By nature and nurture, I’m not a very excessive person. My television is cable-less, I drive a Camry, and my idea of a good time involves dinner and conversation, rather than booze and booty. Okay, maybe a little booty. [Wink, wink.] However, I have my weaknesses. When it comes to sweets, I throw restraint out the window and go buck wild. I’m not just talking about an extra slice of pie or an additional scoop of gelato; when I need a serious sugar fix, the town gets painted red. Thus, it’s no surprise that I’ve long had my eye on the dessert tasting menu at Providence.
Orchestrated by Chef Adrian Vasquez, the eight-course dessert extravaganza ($50) is a feast for the senses. The two-hour symphony of delights features daring flavors, gorgeous plating, and unparalleled creativity. While an octet of sweets might seem like too much of a good thing, diners leave perfectly satisfied under the pastry chef’s brilliant care.
Thanks to the Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 program, I was able to treat The Astronomer, my mama, and my lovely friend Esme to Providence’s dessert tasting this past Saturday evening. While everyone around us was digging into salt-roasted prawns and sea urchin in fresh eggs, we took a stroll through the entire dessert menu. From beginning to end, we were oohing and ahhing with contentment.
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Course I: “Cocktails”
The parade of desserts began with a trio of “cocktails”—mojito, gin and tonic, and greyhound. The mojito and greyhound were held together by the thinnest of membranes. One slip of the tongue and the orbs burst in our mouths. The gin and tonic was taken with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. It was cold, jellied, and potent.
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Course II: Kalamansi Gelee
Next, Chef Vasquez sent out a kalamansi gelee floating in a soup of white chocolate and coconut milk with tiny tapioca balls. The fruity gelee was topped with a quenelle of litchi-shiso sorbet and coconut crumbles. Every refreshing spoonful captured the tropical flavors of Southeast Asia.
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Course III: Mandarin-Rose Sorbet
The mandarin-rose sorbet was accented with a miniature pistachio macaron, airy fluffs of yogurt cake, cardamom, and a disc of orange gelee. The yogurt cake’s sour notes were so pronounced that I swore I was eating a carton of plain yogurt.
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Course IV: Apples in Butterscotch
After three courses featuring citrus fruits, a plate of apples in butterscotch arrived next. The tender slices of fruit were beautifully caramelized and rested atop a cashew cake along with poached north star cherries. A quenelle of miso ice cream provided a delicious contrast to the sweet and warm fruits. This course highlighted the chef’s ability to juxtapose unlikely ingredients deftly.
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Course V: Caramel Pudding
The sticky sweet layer of caramel married luxuriously with the smooth pudding. I loved how the flavors teetered between sweet and slightly burnt. The caramel popcorn provided a crunchy contrast, while the dried apricots cut some of the pudding’s richness. Both accouterments were well chosen, but a part of me yearned for a sprinkling of sea salt, just like Pizzeria Mozza’s butterscotch budino.
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Course VI: Milk Chocolate Ganache
While the centerpiece of this creation was meant to be the chocolate ganache, it was the banana-passion fruit ice cream, cayenne marshmallow, and peanut butter that captured my attention. It seemed to me that this dessert was inspired by classic childhood sandwiches—peanut butter and banana, as well as the Fluffernutter. A little whimsy always makes for a fun sweet.
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Course VII: Dark Chocolate Mousse
Candied kumquats and ginger, along with a scoop of goma (sesame seed) ice cream were just the thing to brighten up this traditional chocolate mousse.
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Course VIII: Affogato
The final course was an affogato. A shot of hot espresso was poured over the canelé-flavored ice cream tableside.
The espresso’s bitterness was tempered by the ice cream’s double punch of richness and sweetness. The layer of hazelnut streusel beneath the ice cream was an awesome surprise.
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Finally, we were treated to a plate of mignardises—banana caramels, white chocolate snowballs with coconut flakes, and barley gelees.
Thank you to Foodbuzz for making this avalanche of desserts possible!
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Providence
5955 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: 323-460-4170
Lovely photos! So lucky with the 24 24 24!
Beautiful photos, lovely progression of dessert courses. The “cocktails” course has featured as amuse bouche in previous dinners I’ve had at Providence but the rest look so tempting too. Not sure my sweet tooth is well developed enough for 8 courses though!
This looks like a new set of dishes than what I had for my 8 course desesert tasting. Maybe I need to go back?? 🙂
I need to apply for this 24,24,24 thing!
Oh wow…banana-passion fruit ice cream and cayenne marshmallow? I think I need to eat that. No…I know I do!
Awesome 24 post. Those dishes are so elegantly presented. I’m tempted right now. I want to give this place a try now.
Kalamansi Gelee? This is the first time I’ve seen that fruit as a dessert in any restaurant. How cool to see a fruit that’s so popular in the Filipino cuisine featured in such a way. 🙂
Sigh. How I wish that pudding could be “yogurt” and the fluffernutter-inspired plate could be a “peanut butter sandwich.” Next time — next time!!!
Hi Gastronomer,
Very nice! 🙂 Thanks for the great pics and review. I keep wanting to try Providence’s Dessert Tasting Menu but whenever I finally get around to going, I find myself wanting their savory Chef’s Menu instead. 🙂 I’ll have to remember to try this sooner or later. If you don’t mind me asking, how much does this cost? Thanks.
Exile Kiss – 8 courses for $50. 5 courses for $40. 3 courses for $30. I was tempted to steal a bacon brioche from one of the servers, but showed incredible restraint.
Reminder that I need to re-apply for the 24×3 more often 🙂 Great that you got to taste through this menu!
Looks good, but did you crave salt afterwards? I would…
Wow! I want a bite of everything! All those delicious gelees and the caramel and the yogurt air. You are one lucky girl. I have the same sweet tooth but I don’t think I treat mine as well as you treat yours =)
Heaven! Am I lame for not even knowing this dessert extravaganza existed? It sounds like it was a fantastic evening.
Wow, lucky you! I remember you telling me all about this at Stir It 28. Next, you must go to Sona and do a dessert tasting there. And I must go to Providence for theirs. 🙂
xoxo
Jen (The Domestic Diva)
This must be the most insane display of desserts in one sitting I’ve ever seen. I am green with envy.
Incredible pictures and descriptions! So which course was your favorite?
congrats on the 24^3 score! What a great way to treat your mom.
Mai – It’s difficult to play favorites, but if I had to choose, the apples in butterscotch was my fave because of the miso ice cream. A close second was the kalamansi gelee.
It would have been way cooler if we had run into each other at Providence much like we have everywhere else. I loved reading your take on these desserts! See you soon!
I wish I could have some of that white chocolate coconut milk and tapioca soup. That sounds delicious!
omg, even for my sweet teeth, that’s a lot of desserts! seriously, did you crap out a sugar cube after you were done? no, i’m not kidding…..
Beautiful photos, I love his desserts that I’ve had at Lamill. I love how he doesn’t overload the desserts with chocolate. Although the sea urchin thing sounds good too…
WOW. WOWWW. I too have a penchant for sweet things and if I ever only have a two course meal, I always pick main and dessert. Well, maybe dessert and dessert but they won’t let me have that 🙁 Providence looks AMAZING, why didn’t anyone tell me about this when I was in LA recently??!?!?!
crazy good meal, huh?
i live near this place – and that looks like my kind of “dinner!”
WOW i feel like i was drooling while looking at the pictures. I think i might have to one day visit this place. yumm
I love how everyone is so different, taste-wise. I have no sweet tooth at all and if I could choose courses would always go starter and main, but these do look beautiful!