Vespertine was the second of two Michelin starred local restaurants that we sampled during our quarantine. I accidentally came upon it on Tock after it had completed two prior takeout themed menu offerings. A few months before the pandemic, a coworker had indulged in the in-person multi-course meal and wine pairing and had shared his photos of the evening.
After experiencing several courses in different sections and floors of the restaurant and splurging $700 per person, as beautiful as the presentation appeared, the $175 hourly rate for the 4 hour evening seemed a bit exorbitant, so I wasn’t quite inclined to quickly make reservations.
However, when the 12 course $65 per person Southern feast takeout offering came to my attention, I did the math. It was an investment that was worth the risk of not knowing what low country Southern cooking provided so I made my reservation and purchased the dinner for two on faith.
I arrived at the restaurant a few minutes prior to my 5 p.m. reservation. I checked in with the hostess clad all in black with matching black face mask. We were each assigned a parking space where we would be provided with our to go bag which was placed directly in the trunk of our cars. I waited about fifteen minutes before my dinner arrived and headed home.
The package came with a menu packet which explained the historical, societal and cultural influences of each dish.
The care and respect given to each dish and the written documented historical reference moved me to tears.
It was apparent that some of the items were rooted in sorrow, hardship and endurance, much like what we were facing during the pandemic.
I acknowledged the “first world” problems we had now compared with the dire necessities and oppression that prior generations faced as we ate our meal in gratitude.
We used our slightly upgraded dinnerware, because the attention to care and detail in the menu warranted that respect in kind.
The television was turned off and instead, we listened to the songs of an old school soulful blues singer, Elmore James.
It provided the perfect ambiance to the sensory experience the meal provided.
Our at-home dining of Vespertine’s low country southern feast was a journey in time through socioeconomic and geographical traditions and culture, all by way of food. We so appreciated the care and effort that was taken to transport us to the South through a bountiful and delicious culinary education. It was a beautiful, soulful and transformational experience.
Vespertine
3599 Hayden Avenue
Culver City, CA 90232
http://vespertine.la
Netflix’s “Chef’s Table” season 1 introduced me to N/Naka several years ago. I loved hearing Nikki Nakayama’s tale of tenacity at breaking down her family’s gender bias and pushing through the male dominated culinary barriers, harnessing sheer force of grit and determination, something called keeshin in the Japanese culture. It was so moving listening to her narration of how she couldn’t allow herself to be perceived as “less than” by her family or her peers. She harnessed her intuitive and artistic nature to create a mood and a story through her cuisine, much like an artist painting a canvas with varying colors and contrasting textures, creating layers of depth and complexity.
Last year, the Michelin Guide returned to California, and I recalled seeing Instagram posts that N/Naka had been awarded two stars. It was such a huge feat for any restaurant to be granted the honor, but I silently acknowledged that my chances of obtaining a reservation were even more diminished by the well-earned accolade.
Then the coronavirus pandemic upended the world as we knew it. All superfluous enjoyment ceased. Everything became bleak and dark with no light at the end of the tunnel. Social media became my distraction and refuge.
I belonged to a Facebook group, Culver City foodies, and one member had posted that N/Naka was offering $38 bento boxes on Tock. I happened to have read his post a bit after 6 a.m. one Saturday morning and went on the site.
Though most reservations were waitlisted, I was able to get an early dinner pickup time a little over a week later.
I arrived 10 minutes early on my designated day, and surprisingly, others did as well. 5 p.m. was the first available reservation. I was second in line and an Asian woman wearing a mask and gloves had a clipboard, checking off each reservation as we arrived. She went into the nondescript gray building on the corner and emerged with plain brown paper bags containing our takeout, placing the bag inside each of our trunks, providing my first true curbside experience.
At first sight, it was evidenced that great care and consideration was given in the selection of items chosen for the bento box. Each compartment offered a dish which was beautifully and artfully displayed. The combination of offerings was like an orchestra with each instrument playing its part in a composition, creating a cohesive harmony for the palate.
As we slowly immersed ourselves in the experience, savoring the complexity and depth of flavor, we gradually hastened our pace through the edible presentation, reaching a fevered crescendo as we reached the pinnacle of the masterful composition before slowly and mindfully taking pause to enjoy the last few moments, ending on the last and final delicious note.
A few months have since passed, and takeout reservations are now available on Tock at 10 a.m. on Saturdays but have swiftly been sold out in 5 seconds or less. I was fortunate to have learned about the opportunity to partake and to have had great timing as it afforded us the opportunity to enjoy a memorable experience.
The bento box offering by N/Naka was an artful presentation of grace and refinement and reaffirms why Nikki Nakayama has been elevated to be deemed as “greater than” all others in the ultra competitive culinary scene of Los Angeles.
N/Naka
3455 S. Overland Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
Grace Gambin
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