BAR CENTRO AT THE BAZAAR
465 S. La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles 310-246-5555

 

Upon arrival at the whimsical restaurant and lounge, even the most blasé will immerse in some engrossing people watching because the place lives up to a virtual bazaar.  It’s stocked with Starck’s eye-popping oddities, handsomely priced objets d’art, and a clientele that runs that gamut from young Hollywood to those hoping to be discovered. Its Alice in Wonderland updated by way of Hollywood.

 

While awaiting your table, you’ll have to maneuver through the throngs if you want to indulge in some specialty cocktails that include a killer Jose’s gimlet (vodka if you prefer), a rum-based passion fruit martini and, something that’s not currently on the menu but worth the request – a Poison Rose martini.

 

Don’t let the prices fool you into thinking they don’t take their tapas portions seriously. If you’re ordering for two, you should select up to half a dozen items to cushion the delectable cocktails. But be assured Bar Centro compensates for the price with inventiveness, flavor and play. The food here is not just tasty, it’s an immersive experience. How else can you describe the yolk-like spheres of liquefied green olives that explode in your mouth or a Philly cheesesteak made with an air-bread shell stuffed with white cheddar and topped with Wagyu beef carpaccio?  You’ll never see chips and dips the same way again after you’ve tasted the medley of sweet potato chips and the yogurt dips with swirls of tamarind and star anise; and guacamole will be a revelation when wrapped in papery jicama.

 

Bar Centro and Bazaar is Chef Jose Andres’ first venture on the West Coast. The celebrity chef, who trained under Ferran Adria at El Buli and is an icon thanks to his restaurants in Washington DC, has unleashed sophisticated Spanish food to Angelenos in a way that is apropos of the city’s cinematic association.

 

-- Ghalib Dhalla