Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

09 Jul 2022

Camphor – Los Angeles

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I met up with my colleague and friend Mona for a lovely dinner at Camphor back in March. Behind the stoves at this contemporary bistro in Downtown Los Angeles are chefs Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George. The duo met while working at Michelin-starred Blue by Alain Ducasse in Bangkok and opened Camphor in the former Nightshade space earlier this year.

Camphor’s cooking is as technically precise as one would expect from two fine dining chefs, while the flavors lean toward South Asian and French in equal measure. To start, a small complimentary bite reminiscent of pani puri.

Mona said that the bread ($10) served with époisses butter was a must-order and of course, she was right. Époisses can be too strong for me at times, so the addition of butter to smooth out its funk was welcomed. The warm, thickly sliced bread made for a fine accompaniment.

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Restaurant Review

12 Jun 2022

Here’s Looking At You – Los Angeles (Koreatown)

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Sidling up to the bar at Here’s Looking At You in late January night felt like something out of a pre-pandemic dream. Chefs Jonathan Whitener and Thessa Diadem were cranking in the kitchen, while owner-slash-hostess Lien Ta was charming diners in the front of house; the dining room was packed with revelers and bursting with energy.

Here’s Looking At You was finally back after an unplanned slumber, and it didn’t miss a single beat. My girlfriend Thien and I practically ordered the entire menu, and each dish was as creative and delightful as ever.

Kumamoto oysters, hibiscus, ginger, cassava, wasabi ($18).

Especially memorable was the uni panna cotta ($17) — a cool, savory, and oceanic pudding prettied with ikura, dill, and wild rice. It was so good that we honestly should have ordered two. Next time…

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Restaurant Review

26 May 2022

Santa Monica Doubleheader: Crudo e Nudo & Cobi’s

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I couldn’t say no when my friend Nicole suggested a two-stop Santa Monica dinner crawl back in February. First up was Crudo e Nudo (which recently opened a second location in New York City) where we snagged a table for two on the sidewalk parklet and nibbled on sustainable seafood while sipping biodynamic wine.

We fully leaned into the restaurant’s chill vibes and ordered the “crudo trio” ($60), which let chef Brian Bornemann choose what’s served. All we had to do was sit back, relax, and eat what landed on the table.

First up was some halibut served super simply and delicately with white sesame, green onion, and shiro shoyu ($24).

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