Orsa & Winston Menu

Orsa & Winston Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: Chef/restaurateur Josef Centeno has emerged as a dominant force downtown with the addition of upscale Orsa & Winston. The tiny glass-sheathed storefront, seating just over 30 guests, is sparingly decorated, with Centeno’s open kitchen anchoring the scene. The restaurant is casual, and a prix-fixe menu experience --- 5-course at $125.

Food & Drinks: Soft, buttery Japanese milk bread with togarashi-dusted butter is added between courses, with highlights that usually include the signature maple-flavored coddled egg. Served in its shell with pancetta and balsamic whipped cream, it’s reminiscent of the famed dish at L’Arpège in Paris. Other standouts are koshihikari rice risotto with uni, topped with geoduck foam, and a notable squab. The bird is cooked medium rare and might be plated with grapes, mascarpone-filled agnolotti and a lovely pine nut purée. Nicely executed, although less interesting than the preceding courses, desserts include chocolate and hazelnut cake with rosemary-butterscotch ice cream and crème fraîche, and pear-ricotta strudel. The wine list is eclectic and interesting, with hard-to-find, relatively affordable labels from Spain, France and Italy showcased. Orsa & Winston is representative of L.A.’s fine dining evolution. The crisp linen and hushed environment may be gone, but very few compromises are made in the kitchen.