Providence & LA’s Fine Dining

Providence was one of the 4 restaurants in Los Angeles to received 2 stars from Michelin and Michelin hasn’t rated Los Angeles since 2009.  How does a tire company provide guides to restaurants baffles me? 

I don’t know how a bunch of schmucks provide guides for SF, NY, Washington DC, and Chicago and not provide one for LA is beyond me. Plus, these pricks charge like $19 for the damn guide?  That just tells me their tires aren’t reliable and can’t handle the mean streets of Los Angeles.   On the other hand, you have Yelpers who give a restaurant 5* after trying a salad or ordering one thing on the menu.  Los Angeles doesn’t need the Michelin Guide or Yelp because you have us, so fuck them (just kidding I totally follow the Michelin guide)!

Anyway, I’ve been to Providence a few times and every time I have sported a T-shirt, jeans and Jordan’s.  Everyone else was well dressed as I brought my signature I’m-going-to-do-whatever-the-fuck-I-want style to Providence.  Sorry.  I’m a bit of rebel and I like to be comfortable when I’m about to consume large amounts of artery clogging food.  The service was 2 Michelin stars and the waiters explained everything that was served.  Every time I left the dining table the waiter would fold my napkin and even told us where Providence get the majority of their ingredients as if I cook or cared.

Now, I always go with the Signature/Seasonal Tasting Menu (16 courses) and make it a 2.5 hour dining experience.   I could barely make it through a Lord of the Rings movie, so there was no way I could sit still for more than 2.5 hours for dinner.  To summarize, I thought everything was amazing from start to finish but decided to only touch on the dishes that I thought was unforgettable like Nat King Cole.

1. Imported A5 Japanese Wagyu – It’s A5 Japanese Wagyu in case you didn’t see the dish title.  Japanese Wagyu is arguably the best beef  in the world.  I thought Yamakase was good until I had this one; it’s like how they say “the grass is always greener on the other side”.  In this case, it’s true.  It was a pretty small cut of steak but the marble on it was perfect.  It was juicy, tender, and cooked to perfection.  The veggies and sauce complemented the steak so well like a man trying to get into a woman’s pants.

   

2. White Truffle Pasta – Who doesn’t love truffle especially with home made pasta?  The white truffle were cut right there in front of you and wasn’t overpowered by the pasta sauce.  The pasta wasn’t drenched in sauce too.  The noodles were chewy but al dente.  The whole dish was very earthy and tasted like the finest kush.

   

3. Sashimi Taco w/ Rice Crispy – I had a love and hate relationship with this dish.  I loved it because it was so damn good but hated it because it was only one bite.  It’s like when your partner gets  you all worked up then decides to fall asleep.  It was a sashimi taco with rice and a dash of rice crispy wrapped in a leaf.  What was great about it?  It dissolved in your mouth like cocaine in between your lips and teeth.

   

4. Wagyu Cigars – They brought this out in a Trinidad cigar box.  The “cigar” had a crispy outer shell.  The richness and flavors of the wagyu mesh well with the overall pastry; it’s a very creative dish and the presentation was fantastic.  It reminded me of my friend’s 7 year old stick figure drawing.

   

Overall, Providence is definitely my new favorite restaurant in Los Angeles next to the taco truck on the corner of La Brea & Olympic.  The food was amazing and without a doubt one of the better meals I have ever had.  However, like Kanpai, the issue I have with Providence is consistency.  I’ve dined here multiple times and the quality varied each time.  One night it’ll be the best kush you could get then the other night it’s dirt weed.

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