DTLA: Patty Melt and Drinks at Osso

 

Osso DTLA has one of those menus where everything looks good to me but I couldn’t order everything so we narrowed it down to a somewhat eclectic snacks for happy hour leading into dinner.

We started off with a couple of drinks in the waning sunset hour that lent a gorgeous light to my photos earlier in the night. The East 180 is particularly stunning, matching its distinctive flavor profile.

East 180 – Benesin mezcal, honey, mandarin orange, lime, bee pollen

 

 

I was originally eyeing the hamachi crudo but we went with the cooked version instead. We ordered the smoked yellowtail toast which turned out to be fabulous with miso and pickled turnip. That pickled turnip was my jam!

 

I have a terrible chips addiction. It didn’t help to see salt and vinegar chips on the menu. If they make a bowl of the smoked yellowtail to go with these chips, it’d be amazing.

 

I tried the Portola as my first drink. The brown drink wasn’t so bitter but it was stirred. It’s essentially an old fashioned whiskey cocktail with a little bit of honey candle wax. I smelled the candle and it smelled just like honey which I suspect it was made out of honey comb. It didn’t taste waxy. I was reminded of a time I had a drink with surfer’s wax which left my lips feeling a bit like those fake wax lips you get as gag gifts. This wasn’t like that.

Portola – bourbon, castor sugar (super fine sugar), honey candle wax, Angostura bitters, orange bitters

 

Although I’m not a huge fan of dill, I wanted something cool and crunchy. The chilled wax beans salad sounded good to me. And you know what? The dill totally works and I’d order these again and again.

 

I’d been having a somewhat stressful time the last couple of weeks and I was eating comfort food every day. I wanted either the patty melt or the pork chop. We ended up getting the patty melt because also wanted to order the onion rings. I split this sandwich which turned out to be the perfect amount. I liked that the patty was cooked to order (medium) and the toast wasn’t too greasy.

 

The onion rings were also not greasy which meant they never got limp and were fine even 20 minutes after we got them.

 

The wallpaper features both a beaver and Medusa head. The result is the Osso illustration- the Beaverdusa which lends its name to the punch. If you want to start — or end with something light, this is the drink to get. Despite having three different whiskies, it’s a punch so it’s very well balanced.

Beaverdusa Punch – bourbon, Scotch, rye, gold sencha tea, St. Germain, oleo-saccharum

I’ll be back to tackle the rest of the menu! I’m looking forward to trying the mussels, fried chicken, charcuterie including foie gras torchon and of course, more cocktails!

Osso DTLA

901 E 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012  —  (213) 880-5999

 

© The Minty  2015