Cassia

Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan are no strangers when it comes to making outstanding restaurants (Rustic Canyon, Milo & Olive, Huckleberry) and they’ve hit it out of the park once again with Cassia. This time around the duo has partnered up with Bryant and Kim Ng, formerly of the acclaimed and now shuttered Spice Table. At Cassia, Mr. Ng harnesses the Southeast Asian spices and flavors he used so boldly at his former restaurant and melds them together seamlessly with French techniques. The bright and airy space is gorgeous and your jaw just might drop when you walk in. If that’s the case, just wait till you’ve tried the food. We’re hard-pressed to pick favorites, but starting with the raw spicy scallops and buttery kaya toast with coconut jam is always a good move. Moving forward, we would also advise you give one of the clay oven breads and spreads a shot. The rich chickpea curry accompanied by a naan-like bread is a personal favorite. For main plates, it’s a toss-up between the aggressively seasoned, yet somehow delicate, lamb breast and the unique Vietnamese take on the French classic: pot au feu. It would be a mistake to leave without trying one of Zoe Nathan’s desserts, so do yourself a favor and order the Vietnamese coffee pudding. You can thank us later while nibbling on the dark chocolate cookie that’s served alongside it…