ludobites @ breadbar

ludobites @ breadbar
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (51/143)
i've never been to breadbar, but on the recommendation of a fellow foodie i had to check out ludobites. this review primarily is for our sampling of tastings at ludobites, which is in breadbar, but not really a part of breadbar. chef Ludovic Lefebvre takes over tues - saturday evenings offering an eclectic menu. my experience of the flavor combinations ranged from good to great, but nothing was boring. if you're interested in creatively and intricately prepared chef's tastings at tapas prices, ludobites is worth checking out. the concept is that you build your own tasting from a menu that changes nightly.

we snacked on crusty olive bread with a sweet lavendar honey butter, while waiting. it was hard not to fill up since the bread was so good. our first course, an HEIRLOOM TOMATO SMOOTHIE with celery granite and basil turned out to be one of my favorite selections of the evening. a cold, thick soup with celery flavored shaved ice, basil oil and fresh basil, it combined tangy, salty, herbaceous flavors that likened it to a cross between a bloody mary and a gazopacho.

next up was a POACHED EGG 65 DEGREES with chorizo, saffron. the process for cooking the egg rendered it creamy, and tasty with the tangy, salty, smokey chorizo. the tart side of pickled cornichons helped to make it less heavy.

the CALAMARI, AVOCADO, EXOTIC FRUITS, almonds, lemon combined some unusual ingredients and gave the dish a tropical twist. the battered and fried calamari was straightforward, but made a little unusual with the salty avocado, sweet banana, and tart passionfruit seeds as garnish as well as variations in texture from soft to crunchy.

the KING SALMON CUBE with WATERMELON, oranges confites, and sesame oil arrived with some instructions for the order of tastes. i thought the sweetness of the watermelon after the saltiness of the salmon cube and roe was interesting, but subtle and not as huge an impact flavorwise as it sounded, maybe because the watermelon was a little bland and not as sweet as i thought it would be to provide a huge contrast in flavor.

of course, simple can be quite good too, but even simple here is not so simple. the MARINATED GRILLED BELL PEPPER and mozzarella ice cream combines sweet peppers with fresh cherry tomatoes and a creamy cheese.

our last savory dish, the SAUTEED DIVER SCALLOP with curry-yogurt, spinach was another unusual flavor combination. i don't think i've had scallops with curry before, but this was pretty good.

we ended with the CHOCOLATE MOUSSE with COFFEE SAUCE and CHERRY CHANTILLY. the chocolate mousse had more of a gooey, thick sauce texture to it than a light mousse as i was expecting, but it was plenty rich. i found the intense tart and sweetness of the cherry a nice accent.

the meal made me feel like i traveled to different countries for each course, with the diversity of spices, seasonings and flavor combinations. service at first was a little overly helpful, which made me nervous, but relaxed as the restaurant filled up. ingredients and freshness were all top notch. it's too bad this only goes through the summer, but maybe the chef will find a permanent home. i would definitely go for more.