Wolves Mouth
Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 02:11PM The Wolves Den isn't on OpenTable. It doesn't participate in DineLA. In fact, it's not even a restaurant. It's an invite-only Supper Club thrown by Chef Craig Thornton and his small crew of merry miscreants. The Wolves Den certainly didn't start the trend of 'underground' suppers that have been popping up in Los Angeles and across the country, but it certainly is among the leaders of the pack (this will be not the last wolf-related pun, so deal with it.)
Held in a *secret* location, the supper situates (in this case) twelve diners at a table (below) in close proximity to Thornton's kitchen. What follows is (in this case) thirteen courses, each as artful and inspired as they were delicious. In the picture below, you can see me in the wide open space of the Wolves Den loft. As proof of the intrigue and hype surrounding Wolves Den Dinners, you may also notice a local ABC cameraman, as well as a drop-in from Chef Ludo LeFebvre who, on the evening in question, would be on the receiving end of fine food for a change.
Unlike nearly any other dining experience, diners stood between courses, mingled, poured and shared glasses of B.Y.O.B. beer and wine. Others gathered around the range to watch Thornton (below) at work.
Posted on the refrigerator were the thirteen courses we would be enjoying over the four-hour dinner (below, left), complete with last-minute changes. In addition to fine food, we'd also be treated to some great company. It was awesome to meet new friends and put some names to faces twitter handles. In addition to @ChefLudo, @jreedmiller, @thedapperdiner, @bakelab, @queequegMB, @DailyMaurader and @HopHeadJim were all in attendance, as were a delightful husband and wife who had driven down from Portland.
Chef Craig opened the meal with a dish of served pan-seared scallop, tangerine puree, romanesco, and cauliflower (below). This dish was relatively unfussy and showcased the quality of ingredients the chef would be utilizing throughout the night, and the brightness and balance readied our palates for the onslaught of flavor to come.
The second course was a deceptively simple-looking soup. Flavorwise, it was anything but. Made with cornbread and buttermilk and served with bacon and baby shrimp, it tasted like a soup version of pancake batter. And that's a good thing - each spoonful was incredibly luscious and thick. This may have been Angela's favorite of the night and sparked all sorts of excitement at the table. The raw shrimp, though unseasoned, were slightly sweet and perfect as they were enveloped by the rich, heavy flavors of the soup. The bacon added all the saltiness we needed.
Course number three was an artful composition of baby squid, carrot puree, caramelized carrots, pea shoots and wasabi peas. The chef was eager to solicit our opinions on the miniature squid, which had a more concentrated squid-y flavor than their regular-sized counterparts. The brininess of the squid was tempered well by the sweetness of the carrots and the heat of the wasabi peas (which also lent a little crunch).
As he cooked, Craig came around to make sure everyone was doing okay. Despite his success over the last year, he's just a really cool guy, with great taste in music to boot. His soundtrack for the evening was almost as popular as his food. As we waited for the next courses to arrive, this little guy (below right), a Pomeranian called Prince, was fighting for his own stake in the pool of attention. Luckily for Thornton, we hope to one day be invited back, so we decided against taking Prince home with us. Look at him!
Course four was a very simple presentation of black bass and parsnip puree (below). The chef chose to leave the skin on and crisp it, which added a great textural contrast to the velvety puree. A nice addition was the peppery garnish of nasturtium- an edible watercress that was particularly fresh because we were plucking them from the plants ourselves. A very nice do-it-yourself touch.
For course five, grilled croutons (below, left) were a crucial element of what may have been my favorite dish of the evening.
The chicken liver pate (below and above, right) was serve with the aforementioned grilled croutons, Asian pear and dandelion greens. While pates run rich, Thornton's was served with the perfect balance of ingredients and made it rather difficult not to pick my bowl up and lick it. Even so, when no one was looking, I may or may not have used my finger as a utensil to get every last bit.
Course Six was very popular around the table. For our pasta course, we were treated to a pappardelle with pheasant, parmesan, apple and black walnut (below). Chef Craig treated the pheasant (which, as poultry with a low-fat content, can easily dry out) with care, and the result was succulent shreds of meat that paired in just the right way with the rest of the ingredients.
Course seven was good enough to make a non-lover-of-mushrooms (that's me) scrape his bowl clean. A mix of yellow foot and black trumpet mushrooms (below, right) were served over pine panna cotta and maple granola. The flavors were subtle, but the mere suggestion of pine and maple almost made me feel like I was back home in Vermont. Again, this dish showcased the chef's meticulous attention to balancing flavors and textures.
Course eight came with not one, but two proteins. Sweetbreads were paired with a veal tongue pelmeni (below) and plated with beets, cabbage, horseradish and dill. Angela said that she felt transported to a cozy Russian hunting lodge in the dead of winter with this hearty, unctuous dish - clearly the chef's imagination was rubbing off on the diners.
To cleanse our palates, course nine was an Apricot 'Slush' (below). At this point in the meal, we needed it.
Course ten... wait, wait... we're still going? Yep. And we've still got more savory courses yet to come. Course ten was pork belly with verjus-infused black currants, sorrel, coffee meringue and drizzled with a pork reduction. You know how we feel about pork belly. Needless to say, it was another hit.
After the meal, Thornton would school us on how he makes his meringue. Given the nature of these things, I'd had a few glasses of wine and don't remember a word he said on the issue. In any event, the meringue was crisp, light as air, and evaporated on the tongue in seconds, leaving behind only delicious flavor.
With course eleven came our final savory course. Fittingly, I found myself eating exactly what a hungry wolf would put in its mouth: lamb. Our flawlessly rare lamb was plated with stewed squash, salt-roasted onion, almond, crisp pita, salty feta crumbles and a splattering of pomegranate molasses (below). This was one of those dishes where the sum was greater than its parts - all the elements were good, but when you combined them together into one bite, it was a bite to remember.
Plated like a Wolves' fresh kill, we could do nothing but attack and devour it. Other diners around the table may have been slowing down by this point (portion size was very generous given the number of courses we were served) but Angela and myself are trained professionals when it comes to eating. We had no problem plowing through the courses.
And on to dessert! Course twelve was smoked applewood ice cream (below, right) with mace and cinnamon shortbread. While the smoked applewood (below, left) was on the table purely for aroma's sake, the real treat were the subtle flavors it had already lent to the ice cream.
Course Thirteen was our second dessert and final course of the evening - a chocolate tofu cremeux came paired with yuzu cake, grated chocolate, cherries, and a green tea capsule that exploded with cherry filling upon smashing it with the backside of your spoon. After the legion of flavors that had paraded across our tongues throughout the evening, the tartness and acidity of this dish was a welcome finish to the meal.
Angela and I were even kind enough to finish an extra plate for a fellow diner who had tapped out around course ten. Yes, I know what you're thinking, and Gallant is the word you're searching for.
And thus ended what is sure to be a meal we will remember for quite some time - visually dazzling, fantastically executed, and wildly imaginative and unique food paired with a warm, cozy, friendly atmosphere, our dinner at the Wolves Den represented the best of what underground supper clubs can be.
The meal was 'free'... though invitees are encouraged to make a donation. Your only guidance in this matter is to consider what you feel like the dinner was worth. Whatever you may decide to give, Wolves Mouth is a steal. Restaurants would charge hundreds of dollars for a meal as finely executed as this.
Looking to pay a visit to the Wolves Den? They host dinners sporadically (once or twice a month) of which you can get on their mailing list or give Thornton's right-hand man @DimSumPup a howl on twitter. I'd urge you to get on it sooner, rather than later. The Wolves Den has been getting all sorts of media attention of late and the list of people who don't get invited will only get longer.
Los Angeles, Supper Club in Reviews: On The Town
Reader Comments (7)
Thanks for the blog. I'm going there this Sat, and I'm so excited after seeing your awesome photos. Can't wait! :)
I know I just went, but I'm jealous! I know you will have a fantastic time.
Great post! I'm glad you guys were able to get in, maybe next time we can all go together!
Thanks! Yeah, the only reason we got in this time was because a couple of people didn't RSVP (I know, who ARE these people?). I can't wait to read what you guys have at yours, and yes, maybe we can try to coordinate next time around.
Just curious- what's the average "donation?"
Chris-
I'm not sure, but I would guess anywhere between $80 to $130 per person.
Add to category Things I'm Dying to Do On My Next Trip to LA (which by then Wolves Den will be so over and something else will be so now)