Last year, chef Daniel Patterson did something radical: He opened a restaurant in his own house, Jaca Social Club, with his wife Sarah Lewitinn. The critically-lauded dinner spot was a prelude to the couple's latest venture, Jacaranda, now open in Hollywood. Patterson, previously of Alta Adams in LA and two-Michelin-starred Coi in San Francisco, was lauded by Anthony Bourdain as one of ‘the most important voices in food,’ for his modern California cuisine. Jacaranda marks a return to fine dining, but with the relaxed dinner party vibes of the pair's at-home restaurant. Here's what to order.
Wallpaper* dines at Jacaranda
The Mood:
A uniquely refined dining experience with a relaxed, convivial atmosphere was brought to life by local architecture design firm Preen Inc. (Lucia and Badmaash). The transformation begins from the lilac-tinted floor-to-ceiling windows, that reveal a 30-seat dining room holding a commissioned painting by the Belgian-born artist Adele Renault of the restaurant's namesake jacaranda tree.
Much like a home, family art lines the grass-cloth-clad walls, but in this instance its by Lewitinn's great-uncle, Landès Lewitin – a founding member of the New York art collective, The Club, which included Willem de Kooning, Isamu Noguchi and Robert Motherwell. Tying the interior together is a sprawling, 15-foot metal ceiling sculpture reminiscent of a jacaranda leaf.
The Food: seasonal gems
Patterson has returned to his distinctly Californian style of cooking with a 10-course menu showcasing many foraged seasonal, local ingredients, beautifully plated with pottery by a range of talents from Etsuji Noguchi to Ella Norlin.
Some of those creations might include grilled and raw vegetables in green juice of yerba santa, or soft tofu with fresh seaweed and caviar both perfectly presented as if it was for the cover of a magazine shoot. Habanero and saffron-laced steamed Kauai prawn is followed by earthy stuffed morels that lead way to the final savoury course of pepper-crusted duck with roasted blueberries.
Another cool twist is the option to choose your own beverage pairings, from wines to to fine sake to non-alcoholic options, which include sparkling elderflower kombucha or a rare aged oolong tea from 1978. Can’t decide? The team will concoct a hybrid option for the meal.
Jacaranda has also partnered with LocoL Community in Watts (co-founded by Patterson and chef Roy Choi) and hires directly from the nonprofit’s vocational training and development program.
Jacaranda is located at 6623 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038 United States