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A new review of Kris's restaurant, Blue Velvet:
Not only a fantastic movie, but a phenomenal restaurant? Could it be?
Nestled in a developing part of downtown, this chic restaurant is below The Flat, a new loft community. The restaurant just opened 2 weeks ago and now replaces my previous "favorite downtown restaurant/lounge" spot. Being relatively close to the area, we walked over from 8th and Flower. I was a little unsure as we turned down Garland being in a "not to familiar" area, but was pleasantly greeted by the concierge inside the building who directed us back outside to the restaurant entrance. The hostess sat us straight away and let us pick our preferred seats. She also asked if it was our first time at the space and offered us a tour from the restaurant manager. I was instantly impressed with the hip decor and beautiful view of the pool.
Our waitress was at our table quicker than I could decide on a beverage.... and continued in this vain all night. She was warm and gave wonderful recommendations on cocktails and wine. I tried the house wine which is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. It was fantastic. The list of "by the bottle" selections was impressive and eclectic. Perfect for the connoisseur. We ordered two appetizers, Hamachi and the Corn Agnolotti. To our surprise they delivered a new starter that we didn't even order. It seemed peculiar, perhaps a mini piece of fish and came in a small dish with dark beads and cream. I realized it was a scallop in an almond cream sauce with Israeli couscous. I'm not partial to scallops but I could eat this dish all day long! (Must have been some secret ingredient).
Before our other starters came we were pleasantly greeted by Sam Valle, the man that runs the joint. He was anxious to know how we heard of the place and sat to chat for a while. He instantly detailed what we had already ordered so that we were aware of the process that they cook their food. They have a specific way of cooking some of their meats where it is "shrink wrapped" in a plastic pack with marinades and spice. This process completely cooks the meat throughout at a low temperature and keeps the proteins moist. No dry meat here! Sam then offered us some complimentary champagne and a post dinner tour of the space. I could not believe his hospitality!
I ordered the Striped Bass, which I was a bit concerned about being a "fishy" sort of dish. The waitress assured me that I would enjoy it. Low and behold it was the best cooked fish i have EVER had. It lay on a plate of grapes and various mushrooms. Superb!
Upon stuffing myself beyond capacity, Sam came back to our table to ask how pleased we were with our entre. He already knew by the look on our face... We proceeded to take a grande tour of the space. The bar and dining area are separated which keeps the noise level down. Mind you the music selection is perfect for the lounge enthusiasts; Funkstrung, Massive Attack, Goldfrapp. The lu is unisex and plans for an avant garde moss sculpture are in effect to add to the hand washing experience along with mirrors throughout. The back of the space has an exclusive chefs table for those that want the official experience. Even beyond that area is a private party lounge complete with bar and Audio Visual components. This area is catered to corporations or firms with presentations to show that still want the chic atmosphere. It can completely close off from the rest of the restaurant and has its own bathroom. How creative!
Lastly, Sam took us on a quick visit to the kitchen where we were warmly greeted by chef Kris Morningstar. He was delighted to hear that our meal was magnificent and very grateful that we came to dine. I have NEVER had such a full service dining experience!
To complete our evening, I ordered the White Chocolate Bombe. This was a mousse with candied pistachios and lime custard. I don't need to tell you how good this was... Although, I could only eat half I was so full! We asked for our check and I could not believe what our bill detailed. To my surprise the whole meal was ONLY $101!
I dine quite regularly at various restaurants around LA and almost always our bill comes close to $150. This became the standard for us. I could not believe I had such a phenomenal meal for $100! For those that are aware of the mechanics of gourmet dining... You will revel in this atmosphere... For those that have a desire to learn... know first that the portions are smaller than what most "Americans" are used to and the presentation/flavor is the true artistic element here.
What a culinary masterpiece!
Bon Appetit!
Not only a fantastic movie, but a phenomenal restaurant? Could it be?
Nestled in a developing part of downtown, this chic restaurant is below The Flat, a new loft community. The restaurant just opened 2 weeks ago and now replaces my previous "favorite downtown restaurant/lounge" spot. Being relatively close to the area, we walked over from 8th and Flower. I was a little unsure as we turned down Garland being in a "not to familiar" area, but was pleasantly greeted by the concierge inside the building who directed us back outside to the restaurant entrance. The hostess sat us straight away and let us pick our preferred seats. She also asked if it was our first time at the space and offered us a tour from the restaurant manager. I was instantly impressed with the hip decor and beautiful view of the pool.
Our waitress was at our table quicker than I could decide on a beverage.... and continued in this vain all night. She was warm and gave wonderful recommendations on cocktails and wine. I tried the house wine which is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. It was fantastic. The list of "by the bottle" selections was impressive and eclectic. Perfect for the connoisseur. We ordered two appetizers, Hamachi and the Corn Agnolotti. To our surprise they delivered a new starter that we didn't even order. It seemed peculiar, perhaps a mini piece of fish and came in a small dish with dark beads and cream. I realized it was a scallop in an almond cream sauce with Israeli couscous. I'm not partial to scallops but I could eat this dish all day long! (Must have been some secret ingredient).
Before our other starters came we were pleasantly greeted by Sam Valle, the man that runs the joint. He was anxious to know how we heard of the place and sat to chat for a while. He instantly detailed what we had already ordered so that we were aware of the process that they cook their food. They have a specific way of cooking some of their meats where it is "shrink wrapped" in a plastic pack with marinades and spice. This process completely cooks the meat throughout at a low temperature and keeps the proteins moist. No dry meat here! Sam then offered us some complimentary champagne and a post dinner tour of the space. I could not believe his hospitality!
I ordered the Striped Bass, which I was a bit concerned about being a "fishy" sort of dish. The waitress assured me that I would enjoy it. Low and behold it was the best cooked fish i have EVER had. It lay on a plate of grapes and various mushrooms. Superb!
Upon stuffing myself beyond capacity, Sam came back to our table to ask how pleased we were with our entre. He already knew by the look on our face... We proceeded to take a grande tour of the space. The bar and dining area are separated which keeps the noise level down. Mind you the music selection is perfect for the lounge enthusiasts; Funkstrung, Massive Attack, Goldfrapp. The lu is unisex and plans for an avant garde moss sculpture are in effect to add to the hand washing experience along with mirrors throughout. The back of the space has an exclusive chefs table for those that want the official experience. Even beyond that area is a private party lounge complete with bar and Audio Visual components. This area is catered to corporations or firms with presentations to show that still want the chic atmosphere. It can completely close off from the rest of the restaurant and has its own bathroom. How creative!
Lastly, Sam took us on a quick visit to the kitchen where we were warmly greeted by chef Kris Morningstar. He was delighted to hear that our meal was magnificent and very grateful that we came to dine. I have NEVER had such a full service dining experience!
To complete our evening, I ordered the White Chocolate Bombe. This was a mousse with candied pistachios and lime custard. I don't need to tell you how good this was... Although, I could only eat half I was so full! We asked for our check and I could not believe what our bill detailed. To my surprise the whole meal was ONLY $101!
I dine quite regularly at various restaurants around LA and almost always our bill comes close to $150. This became the standard for us. I could not believe I had such a phenomenal meal for $100! For those that are aware of the mechanics of gourmet dining... You will revel in this atmosphere... For those that have a desire to learn... know first that the portions are smaller than what most "Americans" are used to and the presentation/flavor is the true artistic element here.
What a culinary masterpiece!
Bon Appetit!
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