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Pre-Holiday Celebration at Cube Los Angeles

A couple of weeks ago I attended a lovely, autumnal evening to kick off and celebrate the holiday season with friends. Of course this involved friends breaking bread together. We met at Cube Los Angeles in one of the intimate, private rooms and feasted on the 6-course chef's tasting menu.

Upon arrival, the table was set with tulip bouquets, menus, name cards and place settings. The table also included a bottle of Nicodemi, Montepulciano d'Abbruzzo 2007, a red, earthy, spicy wine that was served during the whole meal, and our first course of artisanal cheese and cured meats served with bread. This is the area where Cube really shines and all diners were thrilled to have this course.

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formaggi e salumi


formaggi:
Loma Alto - an organic cow cheese from California
Challerhocker - a Swiss, firm cheese made from partially thermalized cow’s milk aged about 10 months in a cellar
Taleggio - a raw cow's milk, washed rind Italian cheese that is semi-soft and aromatic yet mild
Verde Capra - an unusual Italian blue cheese made with goat's milk with vertical marbling
Beecher's Reserve - a 16-18 month aged cheddar from Washington that are aged in the form of cylindrical wheels wrapped in cheesecloth
Barely Buzzed - a cow's milk cheese from Utah. The rind is rubbed with espresso coffee and lavender, and the flavors delicately permeate to the core of this semi-soft cheese as it ages

The platters included the accompaniments of  pomegranite seeds, balsamic vinegar, figs, candied spiced pecans, cinammon infused dark chocolate and cashews.

salumi:
Cacciatore - a dry-cured Italian salami
Cullatelo - this prestigious air cured ham from Parma is a refined variety of prosciutto

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fall crunch salad

This refreshing, crunchy salad contained fall flavors of cabbage, apples, fennel, crispy bacon all tossed in a grain mustard vinaigrette. It was hearty enough to stand up to the crisp, cool weather.

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gnocchi

This feather-light gnocchi was like biting into a cloud. The rich, meaty and slightly spicy bolognese sauce was made of Broken Arrow Ranch venison sausage and gracefully topped with pecorino cheese. It harmoniously added some weight to the gnocchi. For me, this dish was easily the best course.

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seared Maine boutique scallop


This extremely fresh, seared and browned scallop was perched on top of a rustic, creamy polenta which was so different in texture from polenta I've eaten in the past. It was a slightly more grainy and coarse variety that added texture and a bite to the side dish. Another side dish was seasonal, sauteed beet greens. Everything was plated with a smoked serrano pepper vinaigrette, continuing the spicy undertones found on many of the dishes.

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Piedmontese beef medallion


The tender beef was nicely seasoned and portioned to round out this filling meal. Parsnip mash was a suitable autumnal side dish and the baby broccoli added another touch of freshness and crunch.

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dessert

By the time dessert came to the table, most diners were completely full, but decided to try the offerings. The dessert trio began on the left of the plate with a sticky date pudding drenched in a salty caramel sauce. The middle had two mini, fresh donuts cooked in bacon fat with a creme anglaise. They were a bit too heavy and doughy for my taste and hearing about the rich cooking medium was a lot of flavor for our diminished appetites. The third component on the plate was a simple chocolate chip cookie sandwich filled with a creamy espresso ice cream.

Throughout the meal there was a large platter filled with mesh golden bags. After finishing dinner, our hostess Briley, thoughtfully offered each diner one of the bags filled with home baked fall flavored biscotti and seasonal decorated cookies. It was a lovely treat on top of a warm, enjoyable evening.

This meal provided another instance of why Cube L.A. is one of my favorite restaurants, just after a couple of times eating there. The ambiance and service were top rate as well. During the holiday season it provided a proper setting to feast and be thankful for the nutritious meal and fine friends with which to enjoy it.