Sweet Lou

First, an apology. I promised a report on grilled tofu featuring my standard Cardini's-based marinade. Well, the grill never really got hot enough due to gas pressure issues related to temperature and disuse. The result was limp tofu that never really got any kind of char. It wasn't bad to eat, but certainly nothing to photograph or write into the abyss of the internet about.

Instead, I bring you a report on one of my favorite restaurants in LA, Lou. An unpretentious little spot in a strip mall at the wrong end of Vine street, Lou is exactly the kind of place that makes me love this town. Where else would you find a tube hi-fi, chalkboard menu, biodynamic wines, and the love for pork that only a secular Jew can have all in the same building as a laudromat? Plus, Natalie Portman was there.

I was the last to arrive, and when I did, I found BoW, ML, and Count Reeshard at one of the better tables already enjoying some vin, some olives, and some pig candy. Yes, I said pig candy. I didn't get pictures at this point, but as you can see from the links, several other people who generally do a better job of that have already gushed about the stuff. It's even better than Sloppy Joe on a Krispy Kreme.

I then ordered a nice light, yeasty biodynamic wine and insisted we get some smoked fish. It was only halfway through this plate that I remembered my faithful readers, I will admit, but I'll tell you what we got from nearest to farthest. House cured albacore on toast. Chicken of the sea my ass. House smoked trout, a consistent staple of the Lou menu, dilled. Bacalao mousse on toast (not pictured because it was soooooo good and we tore right into it). House smoked salmon (clearly not some pale Atlantic crap, either) with fennel and onion slaw. Horseradish crème fraîche, capers, pickled red onions.

Snacking out of the way, we moved on to proper courses. I had a simple green salad of Boston and red lettuce in the kind of light vinaigrette that I make at home. BoW was a little more adventurous in her salad choice, opting for the frisée with bacon and poached egg. Decadent? Yes indeed. If you haven't had a salad like this before, do so now. It's easy to do yourself and very impressive in presentation, as you can see here.

If that's too schmancy for you, The Count ordered the mac. A lot of places in town insist on truffling it or adding extras. At Lou, it's done simply. The upgrades are in the ingredients: perfectly al dente elbows, rich béchamel, truly funky aged Red Hook cheddar. It's just the right consistency. ML commented that she wanted to take it out in the back alley and make it pregnant.

By this time, I had moved on to a dry, spicy Côte du Rhône, and I was as happy as the former candy was when it was a corporeal corporopiliac. (Yes, I'm very proud of that.) We still had main courses coming! Reeshard and I both opted for the chorizo, a dish that has been on the menu as long as I've been dining with Lou. The black lentils are perfectly prepared, soft without being mushy. They provide the perfect foundation for the subtly spiced pork links and the richness of the yolk. 

Our lady friends opted for the duck, which was my other choice anyway. BoW was kind enough to share. The accompaniment on this plate would have been remarkable under different circumstances. Everything was just-so in seasoning and preparation. Of course, the duck juice spilling out over the plate wasn't hurting anything. The bird itself was as good as any duck breast I've ever had. Period. The meat was moist and flavorful, the skin crisp, and the fat and succulent and delightfully melty as if it were pork belly. At this point, we were all ready to take that dish outside and give it octuplets.

ML made the call on dessert, and sadly, she was disappointed. This wasn't for lack of execution. As far as pot de crème is concerned, you could find no fault with this one, unless, like her, you didn't like orange and chocolate. For the rest of us, the creamy texture, light infusion of citrus, and finishing crunch of pistachio provided the perfect end to the meal.

Lou has never disappointed, and I find it a great place to meet a couple of friends. My thanks to our companions for the evening for their great company during a wonderful meal and especially to Reeshard for backup on the photos.