DTLA: DineLA at Manuela Recap
I recently checked out Manuela in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles for dineLA.
Reservations are recommended. Once you’re there, they do take your temperature. We were seated just outside of their patio facing the art in the Hauser Wirth complex. At first I wanted to be part of the crowd but then I realized I liked the intimacy of the courtyard. We were there by ourselves for the longest time until they seated a larger party. We were partially hidden because of the surrounding vegetation.
We started with a couple of drinks including this lovely Stonefruit sour. I love all stone fruit and was glad to get the last of it before the season ended.
Stonefruit Sour– Hendrick’s gin, pluot, yuzu, eggwhite
We knew we wanted to do dineLA but couldn’t resist a couple of add ons including the barbecued oysters.
One of the things I don’t cook much at home is seafood so a seafood intensive menu was what I wanted. We followed the oysters with the smoked albacore dip. I loved the lighter-than-air rice crackers used with the dip! And I also really enjoy okra. These could’ve been a bit crispier but I’m sure the restaurant was doing the best they could as the patio was getting full and they finally started seating people near us (but not too close!).
I love biscuits and and was glad the set meals come with a biscuit per person! I probably could’ve eaten more than one but then there was the rest of the dinner. My fine dining partner said these reminded her of homemade biscuits which is a very good thing.
Naturally we went for the salmon as we tried to load up on the seafood. The lemon cucumbers intrigued us and we spent a long time trying to figure out what they were. Once I knew it was a type of cucumber, it all made sense. It taste like a watery vegetable — haha, just like a cucumber.
The pork was fantastic with perfectly roasted peaches.
Next I tried the Florida Man. I don’t love the name but I wanted a mezcal drink. It was perfect for the still warm night.
Sidecar – Argonaut brandy, cider, vanilla brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, lemon
Florida Man– blueberry rested mezcal, Lo-Fi sweet vermouth, African basil, lemon
The desserts were fun! I am always hunting for a good key lime pie out west (my favorite is at Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami- or really almost anywhere in Miami). Manuela’s was the right amount of sweetness to tartness.
But what had us going was the grits pie. I love grits, polenta and all that stuff so was happy to try this pie. I’ll be dreaming of this one.
I’m keeping Manuela in rotation for a nice night out!
Read all about Manuela’s safety precautions here.
907 E 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 — (323) 849-0480
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