Boxes, Little Boxes

Meanwhile, back in LA...



Star Chefs hosted an amazing gala at the Fairmont Mirimar in Santa Monica Thursday night. It was a gathering of the best of the best of the local culinary scene. There were offerings by LA's cream of the crop, and guests were encouraged to vote for their favorite bite. It was nearly impossible to vote because each bite topped the last. The night's winner was Jordan Kahn, previously of XIV. He will be opening a new place soon, but stayed mum on the name of the restaurant.



Kahn stood out with his physics-defying, perfectly symmetrical boxes of mystery. They were filled with compressed strawberries, beet, cacao fruit, elderflower, and violets. A violet sauce was splattered across the boxes like paint (I asked for extra violet paint as I am a huge fan of florals).



Remember when chocolate "bags" were once all the rage? This is Mach X of that concept - the boxes were flawless in design. The presentation was worthy of any modern art museum in the country. Each box was placed on a white ceramic tile which was to be used as the plate.



The first time I tried it I was able to crack the box in one try, but once I tried videotaping, crouched down and one-handed, the box rocked and it took a good three stabs to finally unearth the strawberry I was seeking.