Review #1000
2026-070…read more
Executive Chef: Daniel Patterson
Pastry Chef: Matt Tinder
Co-Founder: Sarah Lewitinn
Server: Will
Prix Fixe Menu:
Puffed Brown Rice Cracker, Avocado, Radish, Nasturtium Sandwich: clean, bright herbal bite with textural contrast of crunch & creaminess
Yuba Roll: savory, briny, earthy
Grilled & Raw Vegetables (green juice of yerba santa, nopales, lime): fresh & vibrant; that green broth is a citrus flavor bomb
Soft Tofu (fresh seaweeds, caviar): delicate tofu pudding nicely balanced with rich, salty oceanic roe
Artichoke Flower (spring things): oddly "meaty" & earthy, beautiful spring pic
Shrimp & Squash Dumpling (yellow squash-habanero-saffron sauce, flowering cilantro): umami sweetness with simmering chili kick (layers of marvelous flavor); can't get enough of that amazing sauce!
Slow Cooked Wild King Salmon (cucumber-yogurt sauce, fresh wasabi, smoked trout roe): rich & buttery, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness with salty pops of roe, sharp punchy wasabi sting, refreshingly & mildly tart sauce
Stuffed Morels (new potato, spruce tips): luscious meaty, woodsy, & nutty; can't get enough of this perfect new potato
Pepper Crusted Duck (roasted blueberries, wild bay; green salad, pickled shallot, crackling; broth of grilled bones): balance marriage of savory richness & tart-sweet jammy berries punch
Cherry, Cherimoya, Green Almond: vibrant, airy, & custardy sweet
Raw Chocolate, Roasted Kelp, Date: complex balanced blend of savory & sweet with touch of ocean brine
Fruit Anarchy: Mixed Berry Jam with Shiso Leaf, Candied Citron, Kumquat with Apricot Jam, Candied Raspberry, Mulberry: delightful mix of fresh & preserved seasonal fruits
Tehachapi Grains Toast: so addicting, had 2 refills
Founded by Chef Daniel Patterson (formerly Coi) & his wife, Sarah Lewitinn, Jacaranda is an intimate, 30-seat fine-dining restaurant with a seasonally changing, CA-focused tasting menu in a "punk-rock" supper club atmosphere that opened 05/06/26. The restaurant is located in the defunct Koast near Hancock Park. The dining room is intimate yet spacious... periwinkle brightens the space with a 15' suspended sculpture of jacaranda leaves creates an overhead canopy, a large jacaranda mural in the backdrop, & personal artwork by Lewitinn's great uncle dotting the other walls; a 6-seat communal table allows a relaxed social vibe, similar to home pop-up: Jaca Social Club.
Sarah is the face of Jacaranda, friendly & beautifully warming the dining room with her grace & smile. Our server, Will, was a balance of professional attentiveness & laid-back charm. The multi-course meal was almost flawless in pacing, & service team was knowledgeable in highlighting each course without long storytelling & complex jargon.
Jacaranda's prix fixe menu is thoughtfully choreographed & meticulously executed, transitioning from light openers to tease your palate, crescendo of flavorful centerpieces, & artfully sweet memories to close. The exquisite Stuffed Morels was so harmonious & transcendent that I nearly licked the plate... plain looking, yet a masterwork of taste & texture! I wanted more of it!! I had nearly the same reaction to the subsequent Pepper Crusted Duck; that roasted blueberry sauce paired perfectly with the duck! The side salad helped offset the rich duck while the intense broth offered smoky, comforting warmth. A delightfully refreshing sorbet followed that left me craving for more!! The candied Buddha's hand was a brilliant floral-lemon accent along with a deeply sweet, concentrated cherry compote, & Maldon salt dusting added depth & enhanced the dessert's many flavor profiles. Moving from light, the raw chocolate was a visceral, intense, unapologetically bold follow-up. And the finale Fruit Anarchy weaved an intricate mix of candy bites that shifts from sweet to tart, chewy to smooth (confiture) to soft & delicate! The vegetable-forward meal is reflective of his ingredient-focused approach -- deliberate, yet delicate & powerful. This menu & dining experience was nothing but fantabulous, without the fining-dining elegant stiffness.
What was the best part of my birthday celebration? Sarah gave me the best present... Chef Patterson had just left & she got him to turn around so that I have a beautiful preservation of this fantabulous meal by my first favorite chef who started my foodie journey.
I followed Chef Patterson from Elizabeth Daniel to Koi, & now Jacaranda, marking his return to fine dining after a decade's absence. And he's now local to S. CA. If you're into masterful modern CA cuisine that's beautifully executed & exquisitely delicious, Jacaranda is a must on your foodie adventure!