DTLA: Dinner at the Veggie-Centric PYT

 

Chef Josef Centeno has created a restaurant inside of a restaurant with the new PYT inside of Ledlow. My pal Carina was in town and whenever we get together, we look for the best food and drinks. We had just done Cassia the night before and decided to swing “light” the next night.

We started with a couple of drinks at the bar. She loved the Beet It and ordered another when we sat down for dinner. I had the Jalepeno Business because I always try drinks with bell pepper in ’em. It doesn’t surprise me a veggie-centric restaurant should have veggie-centric drinks but these were more than pouring booze into a green juice.

Beet It – bourbon, beets, kombucha, lemon, sugar

Jalepeno Business – rum, bell pepper,  tarragon, lemon, sugar

 

 

After we ordered, chef sent out an amuse bouche of boiled peanuts. I found it very charming to have this simple snack.

 

This is the chef’s salad. Actually, it’s the chef’s (emphasis on chef) salad. It’s not the usual diced up deli meat and cheese, covered in thick dressing business. It’s a collection of all the freshest vegetables chef has found at the market. With a wonderful walnut marigold dressing.

 

The other amuse we had was the tomato tart. I love, love, love tomatoes and was happy with this dish. I don’t eat much bread (noodles for life, yo) and this is probably a good way to get me to eat something closer to bread.

 

Actually, I love a lot of vegetables. It’s surprising for some to realize this since I eat and will never give up meat but I make up for that with basically unlimited vegetables. I spied the salt baked turnips and decided to give this a whirl. They come encrusted with salt which the server will gently break open and then plate it table side. This is a great dish and quite the stunner.

 

Oh, yes, meat. So, while PYT is essentially a vegetarian restaurant there are a couple of meat dishes. We opted for pork instead of the fish this evening and I’m glad we did. The boneless pork rib was fantastic. Really juicy and I’m sure it’s because this isn’t some industrial farmed stuff. The pork ribs also came with really delicious potatoes.

 

I’ve never had a bad dessert from a Josef Centeno restaurant and I wasn’t disappointed with the mission figs and berries. I can give up dessert but not fruit. And really, that’s all you need.

Light, indeed.

 

PYT

400 S Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013  — (213) 687-7015

 

© The Minty  2016