MOVE OVER FLANK STEAK, PORK BELLY HAS ARRIVED

If “30s” is the new “20s,” then “pork belly” has got to be the hot, new thing in the foodie world (at least). Sure -- pork belly has been around for as long as men have been eating swine. It’s a staple in my native Philippine cuisine, as it is in other Asian and Latin fare. And popular “bad yet yum” food items, such as bacon and pancetta, are usually made from pork bellies. In essence, however, it seems that in recent years pork belly has become a popular part of the Western world’s high-end dining culture.

One of DC’s newest additions to the restaurant landscape, Masa 14, embraces the pork belly like no other. Two of the most sensuous dishes in their tapas-style line-up features pork belly as the star ingredient: Pork Belly Al Pastor Tacos (melt-in-your-mouth pork belly with pineapple preserve, red Fresno, lime, cilantro & pickled onion served on a steamed bun) & Pork Belly Carnitas (smooth-as-butter pork belly with kabocha squash, adobo bbq sauce, and blood orange). The tacos brilliantly illustrates Masa 14’s Latin/Asian fusion, meshing together the flavors of the two regional cuisines and serving it not in a corn or flour tortilla, but on a steamed bun. (Filipinos, think “siopao-esque” flat bread in lieu of the usual tortilla.) The soft, fluffy, and somewhat doughy texture of the bun envelopes the pork belly, absorbing its juices (and fat, I’m sure) in a way that makes the dish even more delicate than its arrival to the table. And carnitas will do as only carnitas can do, but pork belly carnitas out-does them all. The blood orange adds a zing in contrast to the adobo flavor’s zang, offering the dish “superstar” status.

Pork Belly Al Pastor Taco

The pork belly actually doesn’t hog (no pun intended) the limelight, however, and Masa 14’s surplus of flavors transcends an illustrious list of culinary dignitaries: crunchy shrimp & barbecued eel temaki hand rolls, tuna ceviche & Hijiki seaweed-jicama salad, Thai chicken flatbread, grilled baby octopus, fried oysters served in bibb lettuce cups, Kobe beef brisket, yucca fries (served with chimichurri and garlic/lime aioli), and shrimp and pork fried rice just to name a few.

Crispy Shrimp

If you’re looking for a meal that will fill you up, be warned. Masa 14 specializes in tapas-style dishes, so it’s best to know that before entering. The new dining space is the project of Chef Richard Sandoval, who is credited with “marrying” Latin and Asian cuisines by way of Zengo (in Chinatown), and Chef Kazuhiro “Kaz” Okochi, of Kaz Sushi Bistro fame. Their dining area evokes a sense of urban chic with wood-planked floors, brick walls, and reddish and brownish hues emphasized with metallic accents. The open space, which boasts a 65-foot long bar along one of its sides, gives off a vibe that rivals any power-restaurant in the city. However, the space isn’t packed with stuffy suits and made-for-the-office stilettos. Instead, you’ll find hip, trendy, yet very casual diners in for both food and scene. The restaurant is loud, but not to the point of obnoxiousness. And for a more private experience, a separate dining room can accommodate up to 18 guests.

Masa 14's bustling dining room

View of Masa 14 from 14th Street NW

For the late night set, Masa 14 is a perfect addition to the 14th & U Street corridor. With other spots like Marvin, Bar Pilar, and Sainte Ex just a walk away, Masa 14’s bar area will surely become a destination for Friday and Saturday night loungers. Couple that scene with their late-night bar menu of tapas and creative drink concoctions, draught beers, wine, sake, and tequila… and ultimately, you have a winner.

Pork belly fans, welcome home.



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Masa 14, 1825 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009, 202.328.1414

(Photos courtesy of the restaurant's website.)

TAPAS, POR FAVOR

I recently visited Santa Barbara over the weekend, and I met up with friends for a few glasses of wine along busy State Street. We stumbled upon a Spanish tapas restaurant/bar called Matador Tapas Bar & Spanish Steakhouse, and decided to give it a try. While our main draw for the place was wine, we became interested in their menu of small dishes. Our waitress, Jessie, turned us on to a bottle of Argentinian cabernet sauvignon called “Terrazas,” which she described as having an “explosion” of tastes. She was spot-on with the description, and we found the wine absolutely enjoyable. For eats, we decided to go with both frias y calientes. Our cold selection was the Seleccion Matador, or special selection antipasto, a nice mixture of cheeses, olives, bread and Spanish cured meats. It was a sure-thing, and we ate it up. The green and brown olives were not strong tasting, but very mild; a nice compliment to the mild cheeses and meats as well. It would’ve been more interesting to have more daring flavors, but it seemed that the establishment decided to go for “safe” rather than “exotic.” We found the same to be true with the warm dish, Plato Mixto – a dish of chicken & beef skewers, miniature lamb chops, and a mixture of roasted veggies. While the flavors were good enough to be enjoyed, they could’ve pushed the envelope a little bit and added more fuel to the fire. To be fair, we didn’t try any of the restaurant’s main dishes, but we were left a little wanton after the tapas. The wine, however, made up for the experience.

I give Matador an A- for ambience. It has a nice, dark interior which makes it a nice place for a “date night.” There are interesting art pieces on the walls, and you get the feeling that you’re in a cozy wine bar. It doesn’t scream “trendy” at all, but definitely is more comfortable. For food, I give it a C+. For a nice place with nice wines, I expected more flavors to come alive in their dishes.

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Matador Tapas Bar & Latin Steakhouse, 714 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805.965.1307

SMALL PLATES IZAKAYA-STYLE

America’s food culture has been known to be unabashedly ostentatious when it comes to portioning. In a culture where “thinking big” means more than just stepping out of the “proverbial” box, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this notion could (and would) extend into every aspect of the average American’s way-of-life. From cars to houses, day trips to huge vacations, small weddings to over-the-top ones… it’s almost become a pre-req to have to think and plan BIG. This is no different when it comes to food consumption.

The powers behind our “super size this” kind of world has promoted a “big plate” culture for decades. Every place from the neighborhood McDonald’s to the always-crowded Grand Lux Café seems to glorify the “big plate” phenomenon. It’s a notion that has consumers teetering between feelings of food-contentment and food-disgust. While a good portion of the American public relishes in the frenzy of paying less for more food, the culture of dining with proportionate servings (at moderate prices) finds itself more alluring to those who enjoy the tastes, flavors, and smells of carefully prepared cuisine (as opposed to the overflowing quantity of mediocre food). But even in the world of fine dining, tastes and flavors have transcended through the era of big plates to today’s popular (and growing) “small plate” culture.

Small plates have been a big part of dining traditions for ages. An easy example would be Chinese dim sum, a wide range of light dishes often served alongside tea. As dim sum came to make a name for itself in popular American food culture, it also opened the doors for similar food customs from other regions of the world: tapas from Spain, meze from the Mediterranean, and – in more recent times – izakaya food from Japan. While tapas and meze have already enjoyed much success in many parts of the country, the izakaya wave has splashed onto the American dining scene so swift that it is whetting more than a few appetites.

For those still in the dark about izakaya, it is – traditionally – a type of Japanese “drinking” establishment, also offering food accompaniments to their drinks. The food is generally more substantial than typical “bar” fare, and the experience at a typical izakaya tends to be relatively inexpensive. The word itself is a compound consisting of “I,” which means “to remain,” and “sakaya,” or “sake shop.” This suggests that izakaya traces its origins from certain sake shops which allowed customers an extended period to remain and drink. Menu items include drinks (beer, cocktails, sake, shochu, and wine), and small dishes including sashimi, tofu, edamame, and karaage (bite-sized fried chicken). Often times, robata-style items such as kushiyaki (grilled meat or vegetable skewers) and yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) are also offered.

“Sharing” is one of the key ideas behind the modern-day izakaya. Much in the same way that Spaniards indulge in tapas for social settings, or how Filipinos enjoy pulutan alongside drinks, the Japanese head to an izakaya after work hours, or for social gatherings on weekends. It is essentially a place to go for drinks, light food, and great company.

The LA-area has enjoyed a plethora of izakaya-style spots popping up all over. Innovative Dining Group (Boa, Sushi Roku, Katana, LuckyFish) opened Robata Bar on trendy Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, specializing in robatayaki. Heading East from Santa Monica, you will hit Zu Robata along restaurant-filled Wilshire Boulevard; nestled around where the Sawtelle and Brentwood neighborhoods meet. Not too far from there, on busy Santa Monica Boulevard, is Sasaya. Past Beverly Hills, and the La Cienega dining corridor, is Izakaya by Katsu-ya on 3rd Street. And then traveling downtown to Little Tokyo you will find Izayoi. With more to add to what seems to be a growing roster, the izakaya culture of Los Angeles has proven past the old cliché that “less is more.”

Robata Bar 1401 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica 90401, 310-458-4771
Zu Robata 12217 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90025, 310.579.1920
Sasaya 11613 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Los Angeles 90025, 310.477.4404
Izakaya by Katsu-ya 8420 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles 90048, 323.782.9536
Izayoi 132 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles 90012, 213.613.9554

Photo from Kirala Sushi Bar & Robata Grill's website. Thank you!