LESA,
I’ll be honest, I prefer Embla, the seductive wine bar downstairs, but Dave Verheul’s mastery with a piece of pork had me wanting to ascend to sibling Lesa again and again. Slowly cooked as an entire rack for hours above searingly hot binchotan coals, with the loin then sliced to order. Its pretty, blushing-pink flesh is seductively tender and the crackling as good as any I’ve experienced. It’s rich, but a clever little side of pickled walnut, crisp kale and buckwheat miso completes the dish beautifully.
DISH: Pork loin, buckwheat miso, kale, pickled walnut
CHEF: Dave Verheul