Here at Simone Restaurant, one of the newest and handsomest dining rooms in Los Angeles, Chef Jessica Largey serves a vegetable-centered menu starring California’s unparalleled produce. The Astronomer and I came in for dinner in early October, a month or so after Simone opened its doors, and both the food and service were impressively polished.
Prior to opening Simone, Chef Largey was the chef de cuisine of Manresa and the recipient of the James Beard Rising Star Chef of the Year award in 2015.
The cocktails coming out of Duello, the ambitious bar inside Simone, were as thoughtful as the dishes coming out of the kitchen this evening. I sipped the booze-forward “Kimchi Gibson” ($18) made with gin, kimchi and dry vermouth, while The Astronomer selected the “Mamacita Mole Blanco” ($17) with tequila, mole grenadine and lime oleo saccharum.
First up were hearty slices of sesame seed-crusted sourdough served with house-cultured butter ($10).
