Michael Lippman

As I roll up in my Saturn Ion to valet my car for eight bucks, Diane Keaton is waiting for  her car – I’m guessing not a Saturn.  I do not tell her how much I love Annie Hall and Manhattan.  I walk up the steps, through the courtyard, and into Craft L.A.  It’s lunchtime and we’re virtually attached to CAA, so everyone’s in suits – I’m in tennis shoes and a shlumpy sweater.  Sharon Stone makes a grand entrance, talking histrionically to the man walking beside her, striding right past everyone, into the understated, clubby, chic, dining room.  I fall limply onto a barstool, say to the bartender, “wow”.  He nods, yeah. 

Celebrities aside, I’m nervous about my meal.  Tom Colicchio is so cool on Top Chef, if his restaurant is less than stellar I'm going to be seriously bummed.  Wanting to maximize the potential of the hundred bucks I know I’m about to spend, I engage in a long conversation with the bartender about the menu.  I mean long -- like 25 minutes.  I tell him about foods I particularly like, he makes recommendations, I nod, I shake, I cringe, I shrug, I weigh, I consider.  I commit to nothing.  To his credit, he seems to be enjoying this, rather than getting impatient.  It’s a big menu, divided into many sections, and many of the items are not described as dishes per se -- it’s more like “chicken”. 

Finally, after much consideration, I have a new idea.  I ask the bartender to please go into the kitchen, tell the chef I want three courses (not dessert) that will make me very happy, but not super full, and nothing like caviar or lobster that will break the bank.  He gladly obliges, striding gleefully into the kitchen.

Back at the bar, he lets me taste every wine he’s pouring by the glass.  There are several nice ones at surprisingly fair prices.  I order a glass of the 2003 Chateauneuf de Pape which is superb at 15 bucks.  He tells me he’s psyched to be able to pour it.  He then busts out a 1985 Haut Brion(!), worth about 5 grand.  He tells me a table left without finishing it last night.  My heart starts racing.  He pours me a taste.  Sadly, the wine is pretty much cooked – completely oxidized - but still, it's 1 PM and I'm sitting here sipping an ’85 Haut Brion. 

this is actually 1985 Haut Brion

First course comes out.  The Spanish mackerel with rhubarb.  Now, I told the bartender I love mackerel -- it may be my single favorite food -- and obviously the bartender told the kitchen.  Which was kind of cheating because I wanted the kitchen to cook what they thought was best.  But, the dish is stunning.  The combination of the rich oily cured fish and the tart rhubarb stem is inspired.  It’s probably the best thing I eat.  Just look at it.

  gorgeous mackerel

Next is the Golden River Trout (smoked) with fingerling potatoes and crème fraiche.  Mmmm.  This is like a refined version (but thank God not too refined) of something my Jewish grandmother would make.  I'm surprised how homey and soulful it is.  I start to feel really cozy here at Craft.  

By the way, I told the bartender to absolutely NOT worry about matching food to wine.  Because who’d have believed my deep red Chateauneuf is working so beautifully.  Then comes the pork cheeks in blood orange sauce.  It takes me a few bites to move my palate away from fish, but once I’m in the zone, yummy, again a nice cross between the refined and the homey.  Maybe it’s the least special of the three dishes, but it's delicious. 

half-eaten trout (oops)

Somewhere along the way there I ordered a second glass of wine.  Hmm.  When did that happen?  It's lunch and I gotta go back to work, people.  But it’s a good sign – I’m carried away by the food, by the experience.  I feel taken care of.  I feel the high that you want to feel, that is the whole point of dining at a nice restaurant.  In fact, I feel just a tad too good to drive right now.  I'll linger over a cappuccino and some pears.

God damn I’m civilized.

Craft L.A.   10100 Constellation Blvd, Los Angeles, CA  90067