Orris

Last week I ate on Sawtelle with my friend Zoe. Zoe is a japanophile like me and introduced me to Sawtelle Blvd. back in high school. It's like the little Tokyo of the west side, with tons of cooked Japanese food and sushi restaurants, and a really great Japanese market with authentic groceries you can't find anywhere else.

We went to Orris, which is kind of like a fusion tapas bar--there is not really a good way to categorize the restaurant, but it is all small plates with Japanese, American, Italian and even Indian flavors represented on the menu. While I understand that some restaurants set out to embody a chef's "vision" or represent a distinct style or taste, I like the idea that a casual restaurant like Orris doesn't adhere to just Japanese food, like its neighbors. It's very satisfying in a way that you can have a taste of everything, and surprising that it all goes together so well. Check out what we ordered:

Grilled Romaine with Parmesan dressing and shavings: A really great take on a classic salad; grilling the romaine transformed something that could be simple and boring into delicious and new.

Albacore Lettuce Cups with Jalapeno aioli and greens:I love using lettuce as a spoon. The albacore was just slightly seared to give it a different texture, and very fresh. I couldn't really taste the jalapeno in the aioli, which was regrettable since it could have used a little spice, but there was a strong taste of extra virgin olive oil. This was a surprisingly good combination with the fish, especially since this was one of the more traditional asian dishes.

Curry Infused Shrimp Tempura: We contemplated not getting this since it seemed sort of generic but Zoe assured me it was delicious, and I am so glad I was wrong. The shrimp was served with a very bright yellow curry sauce. It was much less creamy than a traditional curry, but still packed with all of those flavors. AND to top it off, there was a small pile of fresh sea salt, which I have already made clear is my favorite condiment of all time.

Fried Squash Blossoms stuffed with Shrimp Mousse and served with a Kalamata Olive tapenade:I'm aware that this was probably not what we should have ordered, considering our previous dish had shrimp and was also tempura-ed, but I had to get it anyways. It sounded really interesting and I can't stay away from zucchini and/or squash blossoms when they are in season. And interesting it was! The olives were definitely an unconventional addition but worked surprisingly well. Its funny how with certain dishes you can predict that there are certain components that need to be there to make it work. Without the tapenade, the blossoms would have needed an acidic component to square it off--while olives don't necessarily come to mind for that purpose, they were sweetly acidic in a way that worked well. All in all I would say it was a success.

Orris was a great restaurant for trying new flavor and plate combinations. Eating by the rules is no fun at all!

Nosher


Orris
2006 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (310) 268-2212

P.S. very special night tonight--a friend of my parents' is in from out of town so we are going to Suzanne Tracht's Jar. I have never been and always wanted to go, but have been especially eager since seeing her win on Top Chef Masters. Look for an update on Jar soon!