The peppery French classic steak au poivre finds a home in Los Angeles
Your morning catch-up: A French classic is having an L.A. revival, Luna and Villanueva duel to lead nation’s largest sheriff’s department and more big stories.
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It may stand to reason that a dish invented and popularized in 19th-century Normandy may not exactly have a home in Los Angeles.
That assumption, however, could not be further from the truth for the French peppercorn classic steak au poivre.
The steak — a generally pan-seared steak covered in cracked black pepper and topped with a brandy-and-cream sauce — is having a revival, according to chef Patrick Costa of Silver Lake’s Sous Sous restaurant.
“Au poivre is a flavor people already know and love. It feels classic and a little indulgent, and right now people want food that’s comforting and familiar,” Costa told The Times recently. “It’s the steakhouse nostalgia people are craving, but approachable, with no white tablecloth required.”
Los Angeles food writer Kelly Dobkin interviewed Costa and others when creating her list of 12 must-try restaurants featuring steak au poivre.
Let’s jump into a few excerpts from the entire list.
Marée (Pico-Robertson)
Seasoned chef Marcus Jernmark continues his domination of the Pico-Robertson food scene with his latest restaurant, Marée, a Cal-French bistro located above his popular tasting menu concept, Lielle.
An early hit after only a few weeks in business, the bistro’s au poivre burger ($42) is already being rationed: Jernmark will only sell 25 per night to the first takers.
It starts with a dry-aged beef patty topped with fried kale, barbecued mushroom duxelles, crispy micro onion rings, and an au poivre sauce infused with beef trimmings and Roquefort cheese. It’s served split open, face down, drenched in the peppery sauce, and eats almost like an au jus sandwich. Fries are extra, but I highly recommend ordering some to sop up all of that delicious jus at the bottom of the plate.
Badmaash Venice (Venice)
Known for its creative approach to Indian fare that weaves co-founders and brothers Nakul Mahendro and Arjun Mahendro’s Toronto upbringing with L.A. influence, the family behind Badmaash opened a slightly fancier third location in Venice earlier this spring.
On this new menu is a unique take on steak au poivre, made the Badmaash way. They start with a 12-ounce Niman Ranch prime New York strip loin that gets rubbed with ginger, garlic and serrano.
For the sauce, they use the pan drippings from the slow-cooked beef short rib as the base, according to Nakul, and then add the meat masala, a type of Punjabi curry prepared typically for lamb or goat that is made with caramelized onion, tomato, ginger, and spices like Ceylon cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom and bay leaf.
Then they add black, green and pink peppercorns, and cream to finish the sauce. It’s served with a side of masala fries. Note that at $93, this might be best as a sharing dish.
Hermon’s (Montecito Heights)
Last Word Hospitality opened this insta-hit restaurant in the Highland Park-adjacent micro-neighborhood of the same name last fall. The menu features classic New American dishes such as coconut shrimp, steak tartare and whole-grilled branzino, plus a take on the classic steak frites made with an 8-ounce flat iron steak, served with au poivre sauce ($46).
Chef D.K. Kolender uses Robusta black peppercorns and pickled green peppercorns to make his version, searing off steak scraps and deglazing the pan with cognac before adding the pepper. Then beef stock and heavy cream are added, and the sauce is reduced heavily.
It’s reduced again and seasoned with more salt, pickled green peppercorns and black pepper before being presented at your table alongside a hefty serving of crispy fries for dipping. The 30-ounce grilled boneless ribeye steak also comes with the au poivre sauce, along with a side of bordelaise, for $140.
Camphor (Downtown L.A.)
This modern French bistro in the Arts District is known for its popular burger and Southeast Asian influences dotted throughout the menu. But don’t sleep on chef Max Boonthanakit’s shareable take on steak au poivre ($95).
Made with Malabar black pepper imported directly from India, beef jus, cream and lots of cognac, the luxurious sauce is drizzled over a 12-ounce prime striploin. “The richness of the sauce pairs nicely with a leaner steak. The steak isn’t aged because we don’t want that aroma to interfere with the dish,” according to Boonthanakit. It’s served with French fries for maximum enjoyment.
For more, check out the entire list.
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Today’s recipe
Comedian and actor Eric Wareheim said a great friend, Emile Haynie, introduced him to chopped steak au poivre at Hollywood’s famed Musso & Frank Grill. He shared a recipe for one of his favorite versions, created by restaurateurs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, that includes using homemade veal stock for the demi-glace.
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Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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