2 1 1 2 (the date, not the, uh, Rush album)
Last week, Ace of Cups was the scene for a terrific mini pop-up restaurant event. The occasion was a shared birthday party for a few AoC mainstays who suddenly realized they’d been born on the very same day. Crazy, huh?
Anyway, after orally ransacking the crave-tastic little snacks, we all agreed this needed to happen more often—fortunately, that seems to be a distinct possibility now.
Here’s a peek at the tiny but super satisfying feast—which included a sorta explosive and fatty ssam, crunchy riffs on arancini, and a crisp and palate-refreshing veggie-laden crostini.
Clockwise from front: soft and comforting steamed bun with pork belly, scallion soy sauce, pickled cucumbers; crunchy toasted brioche enlivened by white beans, artichokes, arugula, parmesan-lemon dressing; Jambalaya balls (maybe my fave of the night, they were assembled with shrimp and smoky handmade andouille sausage) with a tangy remoulade sauce.
The dynamic duo of food artists who cooked-up these tongue-tinglers was Chris Frey (you might’ve seen her at the nifty Barrel and Bottle) and Steve Nicholson (from the always good Flatiron).
As of now, Chris and Steve are calling their roving restaurant The Outpost—look for it coming soon to an event near you.
As the birthday soiree roared on, things got kinda blurry, but it sure was a lotta fun (I think)!
