Dinner at Zengo

On Monday night Elan and I had a fab ladies date to a tasting dinner at Zengo in Santa Monica, CA. Chef Richard Sandoval is offering a special tasting menu for the month of October that combines the flavors of Lima, Peru and Tokyo, Japan in both the LA and NY Zengo locations.

Zengo offers beautiful views of Santa Monica, and is a GREAT place to grab after work cocktails and small plates.

Our special tasting dinner included cocktail pairings as well! This made us happy girls.

A crisp watercress and vegetable salad with peanut dressing and queso fresco cheese, so yummy. Lima-Tokyo flavor combinations may seem unusual but the tastes compliment each other very well. It’s working out for Nobu right?

The Spicy Passion Fruit Pisco Sour was one of our favorite cocktails we tasted. We learned a lot about Pisco, the South American grape Brandy, that is becoming a mixologist’s best friend. We tasted it in a few cocktails at Zengo and we’re fans (but still bourbon girls at heart.)

Delicate ceviche with yuzu and sesame seeds was scooped up with fresh taro and plantain chips.

Our favorite dish, Concha A Lo Macho which means chucks of scallops, shrimp, octopus and lobster covered in a spicy mayo and broiled. Reminded me of broiled dynamite dishes at a sushi joint.

The roast chicken breast over sauteed green chilies and topped with a fried egg and a spicy-creamy Huancaina sauce.

Hands down the best part of the dinner was the dessert! Green Tea ice cream resting on a bed of cookie crumbs and jagged chunks of nutty, fluffy sesame cake then drizzled with Cajeta, a goat’s milk caramel. Flavor and texture perfection.

xo,
LEH