Haute Dining: Crazy for Crudo in Los Angeles

The hot sun has officially made its debut, which means one thing to us epicureans: savory cold dishes are back. My days of slurping soup during lunch have come to a close, as one of my go-to daytime staples, Crudo, the Italian version of Sashimi, is now available throughout the city.

Lightly laced with olive oil, sea salt, citrus, and Italian herbs, the dish is candy to seafood lovers, who don’t mind departing from soy and sesame flavors. Los Angeles chefs pretty much do it best thanks to locally renowned purveyor, Santa Monica Seafood, who supplies all kinds of daily catches 24/7. Here are our top picks:

BLVD: Inside the Beverly Wilshire’s main dining room, servers have begun to rattle off spring menu standouts, which include the Crudo. Resembling an artist’s palette, salmon cubes topped with a tiny dollop of goat cheese reserve the left side of the plate, Ahi tuna infused with herbs is situated on the right, and a neatly packed scoop of chopped avocado and black caviar takes center stage.

9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. 310.385.3901.

MEZZE: Over at the newly opened restaurant—Micah Wexler’s new place of culinary residence— the Crudo is served Mediterranean style. Playing on pungency from cherry gremolata, the presentation exudes a bit of minimalism, as three velvety slices of Yellowtail arrive on a plate garnished with the colorful ingredient and a side of Tahini.

401 North La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. 310.657.4103.

Valentino Santa Monica: Famed restaurateur Piero Selvaggio brings a traditional Crudo to the table with various kinds of fish. Subtly bathed in just a touch of salt and oil, and topped with micro-greens and cherry tomatoes, simplicity is at its finest here at the established Italian gem.

3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. 310.829.4313.

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