food and drinks, this place would get 5 stars easily because Jose Andres is definitely taking gastronomy to a higher level. He used to work under Ferran Adria at El Bulli, and the influence is unmistakable. For example:
1. In my Rye Manhattan, there is a liquid cherry spherification. It looks like a cherry, but it is really just cherry juice formed into a sphere and it explodes in your mouth as soon as the slightest pressure is applied.
2. Normally a caprese salad would just be basil, mozzarella, and tomatoes, and can be very good with fresh ingredients. Andres instead makes it with pesto along with mozzarella and tomato spherifications. Be careful not to poke it with your spoon!
3. Philly Cheesesteaks, made on little cheese filled croquetes that nearly evaporate on the tongue as soon as you eat it, and topped with thinly sliced wagyu beef. Yum!
4. Andres is a part owner of a pig farm so he basically makes his own Jamon Iberico de Bellota. If you've never been lucky enough to try this before, you should definitely splurge and get some. It's not something you can get in a lot of places here in the US.
5. Goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers. Maybe not totally inventive, but very good and worth getting.
6. Tuna ceviche and avocado roll. I'm not sure how he gets a thin layer of avocado to hold a tuna roll together, but I'm pretty sure a Faustian agreement was made.
7. Uni buns. Again, not totally inventive, but a nice blending of two different asian cuisines... rich buttery flavor of sea urchin on a steamed bun.
Now, the bad.
1. We ordered Corn on the Cob and Cotton Candy Foie Gras, which never came. And then the kitchen closed, so these were dishes we never got to try.
2. We had made a reservation over at the Patisserie for dessert, but then some other server gave someone our table. Between this and the food not coming, it really makes me wonder who setup their logistics.
3. Other yelpers are complaining about the slow service, but this is a spanish restaurant and I can definitely appreciate the pace that happens here. But when it's 1:30am and you want to pay your bill and leave, they should hurry this part up. Our server disappeared and this part of the meal took FOREVER.
So, definitely come here and give it a try, but be vigilant about making sure you get all the food you ordered. And bring lots of people (and make sure they're into sharing) so you can try lots of dishes!
I went to the bazaar for my birthday during DineLA and was a little worried since the only table was for 9:45pm but I was pleasantly surprised that we were not only seated within 5 minutes, but the place had an excellent ambiance and crowd AND great attentive service!
WE didn't order the DineLA menu because everything good that showed up in the reviews was not on that menu, so we went ala carte.
Here is the rundown
*Cotton Candy Foie Gras -- nothing can describe this except for AMAZING -- perfect hint of sweetness to accompany the foie gras
*Philly Cheeseteaks -- air bread w cheddar cheese and wagyu beef (the cheese was creamed to a liquid inside -- DIVINE -- top choice!)
*Stuffed piquillo peppers w goat cheese -- the waiter recommended this one -- it was just so-so not a creative invention like the rest. apparently you can only get this pepper in spain
*the "magic" mojito -- mojito poured over cotton candy -- too sweet/tart for me but my friend liked it
*Lox and Bagel cone --- caviar eggs w THINLY sliced bagel that is crisp with cream cheese in the bottom -- not my favorite but still good!
*Tuna ceviche and avocado roll -- with jicama, micro cilantro, coconut dressing AMAZING!! TASTED SOOOO GOOD!! the flaovros really popped
*Jale Berry --- its a drink with Gin, Cointreau, Fresh blackberries and a slice of jalaepno.. sound too weird? its AMAZING! light and DELICIOUS!
*olive plate - as he plates these olives from a mysterious jar, he tells us the story how they hail from a famous restaurant in barcelona, where its a secret recipe. the olives are juiced. then they add calcium to the juice then they put it in a purification bath with sodium something and then this thin film layer develops around the juice and it ends up looking like an olive made of olive juice. As you put it in your mouth it POPs out the juice, quite exciting, quite good! also served with this are the normal olives stuffed with anchovies and peppers.. also great without the excitement
*one of our least favorite and it had such promise. watermelon and tomato skewers with a pedro ximenez reduction and lemon dressing. the reduction did not pop out in contrast to the watermelon so an element was missing to blend them together.
*Seared chicken and dates piquillo with pepper confit and natural jus -- not one that is especially creative but it was VERY tasty!
*This one was a favorite. "not your everyday caprese cherry tomatoes liquid mozzarella" you manage to fit the mozzarella, tomato, basil puree and small crouton on your spoon and eat in one bite. The effect is the mozzarella's liquid interior bursting in your mouth to coat and flavor the rest of the bite. YUM! They aren't joking with not your everyday caprese salad ... we almost didn't order it, glad we did!
*My birthday dish "Creamy chocolate heart - coffee and cardamom" part of what made dessert fun was that they transport you to the "patisserie" section of the restaurant. They sang but it wasn't embarrassing. The inside of the cake was still goo-ey and warm. The cardamom cream was delicious!
*You can't beat this -- I called it the spaceship on banana wheels... It was called the Nitro Coconut FLoating Island over caramelized bananas and passion fruit sauce - this was top 3 for the night... after you broke the outside shell the inside was a creamy cold coconut sauce.... It was like Hawaiian tropical goodness in a bite.. definite winner!!
I really had a great time all of that found and drinks was only $164 without tip. I love to cook so I am usually disappointed when I can make it at home. This restaurant however was WORTH THE MONEY. These are not creations you can easily snap together at home without a grocery list that costs 3x the amount of the bill.
Went to The Bazaar again, but this time for Brunch. I was glad to see that the portion sizes for the brunch dishes weren't as miniscule and ridiculous as their normal menu. I had the following:
12 TINY EGGS SUNNY SIDE UP Huevos a la Cubana "Andy Garcia": This dish was freakin amazing. 12 quail eggs prepared in a circular shape, topped with bacon, diced chives and some sort of tomato-ey puree. Beneath this was a similarly shaped disk of crispy rice. Together, the dish was ridiculous delicious. The crispiness of the rice with the runny egg yolk and soft egg whites = match made in heaven.
OLIVE OIL PANCAKES with Maple Syrup & Seasonal Mixed Berries: These pancakes (slightly larger than silver dollar pancakes) were extremely fluffy and buttery. You get 5 cakes with olive oil drizzled on top and berries on the side. The cakes had a sprinkle of salt on them as well, so with each bite you got a taste of saltiness and sweetness (from the maple syrup). So GOOD!!
Honestly, the dishes were amazing, but pretty heavy - I felt a bit queasy afterwards. For brunch, I would recommend sharing 2-3 dishes with a friend so that you are not eating too much of one.
The Bazaar at SLS by Jose Andres is by far the prettiest restaurant I've ever been to in my life.… Read more »
I went with a pretty big group, and I'm glad I did because though I hate eating at places with tapas/small plates, eats really great to try as many different things as possible, considering the menu is so big, and all the dishes are so small.
I've read complaints about reservations not being offered too timely, but the people I met were late as it was, so we were seated momentarily after. I killed time by ordered the cotton candy Magic Mojito, which (at $16), was just a really good mojito with cotton candy on top, poured into the glass, before the mojito was poured over it to dissolve it - but could you taste the cotton candy in the mojito? Not really. More show than taste.
We started out with the olive plate which considered solid and LIQUID olives, which were really cool. This was part of the modern/molecular gastronomy menu, and although the items on the traditional tapas menu sounded (and tasted good), the more modern fare just seemed more interesting, and it was. We also had the caprese which is something I will never forget: air-puffed balls of bread (kind of like cracker-like 3D doriitos), with liquid mozzarella (a thin skin of mozzarella surrounding emulsified liquid cheese inside) with basil and tomato jelly balls. You're supposed to eat them all together, and the result is remarkable.
I was told to try the phily cheesteak sandwich which was an open faced, concave piece of bread with some cold (possibly raw) steak atop with some more 'liquified cheese'. Good, but not great. We also got some time of avocado tuna roll, which was good but standard sushi. Also tried the king crab in rasberry jelee, which was more interesting than good. Of course, the foie gras cotton candy lollipops which were nice and sweet, but oh, too small.
In the middle of our meal, we got the nitro caphriana drink which was delicious, freezing, and strong. We shared it like a big bowl of ice cream, but it was a great choice, and really interesting to watch it constructed.
Other dishes included this delicious shaved apple, fennel salad with long, fettucine sized strips of apple with a light vinegrette and some nuts. Really inventive and delicious. There was also a lamb dish (that I forget the name of) atop of a risotto that was really excellent, and a hanger steak (from the traditional tapas menu) that was also one of the highlights. My friend told me to try the cod balls, also from that menu, but we skipped on those.
We had a few dessert dishes (none that I can really remember), but perhaps they just weren't that memorable. We opted not to go into the special patisserie/dessert section of the restaurant, but it looked kind of fun.
Service was very helpful, and very attentive. A really beautiful space, with some great decorations and a kind of modern-baroque design. For the five of us, including everyone getting a drink at the table, we each got at least 2 if not three dishes, it was about $90-$100/person. More of an experience than a meal, definitely worth your time.
We had a table of 7 people and I'd recommend going with a group because you get to try more things!
Some notables:
Nitro Caipirinha - fun. three of us ordered it and it was fun for the whole table to watch her prepare it - like a witch brewing a potion. Texture was like a super smooth sorbet that you eat with a spoon - topped with edible flowers.
Cotton Candy Foie Gras - also fun. Great if you like cold foie gras which I do. Definitely a novelty item but tasty. You just pop the whole bite in your mouth!
Philly cheese steak - good burst of gooey cheese in the middle
Bagel and lox cone - I'm not typically a fan of big orange roe as its like little salt bursts in your mouth but I kind of liked it with the creamy filling as it toned down the saltiness
crab-steamed buns - like little tea sandwiches. were ok.
sauteed shimp - well cooked so a yummy classic item. nothing odd.
codfish fritters - burned all our mouths so be careful eating right away ;) good though with a sweet creamy sauce to dip
squid - good flavor and pretty purple color. if tenticles bother you then you should pass.
chicken croquets - looked like a good super bowl party snack! tasty in that kind of way.
Sweet potato chips with yogurt dip - love these chips and dip seemed a healthy creamy option. I'd like to buy a bag of these.
Modern olives - I love olives and olive juice so it was fun though definitely weird.
Mussels - came in a dish that looked like a sardine can and was served cold with some kind of creamy sauce. I dont' think anyone at our table was a fan of this.
asparagus tempura - light and tasty - I liked the sauce it was serviced with.
Nitro Floating Island - didn't come with the fun display that the nitro drink did as they just brought it to you already made but tasty if you like coconut and passion fruit and defiitely an interesting icey texture.
My night at The Bazaar went just I had planned every night out would go upon my move to Los Angeels. Style, a scene, and delicous food. Although its the first night I've had like that in the 9 months I've lived here, nonetheless I've now found a place to take New York guests who are none the wiser that this all hasn't become routine for me yet.
I'll run through my favorable impressions of the food in a moment, but first will convey my awe at the spectacle of Philippe Starck's interior design and the people that come to party in it. Wow! Felt like I was in Burton's production of Alice in Wonderland. And although the chesire cat was replaced with competing Cougar's there were plenty of the young and the beautiful as well.
The small plates and small portions of intense flavor are my type of tapas. We asked our server to improvise a tasting menu for us of Jose Andres' innovative tapas. I'll recommend the Lox and Bagel, Philly Cheese steak, and the Jicama with Guacamole.
The Bazaar: If you've ever passed by the SLS Hotel on a Friday/Saturday night you might notice its valet is swamped with luxury cars. Be warned, this place does not come cheap. However, if you've got some money to blow and you want to try some traditional Spanish tapas with a twist, this is the place for you to be.
The Bazaar is a popular place, so I would recommend making a reservation on any day except Friday/Saturday as its practically impossible if its not scheduled weeks ahead of time. The restaurant is split from the bar area, where you can still get some tapas as they give you a partial menu, and the decor is absolutely lovely. Servers are attentive but not overly so.
Some of my favorites are:
Cotton candy foi gras. Yes, you heard me right. Cotton candy foi gras. Its served almost like a lollipop; on a stick, with a delicious piece of foi gras coccooned in a white flurry of cotton candy.
Philly cheese steaks, tapas style! These are tiny and succulent and absolutely mouth watering. They're definitely a favorite.
Tuna Cerviche, some chopped sashimi wrapped in avacado. Yum!
There's also a bunch of traditional Spanish tapas, but those are less memorable although equally tasty. The combination of the eclectic food, decor, and overall atmosphere more than makes up for its priceyness.
Hands down my favorite restaurant in LA right now. The Bazaar was the most amazing food experience I've had to date. It's not just a meal. It's an experience. Jose Andres, you are pure genius.
The food is phenomenal. The presentation, the taste... everything!!! Shear brilliance behind the molecular gastronomy-inspired menu. We indulged in the following:
- Not your everyday caprese with cherry tomatoes and liquid mozzarella!
- Olives stuffed with anchovies, marinated red pepper and...
- Liquid olives
- Tuna ceviche and avocado roll with jicama, micro cilantro, coconut dressing and corn nuts
- Japanese taco: grilled eel, shiso, cucumber, wasabi, chicharron
- Beef hanger steak piquillo pepper confit
- Peach, kiwi and liquid mozzarella
- Nitro Coconut Floating Island with passion fruit and vanilla
- White chocolate lollipop with black olive
- Caramelized sunflower seeds
What else is there to say? Just go! You won't be disappointed.
I have been day dreaming about eating my way through the menu ever since I first went. I want to go back. NOW!
* Note: I ate here in April '09 but regardless of the fact that this review is dated, it's still totally tried and true. End note. *
This place gets five stars for the celebrity siting alone: STEVIE WONDER. Stevie-frickin-Wonder y'all!! I saw a musical legend in a muumuu with his entourage sitting only 2 tables down from me. Who cares what the food and ambience was like when you've got clientele like Little Stevie noshing out of an $18 can of King Crab sitting within smelling distance. Sheesh!
Ok, back to the real purpose... ze review.
Word to the wise before making a reservation:
1) Get financing if you plan on truly immersing yourself in the culinary magic that your taste buds are sure to experience at this joint. You will definitely spend at least $100/person even if you don't plan on drinking... which surprisingly I didn't. Yes, I was sober for this experience (see my CRAFT review for reference).
2) Bring a camera that can capture low lit settings ("flash photography in a posh setting like this is just so damn tacky", said the photography snob). The environment is visually arresting especially if you're into eclectic, 18th century meets modern day decor. The museum pastry area offers a stunning landscape with all the crazy avante garde artwork and crazy overpriced dessert yummies. It's kinda like a blend of Willy Wonka's and Wonderland but in LA and without the trippy characters.
3) If you can score some shrooms, LSD or any other hallucinogen, get it. This place screams acid trip city. Plus the drugs will help curb your appetite so you may end up saving your pocketbook (and waistline), inadvertently drop a Benjamin as a tip to the waiter and still take advantage of all the goodness that The Bazaar has to offer. It's a win win situation... JUST KIDDING. Don't do drugs kids. It can cause you to write a droll review such as this one.
4) This is a tapas spot which means you'll come hungry and most likely leave hungry. Ain't no T-bone steak and potatoes here y'all.
OUR ORDER
Manchego 'Pasamontes, king crab with raspberry vinegar, mushroom in garlic and herbs, classic potato omelet, endive with goat cheese, beef hanger steak, sauteed shrimp with garlic and pepper, scallops with "romesco" sauce, seared trout, stuffed olives, mozzarella tomato pipettes, Philly cheesesteak, tempura avocado, flan and ice cream sorbets.
REVIEW OF FOOD
There was no one bad dish that was ordered. Seriously. Everything was absolutely divine. The cheese plate thing, cheesesteak and king crab were the most exceptional items. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough of it but then again refer to item #4 above.
SERVICE
The Bazaar needs to train their host people better, especially in the greeting department. Waiter was pleasant to look at and seemed proficient at the menu. Nothing out of the ordinary to discuss here.
The Bazaar... a definite "must try" spot. If you're uber lucky like me, you too, may sit within smelling distance of an entertainment legend. Don't forget to bring your camera.
What an interesting experience, in particular, some of the new tapas are unique and inspired. Unfortunately we didn't have my nice digital camera so most of the pix turned out less than ideal. Nonetheless, we did manage to capture our dinner w/ a camera and I am re-living the meat every day waiting for my next visit to the Bazaar.
1. We started with the endive and goat cheese salad which was tasty and a good opener but it didn't leave us feeling wow'd. it did leave us wanting more.
2. Next came the "organized caesar" with raw quail egg yolk. I can see how some who may be less adventurous would be turned off but we thought it was quite a unique interpretation, crispy one bite, complex in flavor and texture with the sweet and savory taste of anchovy coming through perfectly (and remember me NOT anchovy fan).
3. Then, we had the fresh interpretation of the classic caprese, "not your everyday caprese" with liquified mozzarella incapsulated in a one inch ball. This was a really clever dish and so well executed technically, but one of the reasons I like the caprese is because I like the texture of the buffalo mozarella cheese. The pesto is a good complement.
4. Next came the biggest disappointment of the night - the hamachi nigiri. Hamachi was too thinly sliced and over-cooked, the watermelon was an odd substitute for rice, and the raw jalepeno completely overwhelmed my taste buds. The "nigiri" was sitting on a very salty soy sauce which did not add add to the dish and only made it more confusing.
I am no award-winning restauranteur or chef, but if the hamachi were thicker and more rare in the middle, it would have been better. Instead of watermelon, a pan-fried crispy toast made of rice or Japanese inoki mushroom giving it a textural contrast might have been more delicious. Finally, get rid of that raw jalapeno or leave it on the side. Not a fan of that at all.
5. Sautee shrimp w/ garlic made up for the very disappointing hamachi nigiri. I liked it a lot although my mate commented that the shrimp seemed to be really fishy. I loved the garlic puree and thought it was a really good combination.
6. Our sixth dish was probably my second favorite tapa of the night - braised beef cheeks. It was tender, perfectly seasoned and extremely flavorful. This is a must have dish.
7. Boneless chicken wings came next and it did not disappoint either. It was perfectly fried and we were amazed how they de-boned the little wings. I loved it. It would have been better if it were slightly more seasoned - a tad bit more sea salt, or even Japanese Tongarashi pepper to perk it up and take it to a different level.
8. The sea urchin pipirrana served in a can came next. The sweetness and richness of the uni was a good contrast to the veggies. This was fresh and tasty but it wasn't amazing. I've certainly had better at sushi bars, but I did like the flavor profile combination.
9. We heard that The Bazaar interpretation of the paella is one of the must try dishes. I'd say, SKIP IT. Using thin broken up angel hair pasta is creative but was I impressed? NO. Was the flavor so amazing that I would opt for this over the traditional seafood saffron paella? NO.
10. Foie gras in cotton candy - ok really delish. Foie gras aside, this dish is fun and whimsical and memorable. I loved it. The foie gras is rich and buttery and the cotton candy is perfectly airy and sweet companion to the foie.
11. Finally, our last tapa of the evening which is also our favorite tapa, the Foie gras sandwich with quince on toasted brioche buns. It was delicious. Even better than the foie gras in cotton candy.
After dining and wining for two hours, we were finally ready to move to the Patisserie. I was excited to go have dessert and enjoy some tea. When our server told us they're preparing a seat for us at the counter of this French-style patisserie bar, I was already dreaming of French macaroons. Unbeknownst to us at the time, there were no French macaroons to be had.
We sat down and looked through the dessert and pastry menu and were so disappointed. Nonetheless, we knew immediately we wanted the panna cotta, madeline, chocolate bon bons, and flan...we went ahead and ordered it all...OMG we were so happy! What a great dessert selection. We decided we were coming back for high tea.
The ambiance was really nice. However, the drinks are very expensive. I guess I'm use to paying $8-$11 for a Grey Goose. They would charge $15 for a small drink. Therefore, be prepared to spend a lot of money... As for the food, they are really good.. However, the portions are really small, so again, if you are really hungry.... Be prepared to spend a lot of $$$$$
UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING!!!!!!!
I have not been as impressed and thoroughly WOWed by a restaurant and the food in such a long time. I've been so bored with the typical "fine dining" establishments serving the same steak or salmon filet. This place blew me away.
My group and I had a few drinks at the SLS lobby lounge while we waited for The Bazaar to open and for our 6pm reservation. The SLS hotel is beautiful. The decor was very high end hunting lodge chic. Order the Caipiroska! So goooood! It's vodka with a little sugar and fresh squeezed lime. This drink was so refreshing I could have easily drank 4 glasses but they're strong!
So when we stepped into The Bazaar the first thing that enters my mind is that I've entered a totally different atmosphere. There is so much to look at and take in with the decor and the ambiance of the place. As our waitress pointed out, it's "Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory meets Maria Antoinette". My definition of the outrageous decor is "eyegasmic" (eye orgasm for those that didn't get that ;P). There is so much visual stimulation with the colors, different types of chairs, textures, etc. I can go on and on.
So anyways, we were seated and was greeted my our lovely server and some white sangria. They had fruits and orange peels with other juices mixed in and then the champagne was added in. Crisp and refreshing. Then we got to the good part and started ordering. This restaurant has great traditional tapas but we were really there for the modern tapas which fall under the category of "Experimental Cuisine". LOVED IT!
Traditional Tapas:
1. Sauteed wild mushrooms - Too salty for my taste but the wild mushrooms were good. Lots of different sizes and tastes.
2. Seared Artic char - Good but nothing that I can't get anywhere else
3. Butifarra Senator Moynihan - Also salty but the sausages were small and savory
4. Beef Hanger steak - Tender for a hanger steak and good but also nothing that I can't get anywhere else
It was the modern tapas that really WOWed me! Amazing presentation and wonderful tastes that I haven't experienced anywhere else.
Modern Tapas:
5. Cotton Candy Foie Gras - I actually don't like foie gras and the texture. However, this was surprisingly very good! It is high on my list of must trys. It's a one pop in your mouth type thing and the sweetness of the cotton candy plus the foie gras just mixes so well together.
6. Not Your Everyday Caprese - An explosion of flavors! You basically take a spoonful of 3 different things including the infused tomato and cheese. The mix in your mouth and the taste is unforgettable. Definitely NOT your average.
7. Japanese peaches and kiwi - Sweet peaches and mixed well with the yogurt. However, compared to the other dishes, this isn't high on the list. This dish would be perfect for a Sunday brunch with a mimosa though. It tasted like a sunny, breezy morning.
8. Watermelon tomato skewers - This was one of my least favorites. It's exactly what the name is. No surprlises.
9. Watermelon Nigiri - AMAZING! 23 on my list! If you had to choose one of the watermelon skewer dishes, definitely choose this one.
10. Tuna Ceviche and Avocado Roll - This dish was so damn good we order 2 more! This was #1 tied with the Philly Cheesesteak. I couldn't decide between the two! Delicate on the outside and so full of different flavors on the inside. The tuna mixed with the sea salt was fresh and the taste lingered. SO GOOD!
11. Philly Cheesesteak - OMG just thinking of this makes me drool. This was not what I pictured it to look like but the taste was unbelievable! Light and airy on the outside and inside was an explosion of cheese! I love cheese!!! We order 3 more of these babies!
12. Sea urchin - I normally don't like uni but this was fresh and not gross to me at all. I don't like the texture of uni but this sea urchin was pretty good.
Dessert was scrumptious as well. We decided to go to the dessert section which reminded me of the Mad Hatter's tea party in Alice in Wonderland meets a high end South Coast Plaza boutique store. We tried so many small dessert and chocolates but the top three were:
1. Chocolate pop rocks - reminded me of my childhood!
2. Chocolate and hazelnut dish
3. Coconut cake with white chocolate and passion fruit
Decadent and truly wonderful. My taste buds were singing! I was full from the amazing dinner but I couldn't stop myself from eating more of this. I love this place and would definitely recommend it to a fellow foodie and people with an open mind about food. The portions are small and the tastes are unique so if you aren't adventurous, I don't recommend this place. Towards the end, the service became really slow but it was also a Friday night and it was packed so I'm a bit understanding on that end. I will HAVE to go again soon! 5 BIG BOLD STARS!!!!
Bazzar by Jose Andres offers
Excellent waiter service,
Amazing Ambiance
Delicate food
Photographers....and I... LOVE pretty stuff!
Despite the 45min wait,
SLS Hotel provided PLENTY of beautiful sparkly girly decors and interior to keep everyone entertained.
I can't really complain since I LOVE every restaurant that offers Tapas!
Our server Michael is one of the best waiters I've come across so far.
He knew exactly what to suggest!
The service was fast, excellent and he was extremely accommodating with my food photography and knew when and what to bring out first.
On top of that, when our nitrogen coconut floating dessert didn't come out as expected, he went back to the kitchen and literally came back running before the nitrogen deflated and got me a perfectly shaped dessert. Plus, the second one was on the house, which made my night even more exciting!
It was freezing cold outside, waiting for the valet, but pumping into Marilu Henner from the show Taxi made the wait exciting =D
Valet parking is $10 dollars,
Always reserve 2-3 days in advance as they fill up pretty fast.
Their Moss exhibit is entertaining so make sure to look around!
Have fun~!!!
When it comes to sticking to reservations, they don't fare so well.
We made 8:30 pm reservations but were seated at 9:40.
Not a good start, but to make up for it, we were seated at the chef's table and we were comped part of our meal.
A word of advice: stick to groups of 3. Most dishes come out with 3 pieces.
I don't even remember everything we ate, so I'll stick with a few highlights.
Croquetas de pollo. Very well done. So simple, but the taste that comes through is amazing.
Jamon platter. With the tomato spread baguette slices. The jamon is cured so well, it almost melts.
Japanese tacos. If you like eel, you'll like this. Very tiny, but so is everything else on their menu.
Olives. Very salty. Very tasty, if you like olives and anchovies. The reconstructed ones were not as good, in my opinion. I think half of the joy of olives comes from it's texture.
Philly cheesesteak. Good, but don't try to take it in two bites. Just do one.
The floating coconut island is a must try for dessert.
Did not like: ultimate spanish tapas (potato salad), fried cod (too salty, did not taste like fish), and endives (not a fan of goat cheese in this case).
Free Tacos!
Los Angeles, CA
Late Night Happy Hour
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Category: Hotels
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Category: Tapas Bars
Venice, CA
Category: Wine Bars
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