Best Places For Charcuterie Plates In Los Angeles
In the world of specialty foods, charcuterie is the latest trend that is front in center in Los Angeles. If you have never heard of charcuterie before, it is French for cooked flesh. It is most commonly a plate of cold cooked meats though. Before it became a staple of specialty foods, it was a way to preserve meats before refrigeration. Now, the branch of cooking solely devoted to prepared cured meat products is being used to unleash the flavors derived from the preservation process. The following are 11 of the best spots in Los Angeles to get charcuterie plates.
Barbrix
2442 Hyperion Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 662-2442
www.barbrix.com
Located in Silverlake, Barbrix is a cozy hideaway serving Mediterranean inspired small plates by Chef Don Dickman. Offering nine charcuterie options, one being a chef's choice of four meats, served with pickles, mustard & grilled bread, Barbrix is a great place if you love these great starter plates. Some of the meats used include: La Quercia American Prosciutto, Sopressatta, Lomo and Paleta, the "Rolls Royce of hams with an unmistakable flavor and texture" says partner/chef Don Dickman.
Bestia
2121 E 7th Pl,
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 514-5724
www.bestiala.com
Bestia's charcuterie plate is completely house-made, making it their own unique creation and one-of-a-kind. Some items on their board including sweet pepper salami, Mediterranean salami, speck, white A'nujda, Coppa and smoked Copare, which is very different and hard to find anywhere else.
Cassia
1314 7th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 393-6699
www.cassiala.com
At Cassia, Executive Chef Bryant Ng takes traditional French brasserie items and adds Southeast Asian ingredients and flavors. All of his charcuterie for the platter, which comes in three sizes (small, medium and large) are made in-house, while the pork is from Cook Pigs Ranch or Heritage. The platter comes with salted pork with grilled bread, Sichuan lamb ham, Singaporean candied pork, a Vietnamese meatloaf, smoked red sausage, smoked curried duck and cabbage relish.
chi SPACCA
6610 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 297-1133
www.chispacca.com
The charcuterie board at SPACCA is excellent. Comprised of three different categories of charcuterie: salami, whole muscle cures, and terrines that all fall under the category of salted meat, it's a must order. The cured meats on the plate are based on the type of pig they receive each week. If it is a large pig with a lot of nice back fat, they will make lardo and nduja, but if it's a smaller pig they will make speck or culatello with the shoulder. The affettati misti is the backbone of chi SPACCA and has two types of salami, such as Sicilian oregano scented or fennel-orange zest.
Church & State
1850 Industrial St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 405-1434
www.churchandstatebistro.com
LA's destination for French bistro fare, Church & State, crafts their charcuterie selections in house. The Grand Charcuterie includes duck prosciutto, rabbit rillettes, pâtés de campagne, house cured pork belly, chicken liver mousse, head cheese, pork butter, chicharrón, mustard, and pickled vegetables. Diners can also enjoy a petite charcuterie for smaller parties.
Salt's Cure
1155 Highland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 465-7258
www.saltscure.com
Salt's Cure in Hollywood butchers and crafts everything in house, including their charcuterie which is served with accouterments on a nightly basis. For parties of 10 or more, Salt's Cure serves a family style dinner starting with their full charcuterie board featuring chicken liver pudding, Capicollo, whipped lardo, a rotating selection of butcher's pate, all served with soft pretzels, and house made fresh Dijon mustard. Large party reservations can also be made.
Sonoma Wine Garden
395 Santa Monica Pier #300
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(424) 214-4560
www.sonomawinegarden.com
The cheese & charcuterie plate here is a direct reflection of the extensive selection of California cuisine and fresh garden ingredients that make up the restaurant's menu. Many of the gourmet cheeses, like the Hopscotch Cheddar, Bermuda Triangle Goat's Cheese, Gorgonzola Blue Cheese, and produce, like the Prosciutto, salami and Coppa, that make up the plate, are hand-selected from local purveyors as well. The plate can be paired with Sonoma Wine Garden's extensive wine collection and enjoyed while enjoying the sunset on the property's sweeping and picturesque patio.
Tar & Roses
602 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 587-0700
www.tarandroses.com
Tar and Roses' bruschetta, charcuterie, and cheese program allow guests to mix and match based on their party size and liking. Cheeses come from smaller production, featuring a variety of animal milks accompanied with artisanal meats. Additionally, their bruschetta is made in-house with standouts including bacon jam and duck rillettes. All are served with a jar of assorted seasonal pickles (made in-house), dried cherry mostarda, nuts, and membrillo.
Tasting Kitchen
1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 392-6644
www.thetastingkitchen.com
The Gnocco Burrata plate at The Tasting Kitchen comes with two salami. Choose between either calabrese, bresaola, or sopressata from one of their favorite domestic producers, and the best twenty-four month San Danielle Prosciutto available. The gnocco pillows, which are made from scratch daily and fried in delicious lard, with a brown exterior and warm soft interior, make the perfect home for the burrata and salumi. Furthermore, their Antipasti plate features an assortment of our various salami, house made pate' and rillettes, with their pickles, boquerones, arancini, and whatever product is the best that evening.
Urban Radish
661 Imperial St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 892-1570
www.urban-radish.com
The beautifully crafted plate at Urban Radish is comprised of three cheeses and two cuts of meat. For cheese options, choose between their Drunken goat cheese, which is a made up of Spanish goat's cheese that has been soaked in red wine, and a round of Mt. Tam, which is an organic triple cream from Cowgirl Creamery in Petaluma. Also offered is Idiazabal, a sheep's milk cheese from Spanish Basque similar to Manchego but slightly smoked. For meats, the plate comes complete with Calabrese Salame from Creminelli Meats and a Speck American from La Quercia. Accouterments served on the plate include honey, pea shoots, peach chutney, olives, nuts and dried fruit.
Wally's Beverly Hills
447 N Canon Dr.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 475-3540
www.WallysBeverlyHills.com
At Wally's Beverly Hills, guests can put together custom cheese and charcuterie plates from the over 200 cheeses and meats. Priced for either 3 or 5 items, guests can choose from cheese like an Italian Casatica, a French Abbaye de Belloc and Garrotxa from Spain. Charcuterie includes Toscano dry salami, Prosciutto di Parma, Jamon Serrano, Bresaola, Truffle Mousse, and duck salami, among others.
