Red Medicine

1/6/2015

I know the owner shamed no shows when the restaurant first opened (article below) but I've only had good experiences at Red Medicine. First I had a work dinner there and each plate that came out was entertainment as well as food.

Then I came back for a date and loved the atmosphere and beef tartare there.

You're not going to walk out stuffed but you will walk out with some new favorites. It's small bites and great drinks.

huffingtonpost.com/2013/…

10/9/2014

• 1 check-in

Red Medicine is definitely an interesting experience.  They are small portions, but everything is definitely unique and innovative.  The plating of all the dishes are absolutely beautiful, but you really do have to have an appreciation for these unique flavors to fully enjoy your meal.  All the dishes I tried were light and refreshing so this is not a heavy meal at all.  In my opinion, I enjoyed the desserts here a lot more than the actual dishes so although Red Medicine is closing down this month, I hope Jordan Khan continues to create amazing desserts in his future culinary endeavors.

- Foraged Mushrooms: This was just okay and probably my least favorite dish.  There was something tangy that threw off the taste of the mushrooms.

- Santa Barbara Uni: Light and refreshing, but could barely taste any uni.

- Trout Roe: Interesting dish that comes in a glass globe. You crack the frozen top that is made out of peas, lemon curd, and I want to say some type of crust?  Then you mix it in with everything and taste it all together.  It is one of those dishes where you're first surprised and makes you go "Hmm that was interesting" but not actually sure if you liked it or not.  

- Imperial Wagyu Beef Brisket: This is one of their "large format" dishes and it is 32 oz of braised beef that you eat bossam style.  It comes with sides and fish sauce so you wrap it with everything together.  Yum!  I think I was happy to taste meat ahha

- Birch ice:  Dessert time! This was another plate that comes in a glass globe with an almond praline crust.  You tap the crust once again to enjoy with all the flavors of the shaved ice.

- Coconut bavarois:  Omg, this is my absolute favorite dish of the night.  There were flavors of coffee, coconut, peanut butter, thai basil, and condensed milk.  It sounds like a strange combination, but then again, what doesn't here?  Everything just went very well with each other and I want more! haha

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  So good

  So good
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  Dessert

  Dessert
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  Brisket

  Brisket
• See all photos from Lily T. for Red Medicine

5/17/2014

• 1 check-in

Red Rum. Red Rum. Eating here read-backwards was murder on patience and temperament.  A Red Mess.

The food was innovative, outlandishly even, and delicious. The pheasant was the best: And the least easiest to identify-the-accompaniments "in the style of Alain Chapel" - we never were advised to what strange ingredients were combined to this scientific dish. The sweet potato with smoked tofu & tamarind was our least favorite, both in taste and appeal.  The Santa Barbara Uni, a cold dish, swimming in almond milk & unripe melon was difficult to share.

Our greeting into the cool space was confusing - due the Maitre 'D or Host, who insisted we had to be seated, served, and out within 45-minutes? Ridiculous. Our (VIP) Open Table Reservation was either overlooked or disregarded. We believe our server, Molly as pleasant as-she-remained - directed us to the quicker-to prepare and sooner-to-devour entrees, disappointing as it was, ensuring we were out in time.

Diners surrounding us - as the restaurant was mostly unseated close to 7:00pm, enjoyed terrariums filled with Large Format entrees. We savored at-the-sighting of Dungeness Crab & Imperial Wagyu Beef Brisket.

Never wanting to return, due the cold-reception & later confrontational-exit again by the Maitre'D.  We now, refer to it as Meh Medicine.

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  Sweet potatoes

  Sweet potatoes

2/17/2014

• 1 check-in

WTF moment #1. No valet parking.

WTF moment #2. Deceptively stiff cocktails that taste nothing like alcohol and getcha good...real good. Thought I got roofied cause I got uber drunk mid Valentine's day prix fixe from sipping on my #92. The cocktail was a complex meld of flavors ranging from sweet to tart and mouthpuckeringly sour at the end. yelp.com/biz_photos/red-… I did also have a sip of #89 which tasted like a sweet fruity punch. yelp.com/biz_photos/red-…

WTF moment #3. I ate art. I felt guilty destroying and devouring each dish, but every gorgeous botanical masterpiece tasted even better than it looked. Visual presentation was stunning with innovative tastes and textures.

WTF moment #4. My fave dish looked like a terrarium. yelp.com/biz_photos/red-… Trout roe, lemon curd with snap peas arrived in what resembled a glass fishbowl topped with a thin sheet of green ice. Easy on the eyes and amazing on the tongue, and definitely the most memorable. The carnivorous boyfriend deemed the main entree of Japanese pork, red currant, arctic rose as his favorite. yelp.com/biz_photos/red-…

WTF moment #5. Seafood fritter looked like a warped churro on a rock. yelp.com/biz_photos/red-… Service was on point and punctual. Actually a bit too quick, cause I practically bit off the waitress' hand when she tried to clear my rock before I was done. Decor is a little uninspired aside from the medicinal utensils cup which held a hodge podge of giant spoons, medium forks and chopsticks.

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  Black carrots, geranium, birch, jasmine, syrup of flower petals $11

  Black carrots, geranium, birch, jasmine, syrup of flower petals $11
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  Pork cheeks, red currant, arctic rose $28

  Pork cheeks, red currant, arctic rose $28
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  Young potatoes poached in cream of sweet butter yeast, crisp rice dumplings, wild grass sauced with wheatgrass and chive juice

  Young potatoes poached in cream of sweet butter yeast, crisp rice dumplings, wild grass sauced with wheatgrass and chive juice
• See all photos from Jennifer J. for Red Medicine

6/24/2014

• 1 check-in

Unique flavors and beautiful presentations for all the dishes. There wasn't one dish I didn't like. I even enjoyed Uni when i normally don't like it but the taste was light and refreshing.

The biodynamic leeks are a MUST order. It was packed with so much flavor in a small bite. The desserts were all really good as well! Small and intimate seating so wouldn't be the best place for a large party. Great service and ambiance for a date night.

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  Biodynamic leeks

  Biodynamic leeks
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2/13/2014

• 1 check-in

• Listed in FAVES, Yelp 100 Challenge -2014

WOW, WOWZERS! Seriously, I don't even know how to review this place. It's unique, fresh, creative, artistic and WOW! My best friend took me here to celebrate my birthday. This was one of the BEST birthdays that I will never forget. My bestie heard about this place when she was watching a show on TV. She mentioned about a chef cooking with fresh earthy edibles that he picked from nature.

Chef Jordan Kahn has talent. His dishes are truly a conversational piece. The whole time we were here, we were talking about the flavors & texture of the food. This is a place where you just have to sit back & enjoy what is given too you. Be adventurous. The presentation were exquisite. It was too pretty to eat. I took my time tasting the flavors  and savored every bite. I was in my own little world. My eyes rolling back in my head with mmmmmm's and ahhhhhhhh's.

The menu was simple but the description of the dishes were another language. So poetic. Balsam fir, lovage, sorrel curd, oat moss, in the Japanese method, alliums.  Oh yea, so fancy! The dishes are made fresh.  The dishes are meant to be shared. Don't be alarmed. The food doesn't look a lot but it's more than enough. We were stuffed. We shared the New England Scallops cooked over hot river rocks, served in a pot that reminded me of the beach & ocean,  Foraged Mushrooms was served in a glass dome, that reminded me of a plant terrarium,  Sweet Potatoes melted in my mouth with sweetness & warmth. For dessert, Green Strawberry and Milk Chocolate Cream were so DIVINE! We ate & tried everything on the plate & did not leave anything behind. I left Red Medicine with gratitude & appreciation.

Thank you Chef Jordan, for bringing me into your world & sharing what you do best. The experience was delightful!  Red Medicine is the perfect medicine for my soul. It's exactly what the doctor ordered! I will be back.

Thank you to my bestie, yelp bud, sister Dimple-Ludmilla B.F. for a very fun & unique experience. I enjoyed every bite. Yes I did... you witnessed it for the first time, my "Hercules" clap! xoxo

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  Milk Chocolate Cream

  Milk Chocolate Cream
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  Green Strawberry

  Green Strawberry
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  New England Scallops

  New England Scallops
• See all photos from Anna J. for Red Medicine

11/2/2014

• 1 check-in

I visited Red Medicine the last day they were open on Halloween night and went with the $65 tasting menu. I was told most visitors that evening were industry people.

What I found was it was such a bargain for what I ate.  There was so much food for the "tasting." The last value tasting I've done where I felt the experience was worth more than what I was paying was at Chef Gary Menes' Le Comptoir and Chef Craig Thornton's Wolvesmouth (which was pay as you wish or if you want).

With each dish, I found my senses were heightened at the creativity of each dish and knowing the chef was a forager. I made sure I tasted all the greens in each dish.  Despite being the last night of service, the entire staff were all very attentive and professional.

The highlight of the evening tasting was the "Redwood Ice" dessert.  Quite possibly the best dessert I've ever had. I knew going in that the chef's specialty was more of dessert working as a pastry chef at French Laundry and Alinea -- a couple of the top restaurants in the country. I knew that I was in for a treat. I read that this concept was his foray outside of the world of pastries and desserts.

I can't wait to see Jordan Kahn's next endeavor and experience his next project.  He definitely is gifted and passionate about his craft.

Not much of a Vietnamese restaurant as originally described when Red Medicine first launched, but more of avant garde type restaurant similar to my experiences dining at several of Chef Jose Andres' restaurants.

The only complaint was the lighting. It was way too dark to see what I was eating. I have heard that your sense of taste is heightened dining in darker places.

One of my most memorable dining experiences in my life. Bravo Chef Kahn!

10/18/2014

Features:
-I am really sad that this place is closing in two weeks but nevertheless, I would like to express how delicious and how creative every single dish was.
-We tried the dungeness crab with sea bean porridge and egg yolk.  The crab itself was very soft and tasty.  The brassicas, which are toasted greens in duck broth, is a must.  It basically consisted of toasted cabbage and other greens that were very flavorful.  The leeks with buttermilk was very different.  It was prepared well and they pour the sauce right around it so you can dip your leeks into it.  I never really liked leeks but this was a good dish.  The chicken dumplings were a MUST!  They give you vegetables for you to wrap your dumplings in and you get to put radish or whatever you like with it.  The foraged mushrooms were good, I really liked the presentation of it.  However, there weren't many mushrooms on the plate.  The Santa Barbara uni were served with almond milk and kei apple with cheese on top.  This had a very distinctive and drawing flavor.
-For the large formats, we had the delicious, tasty, and hot New England scallops that were cooked over hot river stones.  Now that is something special--never seen that before.  It was good, not too salty, and I loved the dipping sauce it came with.  It tasted almost like a Vietnamese fish sauce.  The final entree was the imperial wagyu beef brisket which was braised for 36 hours with palm sugar and fish sauce.  It was super tender and mouth watering delicious.  By this time, I was absolutely full so I couldn't eat much of this.
-For desserts, we had the redwood ice.  It topped with almost praline and you basically had to break it and mix it into the rest of the bowl.  I recommend this.  I also tried the milk chocolate cream which was super distinctive and delectable--try this!!

Improvements:
-The dishes were small.  I wish they had more food for every dish.
-The inside was a bit dark, it was a tad hard to see my food.  

Tip:
-Only two weeks left until they close so try this place now!
-Make sure you order the dungeness crab, chicken dumplings, redwood ice, and the milk chocolate cream!

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  Milk chocp cream

  Milk chocp cream
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  Redwood ice

  Redwood ice
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  Leeks

  Leeks
• See all photos from Kristy L. for Red Medicine

12/22/2013

Wow. This place has a cool vibe. The presentations on the plates were amazing.

Unfortunately they just didn't taste very good.

Such a shame I really wanted to like this place. See my pictures. The food is beautiful to look at just not that great in your mouth. I guess if your goal is to stay thin, this is the place.

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  Coconut bavarois, coffee, condensed milk, thai basil, peanut croquant - Very good

  Coconut bavarois, coffee, condensed milk, thai basil, peanut croquant - Very good
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  Leeks I think? This was really twiggy - not so good

  Leeks I think? This was really twiggy - not so good
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  Not really sure what this was again

  Not really sure what this was again
• See all photos from David T. for Red Medicine

9/3/2013

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Tasting Menu

Of all the tasting menus I've ever tried, the 6 course @ Red Medicine is the most daring & innovative one.  Unlike others, like how they take a known dish and put their own creative spin on it ,  Red Medicine creates dishes that made me say, "what in the world is this?"

example:  Mix in Las Vegas creats their own versions of steak or fish dishes... and even created their candy bar for dessert, made inhouse. Throughout the tasting menu experience, you know it's a meal w/ courses.

yelp.com/biz/mix-las-veg…  )

Red Medicine brings out dishes (or bowls...   you'll see) and if without instructional intervention by the servers, you'll just stare at it, wondering what the hell it is.

** Check out my pics for reference.

1. Trout  Roe: Served in a glass bowl. Take a spoon & break the top shell, which is molded from frozen snap peas. Scoop as many ingredients onto the spoon. Eat it, and then wonder what is going on inside your mouth.

2.Fresh Cream: It's like a nicely plated floral arrangement. Took steady hands and proper color placement to create this. Looks better than it tastes.

3. Dungeoness Crab: Served in a big bowl, crab meat is buried under a bed of fine, fiberous crystal lettuce. It has a slight sweet soy flavor. Never had crab served this way before.

4. Young potatoes: One of the more simpler dishes as the potatoes are kept whole, and not made into something unrecognizable.

5, Lamb's Shoulders:  Roasted, with a small piece of fat on the otherwise lean cut of lamb. The flavor of the lamb alone can use a bit more salt and I found myself hoping for a smoky taste. But if eaten with all ingredients & sauce on the plate, it's a totally different experience.

6. Shaved Ice of Redwood Stems: You won't see any actual shaved ice. This multi-layered dessert has so much flaovrs going on, I found my palate trying to keep up. Similar to the Trout Roe, you break open the "lid" to the glass bowl, stir & scoop into your mouth. The lid is sweet, the bottom notes are tart.

So for creativity, innovation and the artistry: a definite 5!
The flavor: 3 as my palate tried to dissect the flavors endlessly, instead of being able to simply enjoy it.
Avg: 4

Will I go back? Mmmmmaybe. But I would not order the same plates.
Should you? Only if you go w/ an open mind and appreciate the originality, and not to complain abot how it's supposed to taste.  

Unlike other tasting menus, it's charged per person but served in one bowl/plate as it's meant to be shared. Then just charge one full price! No one is going to come in alone to have a tasting menu!

Q: Why is it called Red Medicine?
A:  It's the owner's favorite Fugazi album. Hardcore rock, not my thing.  
Rumor is that it's his favorite color, and the natural herbs he generously uses are like medicine, thus R.M.  If you go in, ask your server the same question and pls send me a note letting me know if their answers match.  

To me, Red Medicine is an experience, not an actual meal. But surprisingly, I left there feeling like I had one, and I was quite full.

Tips:
For a trendy place in Beverly Hills, they don't have valet. If you arrive a bit after 6, there might be street parking at the meters, and you don't even have to feed it. I got lucky and parked only a block away. Otherwise, cough up 10 bucks for garage across the street.

The later you go, the louder it will get. The restaurant turns into a lively bar scene. If you don't want to shout across the table, go earlier.

Arrive w/ no expectations. Chances are, you'll be surprised. Expect a gourmet meal and you may be disappointed.

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  The tasting menu

  The tasting menu
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  Course 6 of 6. Shaved Ice

  Course 6 of 6. Shaved Ice
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  Course 5 of 6. Lamb's Shoulders

  Course 5 of 6. Lamb's Shoulders
• See all photos from James L. for Red Medicine

8/3/2014

Red Medicine, probably not the two words you associate with when you think delicious food and so it should come as no surprise that this was no exception. However, before I breakdown the meal let me tell you a bit about this beautifully decorated space with high ceilings, a modern bar, an open kitchen, and somewhat rustic wooden feel. Okay, now that's that out of the way...

The three of us have decided to pretty much order half the menu to get the best feel for the dishes presented and so first on the medicine list was the Wild Yellowfin Tuna. The dish was borough over in a big white bowl and the server presenting it poured  smoked cream into the middle of the crudo as she recited the ingredients for the millionth time in a monotonous unenthused voice. Actually, almost all dishes came with some sort of a pour-over, in a ridiculous bowl, and a zombie like server making a presentation he or she were probably somewhat embarrassed to have to sell their customers on. That being said, our main waitress was wonderful and if I was able to, I would give five stars just for her friendliness and attentiveness, but I digress.

In my best understanding of this dish, it was meant to be some sort of a play on smoked fish and cream cheese, but serving it with clusters of some super sweet whatchamacallits, would probably not be my first choice. Perhaps a spoonful of sugar was supposed to help the medicine go down?

The best parts about this dish were the dill fronds. Even the tuna had an off putting texture as if though it wasn't unfrozen in time for service.

The second prescription was for Biodynamic Leeks with buttermilk and yuzu (pour over). The best part of this dish were the thin pieces of crispy bread-like pieces. The entire dish looked pretty and off putting at the same time. It was artistically presented on a large platter, but as you picked up the limp, lifeless, leek it just hung off your fork making you question your choices in life. As I composed the perfect bite with every ingredient on the plate and proceeded to masticate the forkful, I was only left with disappointment. The leek itself was chewy and stringy as well as being overlooked. I'm not certain how one is able to accomplish such feat. The accompanying flavors simply did not work. Sour buttermilk with sour yuzu - now what's that about?

Brassicas, Dungeness Crab, Halibut, and Pork Cheeks followed. The halibut was the worst of the three, as it was probably the most drab dish I have seen. White on white with an undercooked slimy egg, acidic, flavors and the worst plate to eat a fish off of I have ever seen. The Crab dish was okay, that is to say that everything on it except for the crab tasted good. Brassicas or roasted and fried Savoy cabbage, conceptually, was an interesting dish, but having the cores from the cabbage on the plate is not my idea of high end dining, especially when the majority of the food was not even chewable.

Best on the worst dishes of the night, was the pork cheek. Yes, more pour overs and gimmicks, but the cheek itself, at least my piece, was cooked perfectly and had a very delectable glaze. However, this is not even close for me to ever consider coming back here.

Despite the pleadings from our waitress to try their signature dessert we decided to abstain from possibly even more disappointment and left with empty bellies and lighter wallets.

I always knew that medicine was not suppose to taste good, but this was beyond anything I could imagine from a critically acclaimed restaurant with such promising offerings. In the end, it all comes down to one thing and one thing only - taste.

10/13/2014

• 1 check-in

I took a friend for her birthday to dinner on a Sunday night.  The top three items - chicken dumplings, dungeness crab, and the redwood ice dessert.  I'd come back to eat those three items again!

First off, I love the decor - super high ceilings, a combination of booths and tables, low lights, a funky vibe.  The ambiance makes the restaurant feel fun, festive, and exciting without the snobbery or the stuffiness.

We started off with a drink - she had a martini and I had a glass of a French chardonnay.    The cocktail wasn't all that special but they do use a SUPER PREMIUM russian vodka and a super cute cocktail glass (see my pic).  I just thought the glass and the atypical vodka made the drink more fun and adventurous.

We ordered off the menu (although did contemplate the tasting) - we ordered 5 items (actually 6 if you count the dessert) between the 2 of us... we started off with the duck liver and the chicken dumplings.  

The dumplings are AWESOME.  They make the restaurant an asian fusion place - it's a take on a chicken lettuce wrap but it's done to the nines... juicy balls of chicken meat with a glaze, siracha and hoisin on the side with herbs, garlic chips and lime - the bibb lettuce just makes the dish so fresh and delicious.  I would go back just to eat that dish again.

Then came the mushrooms and the brassica.  I love love loved the mushrooms - the cheese, the barley or maybe quinoa (not sure but some sort of grain)... the umami was oozing out of this dish - the mushrooms were just plain divine.

The final savory was the dungeness crab - this makes the place feel like a chic, upscale fusion restaurant.  The perfect balance of the sweet crab meat with the greens, the sauce, the poached egg... every bite was familiar yet foreign.  This was the other stand out.

After that gluttonous meal, we decided to look at the dessert menu and not order anything... but we ordered the Redwood ice - by far the best thing on the menu.  It's like an italian granita but with an asian twist OR an asian shaved ice with a European twist.  Which ever way you look at it - it was DELICIOUS.  The almond, praline, white chocolate was divine.  The ice bits were fresh, the various fruit add-ons were perfection.

Overall, the service, the mood, the food all top notch.  I can't believe I haven't gone by earlier.  I definitely give it my full endorsement.

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  Dessert - redwood ice

  Dessert - redwood ice
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  Dungeness crab

  Dungeness crab
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  Brassica

  Brassica
• See all photos from Michael P. for Red Medicine

10/27/2014

Oh what a shame that this place will be shutting down next week.  I've been dying to try this place since it opened, but the trek into the heart of West Hollywood was just too daunting for this middle aged couple.  But the fear of missing out won out last weekend, and we finally made it out.

First off, UBER IT!  There is NO parking around the area, so you'll have to try your luck on the streets.  There is a lot across Wilshire, but if you come during a show at the nearby theater like we did, you'll be SOL.

Also, try to get one of the window seats - there are about 4 booths along the north window that are a little more quiat and intimate (even though you're against a huge window).

I'm not going to go into detail about the food (there are enough reviews, and like I said, shutting down), but everything was pretty and tasty.  The presentation is really what makes the experience.  The cocktails were also quite tasty - I'm really into the sweet drinks, and my "mango lassi" and almond milk drinks were spot on.

I don't quite understand what's going on - something about the landlord finding another tenant.  I wouldn't be surprised if Red Medicine popped up elsewhere soon.  It's really a special place!

8/14/2014

• 1 check-in

Check one off the bucket list of restaurants! Red Medicine located in Beverly Hills is anything but your typical weekend excursion. It presents its patrons with an opportunity to partake in a culinary adventure inspired by Vietnamese cuisine. When I say 'inspired', I use the term loosely. Red Medicine's manifesto clearly tells the tale of how its concept was conceived over Vietnamese food runs at 3am after working 18-hour shifts in a kitchen. Chef Jordan Kahn's talents and creativity are apparent in the dishes served at Red Medicine and his training and expertise are definitely nothing to sneeze at. He was the youngest chef to have ever worked under Thomas Keller at French Laundry and later Per Se in New York. He also trained under Chef Grant Achatz at Alinea in Chicago.

The entire experience reminded me of Christmas time. The earthy rustic decor, fresh foraged ingredients, and plating served as gifts to its diners - beautifully wrapped with a delectable treat inside. The New York Observer compared Chef Kahn's dishes to works of art such those created by Salvador Dali. Our waitress explained to us that the dishes were meant to be shared and recommended ordering two to three plates per person. We ordered eight dishes between five girls and found it to be enough food. I would definitely recommend visiting with a group so that you can try a larger selection of dishes.

What really stood out to me was the attentiveness and service of the restaurant. As one of the members at our table is pregnant, Chef Kahn and his staff made every effort to create each dish to accommodate her dietary restrictions, double checking that each dish was to our liking. The serving staff thoroughly explained each dish upon presentation and answered our multitude of questions. The patient and personable demeanor of the staff really elevated the experience.

The items we selected include:
- Chicken Dumplings, caramelized sugar, confitures
- Sweet Potatoes, smoked tofu, tamarind
- Santa Barabara Uni, almond milk, kei apple
- Wild Yellowfin Tuna, roasted kale oil, quince
- Dungeness Crab, sea bean porridge, egg yolk
- Foraged Mushrooms, brown butter, balsam fir
- Alaskan Halibut, seaweed, onions
- Pork Cheeks, red currant, arctic rose

It's always an honor when the chef allows me into his space. Chef Jordan Kahn was so welcoming and easy to talk to (and so tall!). I was happy to pay my compliments to the Chef as our dinner was truly a unique experience.

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  Pork cheeks

  Pork cheeks
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  Alaskan halibut

  Alaskan halibut
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  Foraged mushrooms

  Foraged mushrooms
• See all photos from Wendy A. for Red Medicine

8/14/2013

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Jonathan Gold's 101 Best Restaurants

REDWOOD ICE.

You haven't experienced life until you've gotten this dessert. It may not sound appetizing: red currant gelee & puree, redwood-flavored shaved ice, orange blossom foam, almond praline cream, topped with a light white-chocolate wafer... but I promise you that you will never be the same after feasting on it.

It's earthy and fruity and citrusy and sweet all at the same time, and the textures will confuse and delight your palate. Time and space seriously halted for me as I dug my spoon into the fish bowl and scooped out all of the incredible flavors. Somebody here on Yelp said that it's like the dessert version of LSD... I couldn't agree more.

The food here is meh. I liked the brussel sprouts; I couldn't taste the contents of the spring roll; the halibut was too bland without the sauce but too sweet with the sauce. But that redwood ice, baby, is 5 fantastic, shining, gold stars. Get it, get it, GET IT.

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  Redwood ice... GET THIS!!!

  Redwood ice... GET THIS!!!
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  Crispy spring rolls

  Crispy spring rolls
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  Wild Alaskan halibut

  Wild Alaskan halibut
• See all photos from Jennifer B. for Red Medicine

9/5/2013

A pushy, petty waiter started the whole evening off on a sour note. Two out of four of us wanted to try the Tasting Menu, and the other two group members wanted to make their own menu decisions. Apparently, the Tasting Menu could only be had if all table parties uniformly ordered it.

Soon after, we learned that we could still individually order from the Tasting Menu anyway, just each item à la carte, and so we did. But, our waiter either did not know this up front, or made a point to not make it easy to simply reveal those details to our table when asked... Much more of a hassle than necessary.

Despite that, two paragraphs later, I was extremely satisfied with the food itself once each plate arrived. Very creatively crafted and unique, particularly in getting to push down the ice by spoon into the trout roe glass bowl. They were probably too artsy for my dad, but I appreciate the look and flavor from each dish. The dungeness crab from Oregon was probably my favorite.

I'm still curious about the significance for the title of the restaurant itself. Medicinal? Okay, perhaps suggestive of healing properties, but red? The majority of foods were green due to all of the vegetation involved. Maybe a first aid kit...? The restaurant itself was gray on the exterior. Dishes were too ornamental to exude first aid to me...

While I enjoyed the tastes, decor and even background music, my initial thoughts of the waiter overshadow the experience.

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  Shaved Ice of Redwood Stems

  Shaved Ice of Redwood Stems
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  Dungeness Crab from the Oregon Coast

  Dungeness Crab from the Oregon Coast
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  Trout Roe

  Trout Roe

7/16/2014

When the dishes are presented to you, you will feel as if you stepped into a mystical wonderland of edibles. Each dish looks as if they were created in an enchanted forest by mythical fairies and sprites. The flavors of each dish are robust and very earthy.

I enjoyed the Imperial Wagyu Beef Brisket which is braided and looks like a log. The presentation of the Foraged Mushrooms was amazing, it comes in a glass sphere which they take away so make sure you ask to snap a photo first! The mushrooms were very fresh and earthy as if they were just plucked from the ground. The Chicken Dumplings were good but nothing spectacular. For dessert order the Redwood Ice, you break through the almond prailne and eat out of the glass sphere,  it has so many different flavors and textures! Had some other items but nothing worth writing about.

The Duck Liver Mouse was very pungent and bitter, I didn't care for it.

I say experience it once if you're a foodie.  Not sure I would need go back.

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  Foraged Mushrooms

  Foraged Mushrooms
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  Redwood Ice

  Redwood Ice
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7/20/2014

• 1 check-in

Red Medicine had been on my bookmarks for quite some time now and I was really excited for the opportunity to finally try it. Vietnamese fusion sounded really interesting to me but it was incredibly disappointing and overpriced.

PRESENTATION: A mix of inventive/phenomenal to extremely unappealing. Yes it happened all in once place.

SERVICE: Great!

FOOD: Meh..

Foraged Mushrooms were one of my favorites. It was tasty and pretty.. it came in a glass dome!

There was a salad I liked the most out of everything I ate here.. I think it had beets, maybe feta? So yea the taste was not the best part of this place :)

Chicken Dumplings were good.. colorful.

Brisket- One of the most unappealing dishes I have ever seen. Well it was long and brown shaped into a log.. with a bright green sauce. This was the smaller dish version, i cant even imagine what the main dish of this looked like. Either way it felt like it was missing components, I mean..it was meat log on a plate. It was extremely heavy I only had a few bites and my stomach was in pain the whole night as was my date's..

Birch Ice Desert- Almond praline, red currant, orange blossom, jasmine. Im not sure exactly what this was.. it was interesting to eat for sure. tasted.. alright. Comes in a big bowl of foam.

Milk Chocolate in the Japanese Method Desert- Balls of chocolate and other balls of stuff.. rich, some parts kinda tasteless.. couldn't eat much of it and i have a sweet tooth.Very Beautiful though.

Not coming back here.

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  Foraged mushrooms.

  Foraged mushrooms.
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  Chicken dumplings.

  Chicken dumplings.
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  The brisket small plate.. Super heavy. Not appealing.

  The brisket small plate.. Super heavy. Not appealing.

8/3/2014

• 1 check-in

Came here with my bff on a belated birthday "try a new restaurant together ritual." The restaurant sign was not visible and there was no valet!!!

The ambiance of the restaurant is interesting. The cold metal chairs are appropriate to its name..I felt like I was eating inside a medical clinic. I ordered the #95 cocktail my friend ordered the #98. They tasted a little mediciny. We saw the table next to us ordered the #90 so we ordered it also..it came in an enclosed jar and you have to shake it before drinking. #90 definitely tastes better!

Food wise...I think the strength of this restaurant is their food. Soo delicious. Foraged mushrooms enclosed with a glass dome + shredded dungeness crab mixed with egg yolk + complimentary Santa Barbara Uni (tasted even better because it's complimentary) + New England Scallops cooked over hot river stones served with banchan for vegetable wraps. The only one thing I recommend is to change the sour pickle and carrots. They don't really contemplate the Scallops in the wrap. The mushrooms in the pot also are sour so everything ended up tasting overly sour. We ordered the highly reviewed Redwood Ice for dessert. Shaved icee topped with a sheet of almond praline and white chocolate.

Overall I highly recommend this restaurant for gathering or just a night out. I definitely picked an awesome place with good ambiance, creative food decorations, and drinks.

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  Redwood Ice topped with Almond Praline

  Redwood Ice topped with Almond Praline
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  New England Scallops and banchan

  New England Scallops and banchan
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  Santa Barbara Uni

  Santa Barbara Uni
• See all photos from David C. for Red Medicine

8/31/2013

• 2 check-ins

The first thing I have to say is that if there's something on the menu that you'd like to order but the price is not listed... ASK. Because you don't want to be surprised when the bill comes. With THAT said... the New England Scallops is quite a unique dish as it's served in a large Le Creuset pot cooking on 500 degree hot stones. Then you get side dishes like pickled radish, carrot and cucumber and lettuce to wrap it in. The mushrooms are also VERY tasty and delicious and the whole look of the dish reminds me of the bottom of an aquarium. Anyways, price was not listed and turns out it was $85. Kind of not worth it for let's say 6 scallops and some mushrooms and veggies on the side. Kind of wish the waiter let us know but our fault too for not asking...

Moving on.

The presentation of the food here is phenomenal and creative. I was looking forward to the banh mi but it turned out to be just okay. I think I'm used to my authentic Vietnamese bbq pork meat instead of the pork belly and pâté. The bread from Bouchon was fresh though! But I wouldn't recommend it. Don't get the hype.

Brussel sprouts - really flavorful, would definitely recommend!

For dessert I'd recommend the "Redwood Ice". This is truly a unique dessert with really interesting combination of flavors (orange blossom, jasmine, red currant and almond) and it's beautifully presented in a fish bowl. It reminded me of a terrarium plant. At first taste I thought it was a little strange but it definitely grew on me the more I ate it. I really loved the soft almond top that you have to break through when you first eat it.

I remember not liking any of mine or my friend's cocktails when I came last time so I would skip the drinks. Service was okay, nothing spectacular to rave about. I would not say this is a place you MUST try and I probably won't return unless someone is dying to come here. It's "a-ok" but more on the "meh" side.