The Other Critics

Alma Wins Gold; M.A.K.E. Made Besha Raw

Ari Taylor, surprising post modernist
Ari Taylor, surprising post modernist Photo: Alma Restaurant

While some parts of country are still enjoying Mr. Well’s stabby Fieri takedown, Mr. Gold goes full flip and writes an Alma love poem. It’s hard to curate the superlatives in this review since it’s omnipresent. He was “not quite sure what any one bite” might be, but found “it tastes gloriously, of early California fall.” Alma’s Ari Taymor presented a sense of certainly which Gold obviously enjoyed, and served “butter-soaked carrots” that Gold remarked as “the best things at the restaurant.” The rapture does not stop here. America’s best critic, and documentary subject, compares Alma to Bay Area’s heavyweight Manresa and Coi, then proclaims: “nobody is cooking quite like this in L.A. at the moment”. Yes, we need a cigarette right now, too. [LAT]

Oh Besha Rodell, did you really have to tell us your mouth got raw after a meal at M.A.K.E., and answered “yes, yes, yes” during the meal at Matthew Kenney’s M.A.K.E. Is there another cigarette left? The kimchi dumpling was “a beautiful plate, with three purse-shaped, bright green dumplings” served over “some vibrant purple stuff”. The “thinly sliced zucchini and fresh marinara” “feels decadent rather than virtuous”, and the service was “an exercise in enthusiasm”. Besides some “textural fails”, Rodell wanted to “see some raw-food items that emphasize vegetables”. Otherwise, it was all ponies and rainbows at M.A.K.E. as well. [LAW]

Tien Nguyen, for Time Out L.A., heaps more praises on The Hart and The Hunter, calling it Moonrise Kingdom and found the lemon meringue ice box “one of the best desserts we’ve had all year”. Overall, there were many “lively dishes that are both comfortably hearty and casually refined”. [TOLA]

Alma Wins Gold; M.A.K.E. Made Besha Raw