Kali
Strawberry Shrub
Chicken Salad – Baby Kale / Almonds / Smoked Eggs / Blue Cheese
Charred Avocado – Shaved Vegetables / Pistachio / Ash / Kale
Asparagus Tips – Duck Egg / Preserved Lemon / Cracklin’
Rosemary Brioche with Housemade Butter
Prawn Chowder – Potato / Chantilly Cream
Wheat Berry “Risotto” – Black Garlic / Toasted Cheese
Pork Loin – Preserved Lemon / Celery / Salsify / Ash
Duck Breast – Carrots / Honey / Lavender
Strawberries – Crème Fraiche / Shortbread / Geranium
Meringue Gelato – Candied Yolk Shavings
Told independently by three local gourmands that Kevin Meehan’s Kali was veritable ‘must’ considering plans that were intended to stay in the area for a concert later that night, it was with a local Chef and friend that I sat down for lunch at the chic space at 5722 Melrose Avenue on Friday afternoon, the pop-up turned brick-and-mortar offering up a four-course feast featuring Southern California’s bounty presented at its very best.
Only recently opened for lunch, the menu not especially different from dinner – though perhaps better suited to business lunches for the likes of John Legend who ordered a salad at a table to my right – Meehan is known to many for his fondness of simple yet elegant plates of seasonal local produce and although prices trend higher than some may consider ideal the cost of superior ingredients is undoubtedly justified by the flavors sent forth from the kitchen as flavors seem to explode from each bite.
Recently a new father of twins, the Chef’s wife and Mother-in-Law stopping by for lunch with the room less than one quarter-full, dining began with a housemade strawberry shrub served by the beverage director formerly from Providence and launching quickly into three sizable piles of fresh produce a smile quickly crossed my lips, the loaded “chicken salad” still substantially lighter than most thanks to a lack of mayonnaise while the signature “charred avocado” featured a whole fruit sliced lengthwise around curls of kale, pistachio and shaved carrots plus radishes all slicked with fruity olive oil.
Given a chance to taste the dinner-only Asparagus tips, a chilled salad with egg yolk married to citrus with crispy duck skins lending texture plus a smack of salt, second courses featured two hot bowls best enjoyed with a spoon, and while the “Risotto” of Wheat Berries ate a touch too “stew-like” for Spring with heavy whiffs of Black Garlic the piping hot Prawn Chowder ate light and frothy due to the use of whipped cream Chantilly as a boiled crustacean shells provided a briny yet balanced base to the stock.
Offering Chicken at lunch but Duck at dinner it was with a simple request that the rich strips of ruby red breast were prepared by Meehan at a slightly higher cost, and although some may like to pretend that sous-vide is some sort of ‘hack’ or ‘gimmick’ there is little doubt that in the right hands it can be downright brilliant, as was the case when fowl was served lacquered with honey atop carrots beneath a crown of Lavender, similar sentiments applicable to slowly-softened Salsify in ash served as an accoutrement to batons of pork.
Told that Meringue Gelato offers far more than meets the eye a total of two desserts were ordered to round out the afternoon, and as much as it may seem unbelievable, the seemingly simple frozen quenelle topped tableside with sugar encrusted yolk was indeed every bit as delicious as its billing, the seasonal Strawberry tart certainly not a distant runner up as the farmer’s market was again presented at the peak of freshness atop Shortbread with a floral notes of Geranium finding their foil in tangy creme fraiche.
www.kalirestaurant.com
