Red Medicine

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.

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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.

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

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.

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.

One of our new favorite places! Vietnamese really isn't the proper classification for this restaurant, but this place might actually be in a class of its own - it's unlike any other Asian fusion place I've ever eaten. With 4 of us, we ordered 6 dishes plus 2 desserts, which turned out to be just the right amount of food.

Persimmon-cinnamon shrub: A clear housemade soda with an appropriately Christmas-like flavor. Fun!

Crispy spring roll: Who ever heard of putting real crab meat in a spring roll? Love.

Green papaya salad: Refreshing and delicious.

Duck: Quite possibly one of the best prepared duck dishes I've ever had. The skin was crispy and the meat was tender and infused with the most delectable smoky flavor. I can go either way on duck, am often disappointed, and absolutely loved this.

Pork: Reminiscent of char siu, perfectly tender and savory.

Chinese lion pepper: Shishito peppers covered in almond powder - strange and delicious. Don't miss this.

Brussels sprouts: With that nice char to them, even my husband loved them. And he hates Brussels sprouts except at the finest restaurants.

Coconut bavarois: I don't even know how to describe how amazing their desserts were. A smooth blend of flavors with interesting contrasts. Another dish you don't want to miss.

Black currant-lychee: Bright and sweet and such an unusual amalgam of flavors. You have to try this one.

Service was great - I never would have guessed they had only been open for 8 days. Pricey but worth it.

With all the hype, I was really hoping i would enjoy it more. First off i wanted to mention that the portion sizes are huge and are meant to be shared with a party of 3 of more. The waitress recommended 5 dishes to be shared b/t the 2 of us, and that would have been way too much food. We ordered 4 dishes and couldn't finish any of the dishes. So i was somewhat annoyed that she would even suggest that.

The brussel sprouts that are raved about was enough to serve at least 4-6 people! it was huge and i thought it was just ok. The chicken dumplings dish was very fun and creative but again, i thought it was just ok. Next came the highly acclaimed porridge, which i thought was the best dish of the night. It was very rich and buttery and so I couldn't have too much of it. Also I felt the consistency of the porridge was a bit off and a bit thicker than how I would like it. but a very creative spin on a typical porridge. The dungeness crab crepe was very disappointing. Considering it being the most expensive item we ordered. The components i felt didn't work well together. We did order dessert and coffee although we were super full bc we heard so many great things about the dessert. I can't even remember what i ordered now, it wasn't very memorable. The coffee on the other hand was delicious.

Overall, i think for the price you pay, I expected the food to be better. And with so many options to eat in LA, I don't think i would come back. Lesson learned...if you want good "vietnamese" food....go to an authentic vietnamese restaurant. If you want an asian "fusion" vietnamese twist....then by all means....eat here.

Tasting Table & Breville One Night Only Event.  We were privileged enough to have a seat at this exclusive event.  Wow, what a night!  It was beyond our expectations.  I was anticipating a beautiful meal, too pretty to eat and my husband requesting a stop at In & Out on the way home.  I couldn't have been more wrong!  We were able to share the entire menu family style along with some amazing drinks!  9 appetizers, 3 main course, and 2 dessserts.  Everything was so well crafted, beautiful and so complex.  

Favorite drinks:
9.1 Batavia Arrack van Oosten, Tamarind, Demerera, Lime topped with condensed milk foam and Black lime.  This one was delicious.  I wasn't sure about the condensed milk foam but it totaly works.  
#62 Redemption Rye 2 yr, Benedictine, Lemon, Agave, Ginger Beer served with pickled peppers and fennel fronds.  This one was very refreshing.  
#67 Ocho Bianco Tequila, Cucumber, Lime, Agave topped with cucumber, shallot and chiles.  This one reminds me of a cucumber Bloody Mary.  Savory.  Thank you to the mixologist Rachel.

Favorite foods:
Beef Tartare with water lettuce, water chestnut, nuoc leo, chlorophyll, and peanut.  Wow, what a flavor explosion!  
Brussels Sprouts with carmelized shallots, fish sauce, and Vermouth.  Loved the charred Brussels sprouts!  
Dungeness Crab with passion fruit, Brown butter, Black garlic and Vietnamese crepe.  Delicious and the Brown butter took it to another level.
Heirloom Rice Porridge with egg yolk, hazelnuts, ginseng and echire butter.  This was rich comfort food.
Heritage Pork Belly that's glazed with vinegar and malted barley.  Wow!  Amazing flavor!
Imperial Wagyu Beef Brisket that's braised for 36 hours with palm sugar and fish sauce.  Tasty.
 
Favorite dessert: Coconut Bavarois with coffee, condensed milk, Thai basil and peanut croquant.  Delicious!

Chef Jordan Kahn is a very creative chef who's not afraid to push the boundries, his dish presentation is beautiful and he couldn't be nicer.  The wait staff was also very attentive, knowledgable, and friendly.  The restaurant atmosphere is comfortable although the acoustics could use some help.  See Comme Ca review. : )

We will definitely be back!  We were told that the Banh Mi was a must try.

Chicken dumplings, coconut, kabocha, lemongrass pot de creme, scallops, and  sea bass with St. Geron sparkling water = $83.50.  Blue Lantern bay scallops are a great starter.  Braised radishes, beurre blanc, and fish sauce made it filling.  I probably wouldn't order the cold sea bass cured in lime leaf again because of the bloody red radish sauce.  The vegetables tasted raw and spicy.  

Chicken dumplings were fun to eat by adding fried garlic or hoisin sauce and rolling them in lettuce.  I'd avoid a cold dish in the future, maybe by replacing it with more of the hands-on appetizers.  My favorite was kabocha with burnt onion, Chinese sausage, creme fraiche, and chrysanthemum because it tasted comforting, good, and seasonal.  It seemed more substantial than a side dish.  We decided to share a dish from every category.

I recommend the lemongrass pots de creme for dessert.  I was so glad it was all mine.  My husband ordered the coconut bavarois but coffee and condensed milk made it a little more heavy than I wanted.  I needed a palate cleanser.  It tasted more like peanut than chicory or Thai basil.

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