Sevilla

                Traditional tapas restaurant Sevilla is a far cry from what Spanish chefs would expect from their heralded national cuisine.

            

            Seville is a warm Spanish restaurant on Pine in downtown Long Beach that offers classic tapas dishes.  Sevilla suffers from a common restaurant theme, good ideas but bad execution. Most importantly the dishes are too acidic and under-seasoned.

“It sounded good, but there wasn’t any salt,” Taylor Holm said as he took a bite of a seared scallop.

The menu is comprised of several ceviches, empanadas and an array of regional Spanish dishes. The lime and cilantro puree overpowered the scallop and yellowtail ceviche with a fresh herb mojo, cucumber and avocado. “All I can taste is lime,” Holm said as he took a sip of his gin and tonic.

Photo by Matt Barg
The disappointing ceviche with herb mojo, cucumber and avocado.

The seared scallops with artichoke puree, roasted tomatoes and saffron butter defies basic culinary techniques. First, there was absolutely not salt in any of the food, leaving it incredibly bland. The roasted tomatoes are not roasted and the artichoke puree is coarse and grainy. The saffron butter has only a hint of saffron, which is a distinctive and bold flavor.

Photo b Matt Barg
Seared scallops with no one grain of salt.

Interview with Ink Cook: Tony Villarin Part 2

Photo by Matt Barg
Villarin showing his quirky passion for food

            Ink and Chef Voltaggio are known for using molecular gastronomy techniques with innovative precision.

Villarin was originally inspired by Chef Voltaggio’s creativity while watching Top Chef. “I thought it was amazing when he made brioche in the microwave in like 30 seconds with a paper cup and a refillable whipped cream canister,” Villarin said in awe of his current chef and mentor.

“We sous vide all the meat. It’s cooked perfectly like it should be, perfect medium rare,” Villarin explained the emphasis on attention to details.

Chef Voltaggio not only demands precision from his cooks but he has come to expect it. “It’s a higher level kitchen, so it more intense,” Villarin talked about the kitchen staff. “What’s expected of you is a lot harder than working at Chili’s. You’re paid to do a job and if you can’t do that job they get rid of you.” The intensity level at fine dining restaurants only increases as the awards come in. He described the awards as a blessing and a curse.

Interview with Ink Cook: Tony Villarin Part 1

Photo by Matt Barg
Tone Loc showing off one of his many knives

             Former U.S. Marine, Tony “Tone Loc” Villarin, is in the process of working his way up the line at one of the best small plate restaurants in the country, Ink in Los Angeles on Melrose.

           

             “It’s more out of the box than straightforward food. It’s more artistic than you would see at a French restaurant but with the same techniques,” Villarin described the cooking style at Ink.

Currently, Villarin is at the bottom of the totem pole at the garde-manger station, which is cold appetizers.  He has been working at Ink for only 4 months. There are three cooks that work on the garde-manger station and Villarin in the leader of the team.

“It’s been a pretty rough transition for the Montage,” Villarin said as he chuckled. “It’s taken me a while to get how the flow of things work and how to work super, super clean.” He described the efficiency of the staff as something he has never seen before, but this is what sets the restaurant apart.

Ink has won several prestigious culinary awards like Best New Restaurant in America, Best Restaurant in America and countless awards given to Chef Michael Voltaggio. 

Photo by Tony Villarin
Smoked asparagus with smoked dates and goat cheese snow

Beer List at The Side Door

            

Photo by Matt Barg
The Side Door offers a wide selection of bottled and draught beers

            The constantly rotating beer menu at the Side Door offers a wide variety of craft beers from around the world. Drink Menu

            The beer list is incredibly intriguing for beer connoisseurs. The list is comprised of well-known breweries, at least for beer advocates, but with beers from these breweries that are quite rare. A prime example of this is the Hangar 24 Vinaceous, ale with Temecula grapes aged in oak barrels.

            Commonly found breweries on the list are Green Flash, Lagunitas, Ritual, Russian River and Deschutes. They also offer traditional English beers like Old Speckled Hen, and Belgian beers like Chimay and St. Bernardus.

            On top of a spectacular beer list, the wine list is surprisingly strong for a pub. A stand out on the list is the Stag’s Leap 2008 Petite Syrah from Napa Valley. The wine list is comprised of wines from Napa and the central valleys, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Austria and Germany.