I have been dying to try Vin Folk ever since I read one of their reviews. Vin Folk is a new restaurant in Hermosa Beach. They received a Bid Gourmand award. For those unfamiliar with this award, it is a distinction awarded by the Michelin Guide. It is for higher-quality food without breaking the bank.
Sandi, Cindy, and I decided to take my brother Gary for his birthday. The menu was not extensive, which could be a good thing. Gary brought a nice bottle of wine he had purchased while in Napa. While they decanted the wine, we studied the menu. Our server, chef in training, Nathan, was most helpful in answering our questions, and boy, did we have a few.
Our first plate was the Pan de Cristal with Salty Stracciatella and black cod rillette. It had interesting flavors and was very good with the bread they served. Next was the Squid Al Ajillo, served with Gribiche sauce (an egg-based sauce) and peanuts. Gary and I loved it, and the two of them could not handle the tentacles. They didn't know what they were missing. While we waited for the next dish, we saw this beautiful dish go by. We asked Nathan what it was, and he told us it was the Mussels Tart. Because it looked amazing, Cindy and Sandi agreed to give it a try. Wow! It was truly delicious. Very flaky and just beautiful.
The Yellow Tail with fried shallot oil, ikra, and capers was delightful. Both Cindy and Sandi had some, and they did enjoy their portion. There's hope for the two! Next came the Beef Tongue with hrenovina sauce (horseradish), tatsoi and tomato. We all enjoyed the tenderness of the tongue except for one who shall remain nameless. The En Papillote was a welcome dish, especially for Sandi. The catch of the day was Halibut, her favorite. It had kohlrabi (German turnips), asparagus, leeks, calabaza, and saffron. The fish was exquisite!
The Chili Crab with Arborio rice was delectable. We saved the best for last. The Trofie (short, twisted, narrow pasta) made with arugula, walnuts, sea beans, lemon basil, and parmesan was outstanding. When we finished the pasta, there was a lot of sauce left over. I thought it would be a shame to waste it, so I asked Nathan if I could have more bread. I also asked if he receives this request often. He said I was the first one. If this were another restaurant, they would have charged us extra for the bread!
Despite all the food we had consumed, it was unanimous that we order dessert. We tried the Strawberry Tiramisu and the Koko Crunch; chocolate 6 ways. This was very different, as I no longer get excited over chocolate, but this was an exception. I did enjoy it except for the milk. Gary and I do not drink milk, so Cindy had it. She said it was very good, especially with the salt that got into it, while Nathan grated fresh salt from a coconut shell.
Since it was Gary's birthday, they gave Gary a sherbet and a candle to make his birthday wish. The 4 dessert spoons obligated us to share this with him.
The service was excellent. It couldn't have been any better. Nothing beats the Filipino hospitality. Nathan, hope to see you soon.
We got to meet Chef Kevin de los Santos. I knew he worked for some of my favorite restaurants, like Ink, Nobu, and Bazaar, to name a few. It was a genuine pleasure to meet this culinary genius.
To Chef Kevin, Maraming Salamat!