Bashan – Glendale

A Roving Reporter “Report”

Nadav Bashan, the chef owner again created a special tasting menu for my friend and me. Thanks to our servers, they hand-wrote the menu for me – no way would I have been able to supply all the details. As the Roving Reporter had to be on a plane very, very early the next morning, the photos will have to tell most of the story.

BYO Champagne

Butternut Squash Soup – pumpkin seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon oil and chili oil

Kushhi Oyster

BYO Chablis

Hokkaido Scallop Sashimi – yuzu aioli, avocado, shiso, candied lotus root chip

Neiman Ranch Asian Style Braised Pork Belly – pickled daikon, braised daikon, ginger garlic puree, shishito pepper

Foie Gras – apple chutney, apple chip, apple balsamic, tat soi, brioche toast

BYO Clos Vougeot

Maple Leaf Duck Breast – braised romaine, cipollini onion, date puree, pickled jalapeno, duck jus

Beef 2 ways – Prime flat iron steak, braised short ribs, salsify puree, pearl onions, baby sunburst squash, baby carrot, veal jus, chimichurri

BYO Dessert Wine

Cheese Plate – San Moure, Kunik, Saint Agur, candied walnuts, rhubarb jam, walnut-currant toast

Bottom Line: I wish Bashan was on the Westside!

Bashan

A Roving Reporter report:

Jeff of Rosso Wine Shop in Glendale shares my love of good food and wine. Jeff suggested I pick up some wines he had gotten for me and we would go to Bashan, the restaurant next door to his store.  He arranged with Nadav Bashan, the chef owner to create a special tasting menu for us.  My only request was, “keep the portions small”.

We agreed Jeff would contribute a white Burgundy and I would handle the Red.   I decided to surprise him and hopefully the chef with an old Madeira.

The two servers, Lizzie and Liz were terrific…they did a perfect write up with the menu and supplied all the fine details….that certainly made it easy for me to write this up.

If Glendale weren’t so far and so much traffic I would be a regular at Bashan…too bad he doesn’t have a westside location.

Great white from Jeff’s inventory

Pumpkin Soup with toasted pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg oil and chives – very nice amuse

Oyster  with apple mignonette cocktail consomme

Scallop – funny I don’t like cooked scallops, but raw is great…Hokkaido scallop sashimi,  sundried tomato, relish, chives, olive oil

Baby Octopus salad, frisee, pickled beets, piquillo pepper, roasted onion and squid ink puree…the piquillo pepper really made this dish, not too hot, but a great tang.

Roasted wild atlantic monkfish, jerusalem artichoke, braised bacon, persimmon, fennel, buna shimeji mushrooms…delicated and yet forceful…terrific. Nadav worked for Michael C at Providence; this definitely showed his influence.

Supeb Red burgundy by Lignier…these wines do not disappoint…big full nose, fabulous finish…smooth as only great burgundy can be.

Crispy veal with quail egg, sweet bread, pee wee potato, shirred egg, grilled piquto pepper…the shirred egg with the veal was excellent…love eggs any way at all.

Veal – half-eaten

Roasted duck breast with foie gras, braised romaine, cipollini onions, almonds, date puree, pickeled red jalapeno, duck jus–very sophisticated and flavorful.

Venison,  cauliflower puree, figs, black trumpet mushrooms…a special dish for us…venison deep flavor from New Zealand…tops.

This Madiera from the Rare Wine Company was in cask until 2002.  The cask yielded 140 bottles. 1/140 pretty rare…what fabulous flavor.

Cheese Plate – San Moure [goat], Saint Agour [low triple cream blue cheese], Kunik [cow, goat, triple cream brie]

Excellent rhubarb jam, candied walnuts, currant walnuts

Bread for cheese

The meal and the company was excellent.