Sona Restaurant
Average user Rating: 94
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Experience culinary balance created by Chef/Owner David Myers in his understated and elegant restaurant on La Cienega. Seasonally inspired offerings of the highest caliber punctuate the eclectic menu. Whereas Comme Ça, also owned by Myer's, offers bistro fare with a more casual atmosphere, Sona offers a fine dining experience.
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93
7/15/2009
Chef David Myers opened Sona in 2002 after training under culinary luminaries Charlie Trotter, Gérard Boyer, Daniel Boulud, and Joachim Splichal. Housed in an austere, Zen-like space, Sona focuses on delivering fine food and service. With Chef Meyers extending his brand across various other venues around town (comme Ça, Boule, Pizzeria Ortica), it’s Chef de Cuisine Kuniko Yagi who’s in charge of churning out Sona’s seasonal and creative cuisine day to day.
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Recommended Dishes
Duck agnolotti, lobster risotto, chocolate beignets
89
Sona (Los Angeles, CA)
2/15/2009
Since my first visit, it seems that Myers has lessened his role in the kitchen, instead focusing on restaurant management through his Food Art Group. Myers has expanded his burgeoning empire via the opening of Comme Ça, his take on the French brasserie, and Pizza Ortica, his Mozza-esque pizzeria concept. At Sona, day-to-day operations are largely handled by his Japanese-born Chef de Cuisine, Kuniko Yagi, who was promoted to the position in late 2007. How would Sona hold up without Myers at the helm?
Amuse Bouche: Dashi Broth, Watermelon Radish, Chiffonade of Shiso
Yagi's influences are seen in the very first course. I noted strong, minty flavors of shiso, balanced by the subtle sourness and fishiness of the dashi, while the radish added some textural contrast. It was an unexpected dish, one that was certainly effective in awakening the palate. The soup was paired with a rosé Champagne, which was loaded with strawberry and citrus, yet dry and light, thus allowing the flavors of the amuse to come through.
1: Poached Salmon, Roasted Beets, Kumquat
Eating this, the thing that came to mind immediately was smoked salmon. The flavor was light, pure, and clean, while the fish's accompaniments of beet and kumquat added the requisite sweet and sour contrasts. The texture was lovely, barely cooked, and reminded me of the salmon at Le Bernardin. The fish was paired with a Riesling. I rather enjoyed the wine's light effervescence, and juicy, lip-smacking flavors of pear, peach, and apple. Overall, a great way to start things off.
2: Chestnut Agnolotti, Fennel Confit, Roasted Chestnut
I was not a fan of this, which wasn't surprising given that I don't care for chestnuts and their sweet nuttiness. Here, the agnolotti were filled with a dense, heavy, soft chestnut paste that simply overwhelmed my palate. One of my dining companions thought that they'd be better at half the size, while another thought that the dish "tasted like autumn." Meanwhile, I thought the course was reminiscent of the chestnut/sweetbreads/truffle dish I had recently at Jean Georges. The wine pairing here was a tasty Tokaj, notable for its Chardonnay-esque nose, lingering sweetness, and spicy finish. This was a full-bodied wine that stood up well to the rich flavor of the agnolotti.
3: Parmentier Soup, Pomme Soufflé, Leek Soubise
The "Parmentier" here refers to Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, an early promoter of the potato as a food source; appropriately, one of my fellow diners called this a "study in potatoes." The pomme soufflées were crunchy, flavorful, and fantastic, reminding us of Tater Tots(!), while the whole dish had a warm, hearty, lingering richness. Given the potato focus here, I'm surprised the kitchen didn't try to do some sort of Vichyssoise, but the leek and béchamel-based Soubise sauce was just about the perfect complement. Pinot Gris was the wine here--steely, minerally, spicy, and dry, it went well with the austere tone of the dish.
4: Maine Lobster Risotto, Shellfish Emulsion, Kaffir Lime [$10.00 supplement]
Lobster? Risotto? How could this possibly turn out bad? Well, it certainly wasn't bad, but it also wasn't as great as it could've been. While I greatly enjoyed the lobster's firm, yet pliant consistency, I also felt that the crustacean was cooked a bit too buttery sweet, thus distracting from its natural flavor. Perhaps some more of the kaffir lime would've helped temper this. Meanwhile, some thought that the risotto was undercooked, but I enjoyed its al dente texture. The natural wine pairing with lobster is Chardonnay, as was the case here. Though I'm not huge on Chard, I liked what I tasted. The wine's butteriness complemented that of the lobster, and I also noted plenty of stone fruit, straw, honey, minerals, with a bit of heat on the finish.
5: Seared Scallop, Lamb Bacon, Quail Egg
In effect, this was basically a gussied up version of the standard bacon-wrapped scallop. Sounds like a winning combination right? Well...the whole amalgam was rather salty. The scallop itself was salty enough alone, and the bacon didn't help in that regard; the natural flavor of the mollusk was almost completely lost. However, I did appreciate the use of quail egg here; its runny yolk helped temper the somewhat overwhelming savoriness of the dish. To go along with this, the sommelier paired a red Burgundy, a rather prototypical example--heavy on the cherry, wood, and smoke, with a bit of heat on the finish. It didn't quite stand up to the course.
6: Roasted Quail, Cauliflower Purée, Chorizo, Date
The only thing wrong with this was the accompanying brown sauce, which was obscenely sweet and cinnamon-y; I took a small taste and avoided it completely. Other than that, the bird was wonderfully flavorful, juicy, and tender. The cauliflower purée was useful in taming the essence of the quail, which, by itself, was truly one of the better preparations I've had. I preferred the larger portion, which I found moister (some said "spongy"), but most of my dining companions like the smaller, denser piece better. The wine was Paris Hilton. That's according to our server, who compared it (a Pinot Noir) to the preceding Bourgogne, which he likened to Audrey Hepburn. Interesting analogy to be sure, but I get what he was saying. This wine was darker, fruitier, jammier, more in-your-face, blunt even, almost Cab-like in some respects--not as subtle, nor as good (sorry Paris!).
7: Veal Cheek, Lentil, Artichoke Barigoule
This reminded me a bit of the braised veal cheeks at XIV. There was a sort of sweet/sour interplay going on, all over an intensely savory backdrop--it almost had a "hamminess" to it. Not bad, but it would've been too much had it not been for the moderating effect of the artichoke and lentils especially. The legumes also served as a textural contrast, providing a bit of bite to counter the softness of the meat. Tempranillo was the wine of choice for this course. Typical of the varietal, it demonstrated plenty of tartness and spice, intermingled with peat and heat; the wine's zest actually proved to be a nice linkage with the tang of the veal.
8: Wagyu, Pomme Purée, Celery Root, Shiso Salad [$25.00 supplement]
The Wagyu supplement was $25 per ounce, and everybody got exactly one ounce. It was sourced from Gunma, a prefecture northwest of Tokyo where Chef Yagi hails from. Though it was advertised as "A5" quality, the beef wasn't quite as fatty as I expected, though it was still very flavorful, with a nice oiliness. I've had better at CUT. As for the accoutrements, the fancy mashed potatoes actually tended to overpower the beef, so it was best taken in small quantities; the shiso salad, however, contributed some well-placed mintiness and crunch. As expected, a Cabernet Sauvignon was paired with the steak. As expected, the wine showed dark fruit, smoke, caramel, and chocolate notes. As expected, the pairing worked. I would've liked something more unexpected!
***Please refer to the review linked below for courses 9 through 13.***
Those of us who'd been to Sona before felt that this dinner wasn't quite up to snuff to our first experience here. Though I still enjoyed the meal, I didn't think that the food was quite as sharp or as focused as before; it also seemed a bit more "conventional." Now, I don't know if that's because Myers (or even Yagi, for that matter) wasn't in the kitchen this time, or if it's simply that I expect more now. Unfortunately, it's impossible to disentangle those two effects, so for the time being, I'll have to conclude that it was a combination of the two factors.
Full review with photos:
http://www.kevinea ts.com/2009/01/sona-los-ang eles-ca-2.htm
96
11/8/2008
So I finally decided to give Sona a try since overall I've heard positive reviews about it. It was hard getting a reservation through OpenTable although when I arrived the restaurant was practically empty. Kind of sad, but at least his Comme Ca is doing well (they did have more tables filling up as the night went on, although still wasn't packed).
Photos from this meal are here: http://gourmetpigs.blogspot .com/2008/08/sonas-little-p leasures.html
The place is well decorated with a sleek, minimal style.
We started with an amuse bouche: a shot glass of watermelon "gazpacho". The shot was chilled and was actually sweet, almost as sweet as pure watermelon juice.
They had 4-5 different types of bread, including an interesting Earl Grey one which I tried.
One of the great things about Sona is that when you order their Chef's tasting menu, they will try and serve each person a different dish - but along the same line - giving you even more opportunities to try out different dishes!!! (This was one of the reasons I can't remember all that I ate - there were so many different ones!)
The chef de cuisine was Japanese and so they have been serving a lot of Japanese-influenced dishes. Tonight, also, we started with a couple of sashimi dishes.
One of them was a kanpachi (i wuv my kanpachi):
The pieces were nice and fresh and I really enjoyed the sauce and garnish.
The other fish was I think, albacore? I can't really remember anymore, it's been a while.
Then we had the veal sweetbreads and lobster ravioli (!!!!)
How much goodness can you fit in one dish? I haven't had that many sweetbreads in my life, but this was the best one I've had so far. The lobster ravioli and its broth was pretty light and managed to cut the richness of the sweetbread very well.
The roasted corn soup was also a great dish:
It was served with a braised pork belly. The pork belly was just a wee bit dry, but overall good, and the corn soup itself was amazing.
We then moved on to the fish dishes. One was the seabass.
The sauce for this dish was great, but as far as the fish itself goes, I've had better seabass. This one was a little overcooked/ a little dry.
The other was a halibut. Now, this was delicate and delicious.
It was cooked just right, flakey and juicy. I believe it was served with english pea puree.
Then came the meat dishes. This one I believe was Venison.
Cooked perfectly medium rare, it was a very tender piece of meat.
One of us got the roasted squab, which was delectable!
I liked this better than the venison, personally.
Then they proudly presented the Seared Wagyu Beef
It was definitely delicious and well-prepared, but I'm not sure if I'm that big on it ... it was very fatty - you can see the marbling! I somehow felt like I was eating fat (yes, I'll devour foie gras any day), so it was a bit weird ... although again, it was delicious.
A mint-cucumber granita was served as a palate cleanser. I always love these granitas as they are always so refreshing, and mint is a love of mine :)
We were offered a cheese platter, which I accepted (they charged extra for it though, which I wasn't aware of before :( ... Providence didn't charge!)
Again, couldn't really remember ... there was goat cheese for one ...
The three cheeses were served with: 1) balsamic vinegar, 2)hazelnuts and 3) sea salt caramel (yum!)
Now, on to the desserts: I don't really remember what this dessert was - I think there was some passionfruit in it.
Anyway, it wasn't anything memorable.
Next was some sort of panna cotta with coffee gelee. This dish was really small. The gelee and panna cotta were ti~ny, not even bite sized.
It's hard to say how this was, the little bites barely allowed for any taste, especially since Panna cottas themselves aren't exactly bursting with flavor.
My favorite dessert that night was the Chocolate Beignet:
Melted dark chocolate inside a rich chocolate dough with a crispy outer layer. This was also served with ice cream
All in all it was a wonderful, leisurely meal. On the whole everything was well done with quite a few of very memorable dishes. Everything was very beautifully presented of course. Compared to Providence, the dishes are less innovative, but on the upside it provides a certain 'comfort level' for both chef and customer ... (the salt and pepper ice cream from my last Providence visit for example I found ... strange). Anyway, I really enjoyed my meal and will definitely be back another time. Maybe rotate with Providence now? Or Ortolan?.
96
Tandem Tasting at Sona
8/26/2008
I heard a lot of mixed reviews and poor comparisons against Providence. My friends and I went this past weekend for a birthday and I was quite impressed.
We had the 9 course tandem tasting with wine pairings and we ordered a Kobe beef entree to share for the table. The tandem tasting is a wonderful idea, with two distinct dishes for each course. Assuming an even number of diners, that means half will get one and half will get the other giving you quite a few items to try between you.
The meal started with a little hiccup, my martini got knocked onto my shirt at the start of the meal. The wait staff promptly got me some towels and club soda and offered a chefs coat to replace my soaked shirt. It was a touch embarrassing, but the chef's coat was a nice little souvenir.
The men's bathroom had some interesting reading: congratulatory letters from other chefs like Daniel Boulud, and Charlie Trotter. I suspect the women's restroom had different letters but something stopped me from verifying my hunch.
For a detailed review of the courses with pictures: http://tangbro1.blogspot.co m/2008/08/sona-06092007.html
Recommended Dishes
Kobe Beef from Kagoshima, Pickled Young Ginger, Celery Shiso Salad
Duck, Beet Cloud, Roasted Beets, Arugala, Honey Vinegar Reduction
Roasted Squab, White Asparagus Wrapped with Bread, Blood Orange Marmalade
100
Fantastic Food!
6/26/2008
Sona is one of the best restaurants in LA. But it's much more like a great SF restaurant as opposed to an LA restaurant -- let me explain. For me, if I was to compare LA restaurants to wine, LA would be a Cal Cab or Australian Shiraz, whereas SF would be like a Burgundy or good Pinot.
Sona is like a solid Premier Cru French Burgundy, maybe a Gevry-Chambertin. Good structure, velvety, complex, but harder to appreciate. Try the tasting menu. Complexity and the playfulness of different tastes and textures dominate. It's a combination of heavy and light, salt and citrus, etc.
But it also happens to be a serious restaurant. Don't come here looking for a lively atmosphere. It's modern, it's appropriate, and a little dark and quite.
The service was very professional, and the people there know their food. If it's a special occasion and I really want to make sure to eat well, this is where I'd go.
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93
Culinary gem with wine to match
3/21/2008
Chef/Owner David Myers opended Sona, his first restaurant in 2002 located on La Cienega blvd. Seasonally inspired offerings of the highest quality come together in his French inspired eclectic menu.
Recommended Dishes
Tasting menu
100
7/6/2009
85
6/18/2009
93
2/17/2009
96
12/23/2008
100
10/7/2008
96
10/5/2008
100
9/30/2008
93
8/28/2008
96
8/18/2008
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