Pasadena: Elements Kitchen is Bold & Balanced

Elements Kitchen just became one of my new favorite restaurants. For one thing, it’s very accessible—we took the train and walked just a few blocks to its location, right next to the Pasadena Playhouse—and for another, it’s not a snooze. And that’s saying a lot, considering much of the fine dining in Pasadena plays it too conservatively.

I liked Elements from the moment we walked in. The service was friendly, the crowd very mixed, the music (mostly) good, and the décor leafy. Plus, I like the confidence that an open kitchen exudes, and this one, helmed by Owner/Chef Onil Chibás, really lights up the dining room.

Constructed by Michel Dozois of Névé Ice, the cocktail menu features 4 main themes: Berry, Rhubarb, Citrus and Spirit. I chose the French Maid, a none-too-sweet mixture of brandy, lime juice, cucumbers, simple syrup and mint. Josh got the refreshing Blueberry Southside Fizz with gin, lime juice, soda mint and blueberries.

The amuse bouche was lobster on a house-made potato chip, a fun luxury-meets-comfort-food juxtaposition that captured the gist of the menu pretty well. This is a decidedly un-snooty restaurant, but their seasonal “elements” are prepared with a healthy amount gravitas. Bold, is the operative word here.

The Citrus Marinated Scallop Carpaccio is a good example of Element’s balance of playfulness and precision. The starfruit makes the presentation undeniably cute, but there’s no frivolity involved in this very clean dish. The pureness of the scallop is offset by thin slices of the star-shaped fruit, which adds a texture similar to an apple and flavor reminiscent of green papaya. Sweetness is provided by chopped mango and chunkier kiwi bits.

The Marinated Flank Steak and Kimchi Tacos were good, but they didn’t wow. The cornmeal and sesame tortillas were definitely interesting, and I can eat kimchi by the handful, but, alas, there were no epiphanies to be had. Maybe I’m just blasé about tacos these days, given their ubiquity on LA’s fashionable menus. I propose a 2 year moratorium on tacos for all non-taqueria eating establishments, so that I can get un-used to them again.

We ended by sharing the Glazed Haricot Vert & Truffle Polenta (pictured at the top of the post). This was the highlight of the meal for me. I don’t mean this to sound flip at all, but it was really like a fancy version of grits with chicken fried steak and bacon. The “grits” in this case is an insanely creamy polenta, topped with a delicately breaded crispy Portobello and a beautiful coddled egg. Then,to make it explosive, they add roasted speck.

Be still my piggy heart, Elements Kitchen you are now on my regulars rotation. Next time, I’ll leave room for dessert, you fabulous restaurant, you.

-Valentina

Elements Kitchen
37 S El Molino Ave
Pasadena 91101 (Map It)