once bitten: ludo bites 2009

When I was about 4 years old, I took a train ride from the coal-mining countryside where I lived with my grandmother and brother to the great city of Seoul. I was, of course, accompanied by my uncle, but I was an individual on that trip, in transit and alone, to be set loose upon the world. This state of being uniquely exempt, which we call travel, has never been forgotten.

Nor, I suspect, will my meal last night at Ludo Bites which was a journey into the wilds of technicolor orchestral flavors of the moon. I didn't know it was going to be like that. Then I first bit into the heel of the bread slathered with a honey, lavender and rosemary butter. Have I ever had a more delicious butter? Nope. And I don't even like flavored butters.

The miso soup, foie gras, rhubarb, hibiscus and beets. And the beets go on. This had vivid curry undertones and the salty rich broth cut with crunchy baby beets made it a laksa of unknown origin. The foie gras was a molten lava organ smoothie.

Chef Lefebvre's wife asked how we liked it. Oh, we liked it a lot, Madame L, oui oui. The lemon paste schmeared on the side was insane. Like a zest of lemon spiritualized into a different form.

Beef tartar, white asparagus, shallots, anchovy. The sea salt crystals, the crisp fibres of the pickled shallots and the unearthly asparagus rendered this tartar a japanese wood block painting of a gorgeous spring day with cherry blossoms falling.


marinated grilled bell pepers, mozzarella ice cream, black olive. These were exemplary and the ice cream was the softest most delicate cheese. A tad sweet. I don't think we got olives but we got baby tomatoes.


King salmon cube, watermelon, orange confites, sesame oil.

At this point, Chef Lefebvre instructed us to first eat the salmon with roe immediately chased by the watermelon topped with basil. I duly followed said instruction but with the last half chunk, I loaded my fork with a bite of each and was about to pop that sucker in my yawning maw when I got caught breaking the rules. The chef is a little scary. I immediately plopped the watermelon off my fork and bowed a few times in the Japanese manner. Godzilla seemed momentarily appeased.

Sauteed diver scallop, curry-yogurt, spinach. Beautiful like a Gaugain painting. Huge ideally cooked scallops and spinach with integrity.

And then, there was this.

Words fail. Fried Chicken in duck fat, herbs of provences.

Light, juicy, crisply shattering, oregano-ish, bell pepper sauce, creamy cheesy potato blanket all up in my face. Alicia Keys can't sing this many notes. I daresay even Maria Callas' arias would have a hard time keeping up with this fried bird.

The first cut is the deepest, baby I know. The first cut is the deepest.

The chef's favorite dish on his menu. Shrimps, sweet and sour emulsion, rosemary. We were duly instructed to pop this in one go. Godzilla's shadow was near and so was Mrs. Godzilla so I did it and it was a great popper.

I was stuffed beyond decency but thinking about the cheese plate. But we got the Cod.

Carmelized black cod, pineapple, fennel, dill.

My poem to this dish:

My dear God, what have you done to this little Cod.

With my favorite fennel, this dish is mental.

Sure, I'm no Milton but this is better than a Stilton.

Vanilla panna cotta, strawberry sorbet, lemon cookie. Lovely adieu to a lovely meal.

The Chef himself. Very friendly and gregarious. He said ginger is my garlic. His favorite oil? Sesame. He's going to add new dishes to the menu as inspiration strikes him and based on what he sees at the market. He said he had to close Breadbar one night because he didn't like the prix fixe menu he had originally started with. I think he said he "hated" it. So, now, it's small plates, the energy is better and everyone's happy. I'm looking forward to seeing him on Top Chef Masters because he's got mad skills. No question.

The word. And so it was written. Ludo Bites runs through August and you'd be a fool not to belly up to the (Bread)bar and eat your fill while you can. It's a Moon Safari you'll not regret.