mussels — Wine & Dine

Met my friend Bernadette for dinner at Pata Salada a few nights ago. It's always an exciting experience to eat together. Mainly because I try to force her to have a drink or two (or 5) with me.

Pata Salada prides in their seafood creations and dishes from the region Jalisco. With heavy emphasis on the region the food came from, they also have a big focus on the Tequila as well. Their tequila comes from 100% blue agave made in and around Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. They not just carry 10 different tequilas, which is considerably a lot for a restaurant, but have over 70. Over 70 Tequilas to drink from. You can't tell me you can walk into a place that carry that many let alone 20. We were very pleased to taste a few of their starred dishes, tequilas, as well as a few new items they launched this week.

Our super sweet server being extremely patient as we snapped a few.

The tequila flight comes with 3 - 1oz pours.

I was relieved to taste different flavors in a crudo. This one in particular had their fish in a "Leche de tigre" or tiger's milk, which is a Peruvian term for the citrus-based marinade that cures the seafood in a ceviche. The crudo is dressed with avocados, sweet cherry tomatoes, avocado and basil.

The ceviche was packed in a cocktail glass mix with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, chili and lime. The ceviche was served with a side of blue corn chips.

Generous portions of guacamole mixed with pepitas, cherry tomatoes and ques fresco.

There is nothing I love more than the flavors of charred shellfish. These mussels are served LuLu style with chile lime butter. Mussels are served table top on a hot skillet so be careful.

Fried quesadilla stuffed with oaxaca cheese, mushrooms and huitlacoche.

2 sizeable drinks to have while we snack on our appetizers before the entrees. The blood orange one is their El Picante de Mango. Made with El Tesoro Reposado, Mango, chipotle and lime. Extremely delicious and I would even order this virgin for a nice sunny brunch. The lighter one, I believe, is their El Relajado. El Jimador Blanco with combier, agave and lime. Both super refreshing to have.

This pork shank was brined for 2 days before they slow cooked, then fried. Served on top of a chile morita orange salsa with rice and beans, and blue corn tortilla. This $59.95 handsome hunk will feed 2 or more. Depending on how many other dishes you order, I recommend ordering this with a bigger group of 4+ so you can try other items.

Their whole seabass was cooked with huacho salt, garlic chili lime butter with more garlic on top. Grilled lemons are served for a smokier citrus flavor. Rice, beans and blue corn tortillas are served.

Kahlua and Coffee Raspado is what we needed to pick us up from a night of feasting. Frozen coffee shaved like granita then topped with some creamy parfait. No complaints there.

Must come back for more tequila.

Comment

Nook Bistro is the perfect neighborhood spot to get your grub on. When we arrived, it immediately felt like a place you would need to be in the know to find. The restaurant is tucked away in a plaza and extremely easy to miss. So make apple maps or google maps your best friend.

Yes, they have a full bar with a big list of cocktails for you to try. I've decided to switch it up tonight by sipping a Manhattan instead of my usual Old Fashion. It was perfect for the evening. And I honestly just wanted the Luxardo cherry. It's a great treat to have once the drink is finished.

This was new on the Happy Hour Menu. Generous sized meatballs in a delicious marinara sauce.

Lightly fried tortilla filled with blackened shrimp, cabbage, roasted poblano pepper, avocado crema. The shrimp had a lot of flavor and packed a lot more wow than how it looks. This item is also in their happy hour.

The New Zealand Green Lip Mussel is cooked with andouile sausage, oven-dried tomato, garlic, herbs and white wine saffron broth. My favorite part was dipping that bread into that saffron white wine broth.

This calamari is fried then tossed in a citrus-soy vinaigrette and served with a wasabi dipping sauce. Fried Calamari is always a go to in my book no matter how overdone it is on menus.

The prime rib eye is seared to a perfect medium rare served with brandy sauteed apples, mushroom demi-glace, and crispy buttermilk onion rings. Every post workout meal should look like this. Pair this with a glass of wine(s) for the ultimate satisfaction.

These Spicy Gulf shrimp is prepared with Logan's Turnpike Stone ground grits and linguisa sausage. The sausage was nice and smokey which went really well with the creamy grits. The shrimps were plump and cooked perfectly. If everyone had shrimp and grits, the world would be a better place.

These large dayboat scallops are pan seared and served on top of a shiitake and english pea risotto, slow dried tomato, and shellfish broth. It's fantastic when scallops get a beautiful caramelized sear like this, makes them that much sweeter.

Silky Key lime pie with a blueberry compote and whipped cream. Goes great with a cup of black coffee.

I recommend making reservations.

11628 Santa Monica Blvd Ste 9, Los Angeles, CA 90025

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Wine & Dine

Pata Salada

Nook Bistro - Los Angeles/Sawtelle