Bond Street
Average user Rating: 92
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While great sushi chefs have been known to establish themselves in LA and then expand eastward (e.g. Nobu Matsuhisa and Masa Takayama), Bond Street turns the tables on this trend as the West Coast offshoot of Jonathan Morr's lower Manhattan sushi bar.
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93
3/25/2010
Chef Brian Redzikowski has an impressive resume, one that took him to the high slopes of Aspen to the hot deserts of Nevada. From working at Nobu to Joel Robuchon (rated 3 Michelin star), Chef Redzikowski's cuisine has finally find a place he can call home at the Thompson Hotel. His experience in French cuisine and passion in Asian flavors, brought life to a once poorly rated Bond St. at the Thompson Hotel. It took me awhile to finally get to experience Chef Redzikowski's amazing food, but it was damn well worth the wait!
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89
11/29/2009
When I was extended an invitation by the wonderful crew at FoodDigger, I was definitely intrigued to try the menu at Bond Street. Especially with the impressive resume Chef Brian Redzikowski had previously (Think Le Bernardin and Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas)
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Recommended Dishes
Mochi Donut, Japanese Bouillabaisse
96
11/20/2009
Delicious inventive menu coupled with items for the less adventurous in luxe Beverly Hills boutique hotel catering to the celeb crowd and all that entails.
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Recommended Dishes
lobster soup, santa barbara spot prawn ravioli, Japanese bouilliabaisse
89
10/20/2009
Not long after that I was invited to dine on the rooftop of The Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills in which Executive Chef Brian Redzikowski prepared a special tasting menu where each dish was accompanied by some sort of alcohol of sorts.
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Recommended Dishes
Japanese Bouillabaisse, Mochi Donuts
93
A Great Meal
9/23/2009
Four of us recently went to Bond St on a Friday night, and I was pleasantly impressed. Instead of ordering straight from the menu, the chef suggested that he could make a tasting menu for our party. I had already been there for the FD tasting and welcomed the opportunity to try more offerings from the regular menu.
We had the opportunity to try more of their new Japanese dishes, some of which were exceptional. The "pounded" tuna on crispy flatbread and truffle oil -- wonderful! It really showed off the chef's previous experience at Nobu's restaurant in Aspen. Wasn't as impressed with the Spot Prawn chawanmushi, which I thought was a bit sweet. But the Japanese bouillabaisse is absolutely genius. It combines Japanese sensibility with the authentic flavors of southern France. I love the way the white fish and squid slices are raw, cooked by the lovely lobster broth.
Jidori chicken was tender and exceptionally flavorful. I wished all chicken tasted like this. For me, this is where the chef's training at Joel Robuchon really showed. One of my dinner companions really loved the pork belly, saying that she could eat that every day. I thought it was one of the most unique pork bellies I've had, and trust me, I've had a lot! But it could have been a little less sweet for my taste. Wagyu beef was solid, but not spectacular.
Desserts were all very good as well.
Recommended Dishes
Jidori chicken, crispy tuna , pork belly, Japanese bouillabaisse
89
BondSt (Beverly Hills, CA)
9/10/2009
Things were not looking up for BondSt: Trendy hotel location...check. Ubiquitous miso-marinated cod...check. "Beautiful" clientele...check. Pricey cocktails...check. "Scene-y" vibe...check. Attractive AMW waitstaff clad in black...check. Mediocre Asian "fusion" fare...well, not so fast.
Had I been here a year earlier, I'm sure that the last box would've been checked as well. When it opened in November 2008, BondSt was the subject of much ire and derision from us Angelinos, the capstone of which was the gleaming zero-star review from The Notorious S.I.V. Enter Brian Redzikowski, November 2008. At BondSt, Redzikowski has focused on blending his classical French roots, modern cooking technique, and his passion for Asian cuisine to create a market-driven, seasonal, local, product-centric menu targeted toward the sophisticated LA palate. So far, it seems to be working.
1: Quail Egg | canadian chanterelles, parsley, prosciutto
Next was one of the table favorites: chanterelle mushrooms in chanterelle foam, on quail egg, with Prosciutto di Parma, on top of parsley purée. It was a multilayered, multifaceted affair, with the parsley coming in on the attack, which then gave way to the saltiness of the ham and earthiness of the mushroom, before leading to the creaminess of the egg, finally finishing with the bracing herbaceous tang of parsley. The key here was the vegetable, which effectively cut the gravity of the Prosciutto and chanterelles, though perhaps it was a touch too strong.
2: Foie Gras | spiced rice crispy treats, yogurt in three forms
Overly-sweet foie gras is a bane of mine, so I was naturally concerned when this came out: caramelized and seared foie gras over a Rice Krispies square, with lemon pepper, cacao, basil, and a yogurt three-way (plain, powder, and chip). It was quite sugary in fact, but I think that it was so sugary that it actually made the dish work! The Rice Krispies treat, with its subtle spice, was a superb accompaniment to the foie, both in terms of taste and texture, seemingly simultaneously supplementing, yet subduing it. The course was almost dessert-like initially, and it was only on the late midpalate that the essence of liver began to show its face, resulting in a long, lingering finish of foie.
3: Alaskan King Crab | in its butter, preserved meyer lemon
This was one of my favorites: king crab cooked in crab butter (innards), with meyer lemon. After enjoying the crab's heady bouquet, I first tasted the natural sweetness of the crustacean, which then gave way to an intense, briny savoriness, accentuated by the citrus. Superb texturally as well, with the crab's flesh firm, yet yielding, breaking apart upon mastication.
4: Santa Barbara Spot Prawn | ravioli, beets, ultra mini onion, red pepper jus
Another strong course. Here, I first tried one "raviolo" by itself, and appreciated the natural sweetness of the shrimp, along with the pasta's crispy skin. Next, eating everything together, I enjoyed how the prawn's sapor was finished by the marked spiciness of the chili jus, and how the onion provided a distinct levity and tang to the dish.
5: Halibut | parsley, garlic, beurre rouge
Next was a lovely halibut, prepared sous vide, doused with Cabernet sauce, and served with compressed eggs and parsley/garlic chips. I quite liked the fish's flaky, somewhat buttery texture, as well as its mild, delicately briny smack. The egg yolks were great in adding creaminess and weight to the halibut, while the parsley formed a fitting vegetal contrast.
6: Japanese Bouillabaisse | lobster, squid, uni rouille
Here we have one of the restaurant's most vaunted dishes: a Japanese-style bouillabaisse with shrimp, squid, lobster, whitefish, and quenelles (a term that humorously flummoxed one of our servers) of sea urchin rouille, in a red pepper-based broth. I loved the dish's positively intoxicating aroma, saturated with the essence of the sea. This continued onto the palate, where I was able to enjoy the flavor of each of the various types of seafood presented, all deftly cooked. Furthermore, the rouille and broth created a fantastic, fiery foil to the other ingredients, and I eagerly drank down the left over soup, imbued with the briny essence of the seafood.
7: "Vietnamese Sandwich" | baguette, pork, pickled carrots
If you've been following the chef on Twitter, you'd've seen that this was a dish he'd been working on for some time. It was also the item that I was most looking forward to. Basically Redzikowski's interpretation of the classic Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, it consisted of soy-cured pork, hoisin, daikon, carrot, cucumber, cilantro, and serrano chile, all on a housemade mini-baguette. The meat itself was robust indeed, and further elevated by the sweet and spicy hoisin. However, it was superbly contrasted by the tart, crunchy pickled veggies, and the cilantro especially. Though Redzikowski's banh mi didn't stray too far from the original, it was nevertheless quite delicious; my only quibble was that the baguette could've been softer.
8: Sonoma Lamb Shoulder | potato puree, carrot-ginger "cappuccino"
And now, lamb shoulder, over potato purée, topped with a ginger-carrot foam. The lamb itself was superb--tender and supremely flavorful, it was reminiscent of a braised preparation. It easily stood on its own, but I also liked the sweet-spicy counterbalance provided by the foam, as well as the tempering effect of the potato.
9: Mochi Donuts | candied rhubarb, yogurt, coconut ice cream
And now, for our first dessert: Redzikowski's famous mochi donuts. Their fame is well deserved; the mochi was heavy, dense, chewy, with a sweet, rich, delectable sapor (must be the ricotta in there). They were fun to eat alone, but even better with the coconut ice cream and yogurt, which formed an effective counter to the gravitas of the mochi. Excellent.
10: "Mango Lassi" | traditional flavors
Apparently, the mango lassi is one of the chef's favorite libations. It's originally a South Asian concoction, a yogurt-based drink mixed with cream and mango. Redzikowski's version uses mango chip, mango gelée, and mint oil, along with a yogurt sponge. The end result recalls the classic lassi, a refreshing blend of sweet and tart, though I would've liked a bit more yogurt to balance things out.
11: "Bazooka Joe" | on the rocks
We finished with a troika of treats. First up was the vermilion-tinted Bazooka Joe shot, made with strawberry, rhubarb, and Veev (and acai-based spirit); it mimicked the flavor of bubble gum, reminding me of Big Red soda in fact. Next was the curry popcorn, which was superb: think popcorn, but with a subtle curry kick; Christine went through several bags! Last was the strawberry bonbon, wrapped in an origami-inspired paper box.
With Redzikowski at the helm, I expected a unique, fun dining experience, and I got just that. With his considerable pedigree and experience, Redzikowski has successfully managed to blend French, Asian, Californian, and even molecular techniques here, creating dishes that are a departure from the norm, exciting, and even a bit avant garde, though I think he's still maturing as a chef, still defining his style, with room to grow. Since taking over the kitchens at BondSt, Redzikowski has made significant progress in erasing the mistakes of years past, and from what I've read, has been able to nearly double the number of reservations made at the restaurant--I can see why. After being panned by foodies and critics alike, let's hope that BondSt can survive and prosper under Redzikowski's newfound leadership.
Full review with photos: http://www.kevineats.com/20 09/09/bondst-beverly-hills- ca.htm
93
9/3/2009
Chef Brian Redzikowski brings in deliciously innovative cuisine and purposeful molecular gastronomy to completely revamp BondSt.
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Recommended Dishes
Japanese bouillabaise, "sashimi" tasting, sous vide wagyu, pork belly
93
8/26/2009
Restaurants that thrive in New York City don't necessarily find an audience in Los Angeles. Bond Street, a lower Manhattan sushi bar import, offers a perfect case study in how successful restaurants can't always be rooted up and plopped down without losing something essential in the process.
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Recommended Dishes
bruleed foie gras, miso glazed Kurobuta pork belly
93
7/22/2009
Recommended Dishes
fried mochi; japanese bouillabaisse
93
7/16/2009
My personal favorite of the favorites was the Japanese bouillabaisse. The fennelly saltiness graciously gave way to the rich uni that melted in the stew like a golden cloud of sea smell. Just magnificent. The Korean in me longed for some rice or even noodles to sop up this lusciousness. Strangely this dish reminded me of the thai lobster soup at Grace - even though they're so different, there's some secret kinship like that between Obama and Dick Cheney. The only reservation I have about this dish is the sand and shells ringed round the plate for decor. It's a little bit tacky maybe, but that's just my opinion
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Recommended Dishes
jidori chicken, wagyu ribeye, japanese bouillabaisse, fried mochi, tuna tart
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