LA Restaurant Review: Vespertine
Vespertine is a futuristic and avant-garde restaurant by Chef Jordan Khan, offering a multisensory dining experience that merges cutting-edge architecture with innovative cuisine. After being closed since 2020 due to the pandemic, I was finally able to go back to Vespertine for the second time since it just recently reopened this year!
Vespertine is located in the building named “The Waffle,” which is an architectural marvel designed by the acclaimed architect Eric Owen Moss. Known for his innovative and unconventional designs, Moss crafted the building with a unique, lattice-like exterior that resembles a woven pattern. This striking and intricate design not only houses the renowned Vespertine restaurant but also serves as a testament to modern architectural creativity. The building stands out as a dynamic and visually captivating landmark, reflecting Moss's visionary approach to architecture in the heart of Culver City.
When we first arrived, we were seated in the garden area outside & were greeted with a refreshing welcome drink made from birch.
After, we were then led inside the building and taken up to the floor where the kitchen is located to see all of the chefs preparing the food. It’s honestly so cool to get to see where all of the magic happens and watch how diligently all of the chefs are working at each of their stations to create the courses.
Following this, we were then taken to the next floor below, which is where the main dining room is, to start dinner (I’ll have each of the courses shown below).
DINNER
wild scallop - passion fruit, aji amarillo
spring - peas, wild onion
This was definitely one of my favorite dishes of the night. Not only was this course absolutely stunning with all of the colorful, flowers foraged by the chef, it also was the perfect mixture of freshness and creaminess with the peas and wild onion & almond milk custard.
deep ocean - sweet prawn, quince
These prawns were caught by father and son fisherman off the coast of Hawaii and were served raw with a broth made from quince, plum vinegar, an aerated prawn mousse, aji panca chile, and red gooseberries. Also, how gorgeous is the plating of this course in this giant ice cube?
obsidian mirror - smoked mussel, plum
This dish was actually inspired by ancient Mexico and how the people believed that looking into obsidian crystals could bring them closer to God and their ancestors.
the deep seven - akamutsu, red papaya
coturnix quail - heather, sacred pepper
quail leg - wrapped in sacred pepper leaf & topped with reduced birch sap syrup
porridge bread - heirloom peel, corn oats
wagyu
As you can probably imagine, this just melted in my mouth and was pure perfection.
aged dairy calf - yeast fudge, magnolia
Then we moved again to the downstairs dining room.
This dining room was new since the last time I was here, and I have to say that photos do not do it justice. Experiencing it in person was truly so beautiful and romantic.
We then began with the two “bridge courses,” which were the dishes specifically meant to help transition from the main dinner to the dessert courses.
BRIDGE COURSES
red earth - pumpkin, strawberry
I can’t lie, this was the only dish I was kind of so-so about. Don’t get me wrong, it was obviously not bad at all, but it just wasn’t my favorite. I did really enjoy the story and inspiration behind the dish, which came from the chef’s trip to Mexico with his wife where they were taken to a thousand-year old tree to do a meditation ritual. It’s truly so special the way that the chef is able to incorporate personal moments of his life into each of the courses.
lamb fat pancake - caramelized maple, woodruff
DESSERT
uni - white chocolate creme, candied kelp
This uni dessert was one of the supplemental dessert dishes, but of course I wanted to try it to get the full experience. Although I am not the biggest uni fan in general, the uniqueness of this dish oddly worked so well because I would honestly never think to have uni for dessert.
icy birch - milkjam, tiger nut
layers - black raspberry, tonka bean
This was by far the best dessert of the night, in my opinion. Not only does this look like a piece of art, it also tasted so delicious with the sweetness and tanginess of the black raspberry in combination with the nuttiness from the almond praline. I honestly wish I could have this again because it was so good. It was totally giving a pb & j vibe, but obviously way more elevated.
Since I have been to Vespertine before, I have to note that I definitely think the desserts were even better this time. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed them the first time I was there, but they were previously a lot more plant and fruit-focused. This time, they were slightly creamier and more indulgent, which is generally what I prefer when it comes to sweets.
MY THOUGHTS
Overall, I had a really amazing experience at Vespertine 2.0 and can tell how much thought and detail was put into reopening this restaurant. Everything from the service, to the unique ingredients that were used in all of the dishes, the ambiance of each dining room, and even the handmade stoneware used to plate each course was truly so special to experience. It was even better than the first time I had dined here back in late 2019, so I can only imagine that they are going to keep getting even better. If you get the chance, you absolutely need to come here.