I am on a roll! I have reviewed a few of the top new restaurants on the very hip Third street in Los Angeles. I am adding yet another one that just opened and promises to be a huge hit with all of the local Los Angeles foodies.
The difference between this restaurant and the others that I have
recently reviewed, is that C.O.D. is a fresh, new delicious experience with a Pan-Asian twist. C.O.D. stands for catch of the day, and that is exactly what you will get super fresh, wonderful seafood.
C.O.D. is in their initial opening phase with a few things still in the works. They hired sommelier Ryan Hess of Vinoteca fame, to design a wine list and mixology program that has not been implemented, but will be in the next few weeks. For now beer, wine and sake is what you can order. There is a patio that will soon have outdoor dining upstairs as well, and a lounge yet to be opened, with a brunch menu soon. Even with a few things pending I would say go out and try it, the food is simply remarkable; it will give your taste buds a run for their money.
Server Doug previously from The Soho House was a great example of how a good charming waiter can make your whole experience incredible, as he says, “ I like to transcend my diners experience”, and boy did he ever.
The interior is rustic, but industrial, a canoe sits over the bar, and a big painted coy fish adorns the wall. There are concrete floors, industrial chairs, wood tables, wood tile type wall, trussed ceiling, and a raw bar. The big large windows show the Third street walking traffic. Their music is soft and ambient. Everything gives their food one fantastic backdrop.
Here’s what I tried:
Oysters:
Kusshi British Colombia, very meaty little oysters, ultra clean flavor, creamy.
Raw:
Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, super crispy wafer type platforms house the very flavorful tuna, it’s a nice way to start this fantastic meal
Halibut Carpaccio, local halibut; with citrus juice, olive oil, sea salt, yuzu kosho, and shiso basil. The halibut is cut paper-thin and the sauce is a sweet collection of enjoyable tastes.
Hokkaido Scallop Carpaccio with yuzu kosho, smoked sea salt, ponzu sauce, and olive oil. I am the biggest scallop lover; these are sliced very thin and have an amazing texture, one of my favorite dishes tonight.
Soup and Salad:
Clam Chowder with manila clams, bacon, potato, light and creamy. There are lots of fresh clams in their shells, which make for a very filling soup, and the bacon changes the course of everything.
Truffled Green Beans, chilled crunchy baby green beans, olive oil, and truffle salt. Super green and crunchy, for the vegan this dish is a must.
Small Plates:
Grilled Octopus, crispy bacon, scallion, lemon zest, pickled shallots, and ginger kidney beans. It’s like octopus tenderloin, a large long log with all of the yummy accompaniments, never tasted octopus this great!
Crispy Pork Belly, honey soy glazed bites, jalapeno, green onion, and cilantro. I have tried lots of pork belly type dishes, but this one was really the best ever. It’s super crispy on both ends but then the middle oozes out juicy goodness, what a treat!
Truffle Sliders Kobe Angus beef, shitake aioli, Muenster cheeses, and truffle sauce, on a brioche bun. Make sure with this one you keep a napkin close by and in your lap. This slider is so juicy, it will pour out of the Kobe beef patty, and this is one decadent slider.
Meat:
Braised Beef Cheeks with soy garlic demo glaze, mushroom quinoa. So delightful, the meat is like butter and the hint of soy and garlic just round out the magnificent flavors that this dish has to offer. Then you have the quinoa as an added health benefit.
Noodles and Rice:
Seafood Rice, with shrimp, fish, crab, egg, and green onion. So much fresh seafood is used, all in harmony with the egg, rice and green onion.
Truffle Uni Pasta with shaved truffle, green nori linguini, creamy uni sauce, and fish roe. Uni truffle pasta is pretty much a main stay at most high-end restaurants in Los Angeles, but I have never tasted one this good.
Desserts:
Okinawa Purple Yam with brown sugar and butter. A nice healthy dish with an interesting yam flavor.
Chocolate bread pudding with brioche bread, Chantilly cream, and chocolate sauce. The chocolate goodness is off the charts, wow!
Sake:
Unfiltered Sho Chiku Nigori, this is a creamy sake, but delicious with all of the raw fish.
Filtered Dreamy Moon, nice clear sake with great smooth rounded flavors, it went great with the spicy tuna crispy rice.
Champagne:
Lamarca Prosecco, I love to start any dining experience with a good Prosecco, this one was enjoyable, and a good match with the oysters.
Wine:
Franciscan Chardonnay, 2014, Napa Valley, just loved this wine with the uni truffle pasta, it enhanced all of the rich creamy nuances.
La Crema Chardonnay, 2014, Sonoma Coast, this Chardonnay was a great accompaniment with the clam chowder and the grilled octopus, it added some caramelization to these two dishes.
Newton, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013, Napa County, of course this would be the wine with any of the meat dishes, pork belly, beef cheeks, Kobe sliders, and the chocolate bread pudding!
Beer:
Blue Moon, light and refreshing for any of the dishes with a little kick this beer will wet your whistle.
Owner Marcus Kwan and his brother Michael are the forces behind the Wokcano Restaurant Group of Pan-Asian restaurants. Immigrating to Los Angeles from China in 1989, Marcus started in the industry at a restaurant in Chinatown as a busboy. After climbing the ranks, and borrowing some money from their mom, the brothers opened their first restaurant in 1995, called The Islands, located on Third Street, the same location as Wokcano. Six years later, Michael and Marcus closed The Islands, renovated the space, reinvented the menu, and reopened the doors as the first Wokcano in 2001. Since then, the Kwan’s have successfully opened five additional Wokcano locations. Wokcano’s menu focuses not just on the traditional Chinese dishes inspired by their mother, but also features fresh sashimi, innovative sushi rolls and a few Thai and Korean dishes, to complete the Pan-Asian influenced menu. C.O.D. is in the same space as Wokcano used to be in, so this type of food already has a built in clientele, serving up contemporary Asian fare, it is just way more upscale then Wokcano I think.
So far Marcus says the customers are locals, this neighborhood is so varied in demographics that I can see a whole new breed of customers for C.O.D. then what they had for Wokcano. I am very excited to have this high end of a restaurant right in my backyard. I now know that I will become a regular, wanting to enjoy their luscious cuisine at least once a week.
C.O.D. Seafood & Raw Bar
8408 W. 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.658.9188
http://www.codrestaurant.com/
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