restaurant review: smoke.oil.salt in los angeles

Smoke.Oil.Salt is a new-ish (less than a year) Spanish restaurant in Los Angeles. The chef, Perfecto Rocher, hails from Valencia and cooks Catalunyan/Valencian cuisine. Mr. Sazy Rock and I previously met Chef Rocher a couple of years ago when he made us and other guests a true Paella Valenciana at a mutual friend's home. That paella was wonderful. Although we have not seen each other since then, we followed his career. So when we learned that he opened a new restaurant, Mr. SR and I were more than happy to check it out.

This is what I thought:


The Scene

Inside Smoke.Oil.Salt

This small and casual Melrose restaurant was packed and very buzzy on a Friday night. It was definitely full of energy. Interestingly enough, although it was loud, I did not have to yell over people to converse or strain my ears to hear people talk. The tables were packed a little bit too closely though so don't share any secrets you don't want people in neighboring tables to hear.

The Food

As a caveat, Chef Rocher kindly sent us a few complimentary dishes. I have clearly identified them below. Although we received freebies, we paid for our meal (less the complimentary dishes and glass of cava) and tipped our server based on the full price of our meal (i.e., as if the complimentary dishes and cava were included in the bill) and then some. His generosity has no impact on this review. 

• Gaspatxo Roig (complimentary) - Chef Rocher kindly sent us a small glass of the beets gazpacho topped with fresh oysters. The beets were tangy but not too acidic. This dish was very nice and refreshing. 

Beet Gazpacho.

• Cinco Jota (complimentary) - Another generous present from Chef Rocher, this type of Jamon Iberico is already way better than any jamon found in the US. It was moist and melted in my mouth. The small amount of caviar topping almost seemed unnecessary because the ham, by itself, was already so decadent.

Cinco Jota Jamon Iberico.

• Bunyols de Bacala - These cod croquettes were full of cod and had a nice crunch on the outside. Mr. SR and I had to fight for the third croquette.

Cod Croquettes.

• Calcots (complimentary) - This simple barbecued scallion dish was meant to be eaten all at once. It was served with the Chef's version of a romesco sauce. 

Calcots.

• Esmorzaret de la Safor - Chef Rocher told us that he made blood sausages the night before and so Mr. SR was very excited to try one. The dish did not disappoint. The sausage casing had a nice snap and the sausage itself was rich without being overly gamey. The dish also came with oysters (not pictured because I already ate them), which were very fresh and went in my belly quite quickly.

Blood sausage.

• Cigales - We were told that these langoustines came from Spain. Although I thought they were perfectly grilled and seasoned, the meat was a bit mushy. I suspect it was because they were frozen on the way over to Los Angeles, which can't be helped unless they put the langoustines to sleep in a hyperbaric chamber before waking them upon arrival in the US (and those langoustines at Bartolotta were absolutely worth the hype).

Cigales.

• Cuttlefish (complimentary) - I don't know the name of this dish but it was served with a tiny bit of squid ink. The cuttlefish was quickly grilled so it was perfectly cooked and not rubbery at all. 

Cuttlefish.

• Pluma Iberica - First off, Jamon Iberico is more than just the cold cuts. What does not get made into jamon, gets made into other dishes. Pluma comes from the Iberian pig's loin. The kitchen prepared this dish by grilling it and topping it with a sauce that tasted like thyme. It was so juicy. The squash blossoms were filled with goat's cheese (I believe) and fried with a light batter. I really enjoyed this dish and had to fight off efforts by Mr. SR to steal more than his share.

Pluma Iberico.

The Service

Andre, our server, was very friendly and efficient. The staff also passed Mr. SR's Napkin Test. Despite the restaurant being crowded, it seemed that all the staff knew what they were doing. The only flaw I found was when Mr. SR asked whether they had a Palo Cortado sherry. The sommelier told us that they only had two sherries. But, later on, we learned that they have an extensive sherry list that included Palo Cortado. That was a shame because we would have loved to have a glass or two.


The Price

The dishes were priced between $7 - $42. We ordered dishes that came from Spain so we knew that it would be a bit more expensive. But, then again, I thought that the Pluma Iberico was well priced at $38. The bottle of wine was a bit overpriced but it was good. That being said, excluding tax, tip and the complimentary dishes we received, our bill came up to $186, which was mostly because of our wine.


The Verdict

I adore Spanish cuisine, which figures in my Top 10 Best Street Food Dishes and in my Top 10 Best Restaurant Dishes. If I can't be in Spain, I am happy to eat at Chef Rocher's spot. He definitely delivers on the goods. I booked a table through opentable.com but you may call them at (323) 930-7900, if you wish, to make a reservation.



Have you dined at Smoke.Oil.Salt? What was your experience?