Toast of The Towne
Towne restaurant in downtown Los Angeles is only 2 weeks old, but it’s already setting the pace for the gastronomic trends of the season.
Chef Eric Hara and Chef Ryan Morrison, Pastry Tamara Davis, and Beverage Director Jason Bran are the team behind the restaurant who have come together to reinvent classic American cuisine.
General Manager Matthew C. Washton was quick to point out that everything is a little tongue in cheek here, and you need look no further than the salt and pepper on your table to see what he means.
The menu here is extensive so these are my top picks by section, and what I predict will be the hot foods of 2012.
Cocktails: Move over savories, the egg cream is here!
The cocktail menu is grouped by the time periods they were inspired by, so since I’m a fan of the jazz era I chose a Clover Club.This drink is made with Plymouth gin, cloves, and grenadine, and it’s topped with an egg cream froth. Egg Cream I think is about to take the beverage world by storm! The thing to drink here though really is vodka, where shots are kept at ideal drinking temperature even while you’re sipping them!
Starters: Kale; the other Green Leaf!
I’ve seen kale salads quickly replacing those with mixed greens and it’s no different at Towne. Kale still hasn’t made it to the top of my lettuce list, but the way it’s made here with monteray jack cheese, white beans, and chili garlic vinagarette makes you quickly forget it’s just a bitter cabbage with no heart 🙂
Shared: Forget what you know about anything!
I had several favorites from this part of the menu but let me tell you this is inventive stuff! The chef’s have created a world where Lobster Pigs in a Blanket Exist! I also enjoyed the bone marrow matzo ball soup and the wood grilled octopus, which is tumble tendered to remove any kind of rubbery texture. Something I did not enjoy was the Chicken Liver Popcorn…do not order this if you don’t’ already like chicken liver. Major brownie points for creativity though!
Pies & Pasta: It’s all about Squash Blossoms and White Beans!
Whether you prefer Pizza or Pasta, there’s something for everyone. The Squash Blossom pizza with burrata and capers was my surprising choice over all the other more decadent options. As for pasta the white bean ravioli is really something special and unlike any you’ve had before.
Composed: Lamb Shank is so last season!
I recommend the Crispy Pork Shank for 2—YOU MUST HAVE THIS!!!! Even if you’re alone, order it, and then do a celebratory dance after you finish a meal meant for 2! As a side I highly recommend the Brussel Sprouts—much like the Kale salad, you won’t even notice it’s good for you!
Desert: Feel free to be a kid again!
Towne offers a menu to order desert as well as a bakery area to pop in and buy pastries. If you have the time to sit down then I recommend having a peanut butter candy bar, or a home-made push pop in Ginger Caramel Flavor!If you’d rather take your sweets to go though then get ready for homemade twinkies, gluten free red velvet cupcakes and a myriad of macaroons!
Towne is owned by Armen Shirvanian who also owns Mi Piace in Pasadena. The gorgeous 7,000 square-foot space was custom designed by Mark Zeff and is located on the ground floor of the Watermarke Tower.
Get ready and go to Towne on this one!!
LOVE all the pics! And I have been seeing tons of egg cream too… surprisingly pretty tasty! Kale salad sounds amaaaaazing. Definitely adding this spot to my list of places to try. YUM!