Tar and Roses

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Published May 17, 2012 Southern California , Tar and Roses 1 Comment

We enjoyed Tar and Roses so much we couldn’t resist a repeat visit. It was just as good as the last time and I urge everyone to just go!

White wine from their list

Popped corn/crisp bacon, brown sugar, chili – to say my husband loves this is a massive understatement – this was his first batch – he ordered a second and probably would have ordered thirds if I had let him!

“Oysters Rockefeller” – ramps, bread crumbs, chili flakes, lemon zest, fennel pollen – a wonderful take on a classic dish

Soft Shell Crab, fava bean and corn salad, lemon vinaigrette – this was an A+ dish – the soft shells were executed to perfection and the fava bean and corn salad with avocado and roasted tomato strips was off the charts delicious. (I loved it so much I asked for a serving to go.)

Chicken oysters on a stick, tamarind – Just as good as the last time!

BYO Red Wine

Balsamic glazed ribs, chili, fried basil – another addictive dish

Half the ribs demolished

Sweetbread Tostada, yellow foot mushroom, peppadew, ceci cake – an interesting take on sweetbreads

Braised lamb belly, minted apple chutney – again executed perfectly with a lovely flavor profile

Bone marrow, pickled onion marmalade, sea salt, sourdough bread – a great rendition of bone marrow

Chef Andrew Kirschner definitely has a winner with Tar and Roses and the neighborhood seems to agree as it was packed by 5:45.

Tar and Roses

Published April 29, 2012 Southern California , Tar and Roses Leave a Comment

We have been anxious to try Chef Andrew Kirschner’s new restaurant Tar and Roses since we enjoyed his food when he was executive chef at Wilshire. I think Chef Kirschner has matured incredibly as a chef – his flavors are powerful without being fussy food or the school of throw 15 ingredients on a plate and hope it works. What he serves is finely tuned and edited. This is gutsy cuisine executed with a competent sureness. Andrew utilizes quality ingredients and knowingly allows each ingredient to speak for itself. Basically, I will let the photos tell the story and what a wonderful story it was.

For the record we were with dear friends who love food and wine as much as we do so it made for a perfect evening.

BYO White Wine

Wood Roasted English Peas, mint, sea salt – this should come with the warning you can’t eat just one

Popped corn in bacon fat, crisp bacon, brown sugar, chili – absolutely addictive! My husband had thoughts of a new TV snack food for sport-watching.

Crispy pigs ears, saffron aioli, pickled vegetables – the vegetables were a terrific compliment to the pigs ears

Dipping the pigs ears in the absolutely superb aioli

Balsamic glazed ribs, chili, fried basil – boneless ribs cooked to perfection topped by the fried basil

Chicken oysters on a stick, tamarind – the star of this dish was the tamarind sauce with a hint of lemongrass and ginger – absolutely off the charts A+

2nd BYO White Wine

Charred octopus, garbanzos, fennel, piquillos, blood orange – what I like so much about Andrew’s cuisine is that the supporting players to the main protein are equally important and essential to the over-all success of the dish.

Another view of the octopus.

“Vitello Tonnato” – seared ahi, crispy sweetbreads, pickled tomato, arugula, red wine sauce – again each element was crucial to the success of the dish with the tomato adding an important role relative to the sweetbreads and the tuna. The red wine sauce would have made any French chef proud.