What a night to remember! We dined at Misión 19 to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. Everything about this night was perfect! The restaurant itself is gorgeous. You walk into this contemporary building, surrounded by sleek and sharp designs. The design itself is minimal, but there is something so elegant about it. The red and wood accents really add a warmth to the coolness of concrete and steel. I got an overall feeling of Baja meets Manhattan. Then the wine and food started to arrive. We shared a bottle of L.A. Cetto Nebiolo, which was poured into a decanter, and allowed to breathe to meet its full bouquet of flavors. We opted to order the Chef’s six course tasting menu.
The first taste we got was a shot glass of Gazpacho de Sandia. The chilled watermelon soup had a pleasant kick to it with the chile powder rimmed glass. This was a very refreshing way to open up your palette and start the next courses.
We were then presented with a Tostadita de Minilla de Atún Aleta Azul con Salsas Cuajadas. This little bite was so full of beautiful flavors. The salsas added a creamy texture to the crunch of the tostada and silky smooth tuna. The next course was a ”Parfait” de Callo de Hacha. Unfortunately, we got so excited that we thought about taking the photo after the first couple of bites. It was a tall glass presented on a piece of lava rock. You could see each layer and color of the different ingredients. When you mix all of the layers together, you get this creamy, crunchy, and spicy mixture that just had you finishing the dish before you even realized it.
Next we were presented with Ostiones Del Pacifico a la plancha. I am sure that you have heard me rave about these oysters at both the LA Street Food Fest, as well as the Festival de La Brasa. The ingredients were a bit different than that one. There was grapefruit and soy sauce with a kick of Serrano. Once again, I was blown away. The flavors all worked so beautifully together. I have a whole new appreciation for oysters. It could quite possibly even be an obsession now.
Our next course was the Tiradito de Lengua de Res. It was topped with peppery arugula, “Beech” Mushrooms, and then drizzled with a Vinagreta caliente de Morcilla. This was absolutely delicious. Every bite had a bit of every component of the dish, and it all worked so perfectly together.
Are you getting hungry yet? Bare with me, we are just getting started. The next dish was the Asado de Cochinilla. You are presented with this sweet like seasoned pork filled corn crepe wrapped taco. You get your choice of three different salsas, they all had individual flavor profiles. You are sure to enjoy one, or maybe all of them in this masterpiece.
The next course was Risotto Arborio. My first bite of this, I had to stop and seriously savor every single morsel. The textures were incredible. Combined in the Risotto are “heirloom” beans, Epazote, Mushrooms, and both Italian and Mexican Truffles. The overall dish was so beautifully rich, but I definitely had room left for the courses ahead.
The Tablita was the next course that we were presented with. This beef was cooked for 48 hours, and then at the last minute they seal it. Talk about “melt in your mouth”. Once again the textures worked all so beautifully together. The meat was accompanied by caramelized pearl onions, Beluga Lentils, and topped with a luxurious red wine reduction. My husband and I both finished every last bite on our plate.
The next course was a divinely constructed cheese plate. The sweetness of the peach paired superbly well with the pungent cheeses. Just when you think you are starting to become full, you are presented with an extremely enticing and final course, the dessert.
This dessert honestly left me speechless. A Red Velvet cake with a Raspberry filling, Vanilla Ice Cream, and an Apple Gelatin. This was the perfect ending to one of the best dinner experiences that I have ever had in my life. The staff was so attentive and kind. The overall ambiance and music had me feeling an incredible sense of comfort. Chef Javier Plascencia’s Misión 19 is an experience that you will never forget. The next time you have a special occasion, or just want to enjoy incredible food and service, make your way over to this restaurant.
After our dinner, we wandered up to the next level to Bar 20, and met up with some friends. I have heard great things about their cocktails, and couldn’t wait to see what their menu had to offer.
Out of all of us, we ordered three of the drinks from their menu. My husband ordered the Pepino Misionero. This cocktail is so refreshing. It was almost a little bit too easy to drink, but hey that’s what happens when you construct a beautiful cocktail.
I ordered the Sangria. In my personal experience, Sangria can be one of those cocktails that can sometimes come across as too sweet. This was everything but that. I enjoyed that every sip was accompanied by the acidity of lime. It made this cocktail light, and perfect for summer.
My friend ordered the Mezcalero. This was a cocktail, full of both fruity and surprisingly smokey flavors. If you are one of those that loves to try new things, order this cocktail. You will be pleasantly surprised by the flavor profiles. Overall, I loved this spot. You get to relax in comfy chairs, talk with friends, listen to great music, and most importantly enjoy a excellent selection delicious cocktails.
