Jame Enoteca
Warm Ciabatta – Umami Butter, Olive Oil
Spring Pea Agnolotti – Pea Skin Jus, Marjoram, Parmigiano
Meatballs – Potato Puree, Tomato Passata, Arugula, Pecorino
Mandilli – Handkerchief Pasta, Silky Three-Nut Pesto
Ricotta Gnudi – Sage, Brown Butter Solids
Capellini – 36 Hour Tomato, Reggiano, Basil
Meyer Lemon Pie – Graham Cracker Crust, Fresh Whipped Cream
Bread Pudding – Pudwill Farm’s Berries, Butterscotch, Fresh Whipped Cream
Nutella Mascarpone Cake – Hazelnuts, Nutella Ganache
Pavlova – Harry’s Berries Strawberries, Mosto Cotto
Still under the radar despite modest fanfare after opening in an El Segundo early-June 2018, Chef Jackson Kalb’s Jame Enoteca sees the under-30 Chef with training at Joël Robuchon, Alinea, Factory Kitchen and others turning out soulful Food with big flavors that typify Cal-Italian.
Never purporting to be a traditional Italian Restaurant, in fact quite the opposite as Kalb’s seasonal menu is firmly rooted in local markets, Jame Enoteca resides in a nondescript strip mall at 241 Main Street, and only accepting prix-fixe reservations for large parties only the Restaurant’s small size virtually guarantees a wait for all but the earliest arrivals.
Tight and oddly illuminated by neon, a sign reading “feed me pasta and tell me I’m pretty” casting its pink glow across 24 inside seats, Jame nearly doubles its size by spilling over outside where a collection of metal tables and chairs crosses over the entryway for dry cleaners and shops closed at night.
Amicable in terms of service, a young woman reciting specials and explaining some of Kalb’s unique ideas such as “Hollywood” style Bolognese with Avocado, it was from one of the outside tables that a meal was crafted in three courses, $4 Bread better for the “Umami Butter” than the Ciabatta itself but Meatballs nicely-packed and plenty juicy with Pork gently reined in by Potatoes and Tomato Sauce.
Called “one of the best places to eat Pasta in all of Los Angeles” by local media, on-site fabrication of more than a dozen varieties surprising considering Jame’s small size, course one additionally featured delicate Spring Pea Agnolotti in a what is essentially Brodo, a touch of Marjoram and imported Cheese adding more brightness that stands in stark contrast to Ricotta Gnudi that defines “rich” with Brown Butter and its Solids.
Ignoring secondi entirely, but faced with tough decisions as relates to Tagliatelle, Lasagna and others, it turns out that Kalb’s Capellini is one of the Restaurant’s best sellers despite sloppy plating and too much Sauce, the better bet a single flat sheet of Mandilli generously ladled with Three-Nut Pesto that lives up to the menu’s description as “silky.”
Clearly earning the love of South Bay residents, and deserving of such as Jame Enoteca takes no shortcuts despite independent ownership and slim margins, Dolci is largely a “pick ’em” of excellence, the increasingly famous Meyer Lemon Pie sweet yet tangy beneath a scoop of Fresh Whipped Cream while Nutella Mascarpone Cake is precisely as decadent as its Ingredients suggest.
At this point throwing caution to the wind as relates to calories, all four Desserts ordered by three guests at a table best suited for two, those looking for the photogenicity of Bon Temps or Pasjoli should take their overstuffed wallets elsewhere, because at Jame Enoteca the Bread Pudding and Pavlova come rustic and delicious with similar (or better) quality Berries in twice the portion for about 3/4 the price.
www.eatjame.com
