If you have read about the first time I dined here (Take 1 at the bottom of this page), you will see I couldn’t stop raving about the duck. Based on that very special night, we decided to travel across town again over a year later and go for exactly the same thing. It takes a long while to get from one part of Los Angeles to the next, so ideally, the restaurant you choose shouldn’t let you down. Most people in their right mind pick an area or stick to their hood, exploring the places close to them. Travellers and tourists don’t always do this. I try to be as brutally honest as I can to guide you, but I cannot control the kitchen or the restaurant. I can only give you my best account and knowledge of the day or night.
So once again, we headed off in the car from Malibu to downtown LA. It took an hour from door to door. Arguably, you could ask yourself if it was worth the effort (it doesn’t have a star either, but previously I thought it deserved one); this is what pushed me to visit once more. The weather was still terrible, with heavy, relentless rain, which meant it wasn’t the wisest idea to go out exploring. In the car, my guest reminded me: “I hope this journey will be worthwhile.” I defended the situation: “Can you be a little bit more optimistic? We are on the way now; try to see the bright side?” “Yes, you are right, ok, ok.” As we eventually arrived, we were seated — thankfully not next to the restrooms this time!
The menu looked similar to how it was before, and there was the shining star — duck carnitas: half confit, lime-dressed onions, shishito escabeche. It’s what we came all this way for. We kept it lighter on this occasion, opting for the prawns à la parilla as a starter to share, ensuring that we could really enjoy the plate and not get full too soon. Much more sensible! As the duck arrived, we were both excited to dig in, but as I looked at the dish, I already knew that it didn’t appear the same. Eh oh… I couldn’t hold in my disappointment, and this was before I had even stuck my fork in. “It’s not the same,” I sighed. And it didn’t taste as it had before either. “Damn,” I said, feeling completely let down. It didn’t give me that first unbelievable shock I still had flashing back in my mind. Once I have an amazing course, it gets logged in my memory, and it pretty much stays there forever. I do not forget it. I knew then and there that it didn’t justify the journey this time around.
Don’t get me wrong: it wasn’t bad, but there was significantly less meat, reduced cooking liquor, less impact. Had it even been confit in cola? Take a look at the pictures in Take 1 and then come back to this; you might not be able to notice the differences, but I can tell you 100 percent that they are there. We finished up quickly, as we didn’t struggle like before — there wasn’t as much. We paid, got in the car and left. And yes, we discussed on the way back how putting high hopes on something sets great expectations. It will be the last occasion I make such an effort for Damian, but on the contrary, if you are just next door, of course you should pop in. You might be luckier than me at the next dinner.
