Baco Mercat (Los Angeles, CA) [4]

Bäco Mercat
408 S Main St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Dining date: 9/6/16

Baco Mercat has been open for almost five years now and still seems to be going pretty strong. It’s been over three years since my last visit; a friend visiting from out of town wanted to dine here, leading to this latest meal.

Crispy Pig Ears dill, zhoug aioli

Pig ears were as advertised – very crispy, crunchy and served with a Mediterranean-spiced aioli.

Blistered Okra tomato, fenugreek, basil, lebni

Blistered okra was bold flavored with a lot of the depth coming from the tomatoes and fenugreek.

Oxtail Basteeya fontina, ricotta, fines herbes, poached egg, pistachio

The basteeya was hearty, packed with spiced oxtail and topped with a runny poached egg. The exterior pastry didn’t have any of the delicately flaky crust I was looking for, though.

Hand Torn Pasta with Pork Belly Sugo kale, soujouk, pine nuts, raisins

The pasta was a mess – overcooked, mushy and stuck together in one large lump. Just really disappointing. The pork belly sugo was pretty delicious, but couldn’t save the dish.

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder cream of wheat, kumquat gastrique, garlic, red wine

Slow roasted pork shoulder was very tender, served in a cream of wheat base with a rich red wine sauce and fresh vegetables.

Baco Mercat was a little hit or miss but generally fell below expectations. The execution of the pasta was really disappointing, in particular, and I’m not in a hurry to return.