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Saint Martha interior

It’s rare that a restaurant truly surprises you. Sure, I’ve thought that many dishes at many restaurants were good — very good, even. But to find what is almost literally a diamond in the rough is simply a delight.

That’s what I found in Saint Martha, a new restaurant in a Koreatown strip mall serving up modern American cuisine. Following in the footsteps of Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s Trois Mec and Petit Trois, Saint Martha restaurant offers a fine-dining experience in an unassuming location. Named for the patron saint of cooks and servants, Saint Martha is the brainchild of the Farmer’s Daughter Hotel and TART restaurant team. Executive Chef and partner Nick Erven (formerly of Mess Hall) and General Manager and Sommelier Mary Thompson have put together a food and drink menu that would be impressive even if the restaurant weren’t in a strip mall.

Start with the Santa Barbara spot prawn tartare with market melons (and a side of melon puree), burnt orange oil, tiny flowers and radish served on a block of pink Himalayan sea salt ($15). The prawns are delicate but are kicked up a notch with the saltiness of the salt block.

Spot prawn

Or try the sea urchin “tataki” with avocado mousse, hearts of palm and seaweed “Doritos” ($10). Tataki is a style of sushi in which the fish is seared very briefly, marinated in vinegar, sliced thinly and seasoned with ginger. In this case, the uni is lightly seared (perhaps bruleed?) and makes the perfect nacho-like topping along with the creamy avocado and mild hearts of palm for the salty seaweed chips.

Sea urchin

Move on to the octopus, served atop risotto-style Koshihikari rice and squid ink sauce, and topped with lardo and espelette chili ($12). This dish is one of my favorites. The octopus is perfectly cooked and pairs well with the creamy rice and lardo, as well as the small kick from the chili.

Octopus

Next on your list should be the chicken liver mousse with mushroom, hazelnut praline, pickled blueberries and toast ($8). This dish is a knock-out, plain and simple. I’ve never had chicken liver served this way. For one, it looks like dessert and not like your typical potted meat. For another, the earthiness of the mushroom and hazelnut, as well as the tart sweetness of the pickled blueberries, makes perfect sense with the liver. Why isn’t chicken liver always presented like this?

Chicken liver mousse

For a main dish, the striped bass with heirloom tomato tartare, pickled eggplant and popcorn purée ($23) is a solid choice. But the pecan wood-smoked brisket with hoisin sauce, lettuce and root vegetables ($19) is the standout. The huge piece of meat is fork-tender, and the hoisin isn’t overpoweringly sweet.

Brisket

When it comes to dessert, go with Chef Erven’s version of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich — a griddled poundcake with peanut butter ganache, roasted grape ice cream (!) and chocolate feuilletine flakes. Roasted grape ice cream tastes as great as it sounds, too.

PB&J

Not to be outdone, the beverage program, with more than 50 wines available by the taste, glass, bottle or pichet, focuses on uncommon and obscure regions. Think a blanc du bois from Texas, chenin blanc from Baja, Mexico, nebbiolo from Virginia or a semillon from Lebanon. Sommelier Thompson, who has had stints at Daniel Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne and Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market, plans on rotating this wine list, alongside Japanese sakes and seasonal craft beers. This should make for an exciting collection.

I included the prices of the dishes because the value offered at Saint Martha is noteworthy. A five course chef’s tasting menu starts at $65 with $35 for a wine pairing. And you get a Korean-language lesson while visiting the restroom.

There are just 38 seats at Saint Martha, including bar seating. So make your reservations now before word gets out. This is going to be the hottest ticket in town.

Note: This meal was hosted.

Further reading:

Saint Martha: An Unexpected Dining Destination in Koreatown by estarLA

Saint Martha by Los Angeles magazine