Inspiration for a chef or owner’s next venture is often just a vacation away. As recent examples, Santos Uy opened Papilles on Monday after getting a jolt from his eleven-day tour of Parisian bistros last spring and Roy Choi is taking on Caribbean flavor profiles at new Sunny Spot, with only a short cruise through the surrounding sea as a foundation. Chef Akasha Richmond is bringing the spirit back from a recent trip to Bali and plans to cook several Balinese dishes for a four-course New Year’s Eve dinner.
The chef will take on recipes like lemongrass crab cakes, curry fish in banana leaves, and short rib rendang, along with the kind of label-conscious produce you’d expect, like local bok choy and coconut sugar from Java and Bali. See the full menu below, with reservations details for New Year’s Eve’s two seatings at Akasha.
BALI SPIRIT AT AKASHA
New Year’s Eve
Reservations: 310-845-1700
first seating: 5:30-7:00 P.M.
4-course dinner & complimentary glass of champagne, $65 per person
late seating, 9:00-10:30PM
amuse bouche + 4-course dinner, live music
(featuring the George Guilliam Band) & champagne toast, $95 per person
MENU
(subject to change due to market availability)
for the table:
kaffir lime cashews / savory peanut brittle/seafood satay / beef satay/sambal / peanut sauce / sweet chile soy sauce / balinese pickles
choose one from each course
•••••
BBQ RIBS, NAUGHTY NURI’S STYLE
kecap manis glaze / “rujak” fruit relish
LIME GRILLED PRAWNS
green papaya / cherry tomato / purple basil / mint/mango blossom honey dressing
LEMONGRASS CRAB CAKES
lime & ginger aioli
•••••
SHORT RIBS RENDANG
local bok choy / pee-wee sambal potatoes
MARKET FISH IN BANANA LEAVES / CURRY REDUCTION
green beans & bean sprouts / eggplant with coriander & tomato
BIG TREE SEA SALT & BLACK PEPPER SEARED DUCK BREAST
bumbu spice & candlenut/spinach with shallots / rambutan & black honey roasted carrots
turmeric rice for the table
•••••
BIG TREE BANANA SPLIT
coffee ice cream / cacao nib ice cream / black rice ice cream
cashew crunch / chocolate sauce / kusumba sea salt caramel
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
coconut-lime sorbet / guava & soursop sauce
FORBIDDEN BLACK RICE PUDDING
fried bananas / vanilla bean palm syrup / coconut cream/sweet tree coconut sugar & mango jam cookies for the table
special cocktails -12
fresh pressed pineapple & lemongrass elixir martini
mango & guava margarita
ginger, black pepper & coconut sugar mojito
dark chocolate & coconut martini