Bäco Mercat

I am so so late on this post. A couple months ago, I met up with Ms Rants & Craves at Bäco Mercat for the first time. First time to meet her and first time at Bäco Mercat. I've never had the opportunity to try Lazy Ox, but have heard great times about that restaurant, so we relished the opportunity to try Josef Centeno's newest endeavor.

See that picture at the top? It's the only one that I managed to take that wasn't hideously cloaked in shadows. And that's because I turned on the flash ... to which I was reprimanded "What? Dont' use flash!" by Ms Rants & Craves ... I know, I know ... I'm ashamed of myself. Other than sitting at the bar, the restaurant is not lit for food picture taking. We were served those crisp thin breadsticks at the start of the meal.

The restaurant specializes in flatbread pizzas, pita-like sandwiches and a bunch of side dishes which range from meats to pastas to vegetables to salads. We decided to try some of each category, to round things out.

caesar brussel sprouts - pecorino, anchovy, garlic

"cream of mushroom" coca (crispy flatbread) - sauteed mushroom, sage, pecorino

"the toron" bäco - oxtail hash, pickle, cheddar, tater

beef "birria" with fresh pasta - star anise, corriander, pecorino

pistachio semifroddo - pine nut brittle, sea salt

I went pretty crazy for the beef birria. The pasta was really well made and in large, thin sheets. With a runny fried egg over the top, I couldn't get enough. The torchon baco was also very well done. Surprisingly, the restaurant wasn't too full but it was a weekday night ... next time I just want to order two servings of the birria and eat it all myself. Or maybe three servings.

Bäco Mercat
408 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013