Have you ever had a second chance at an opportunity you missed?

Maybe there was an instance where you experienced a moment, interaction, or person that you didn’t fully appreciate. You probably thought you would have more time to come back and relive it again, only to find it disappeared before you knew it. Whatever the instance was for you, if you could have another chance with it, what would you do differently?

I found myself asking that question as I stared down at a plate at Crossings Restaurant in South Pasadena.

Sure it’s not as romantic or exaggerated as what you were probably thinking, but considering my line of work and where I get my happiness it’s important nonetheless. A few months ago I missed an opportunity after I experienced a dinner so delicious and a plate so memorable. I was at Gargantua, a pop up in Santa Monica led by Chef Nick Barainca and sous chef Kevin Malone, and while I knew they would close at the end of the month I thought I would have more time to return to enjoy the beef belly plate that instantly captivated me. I was wrong and I never had anything like it again, until I went to Crossings now run by Malone. But before we freeze frame on the moment between myself and the plate I thought I would never see again, let’s start at the beginning.

Walking into Crossings is like walking into a beautiful brick loft in Downtown Los Angeles that just happens to serve food. Can I move in? Can I get a table by the window? There’s just so many thoughts that run through my mind while here. The space is open, the windows are expansive, the chefs are present, and the atmosphere makes you want to sink in and stay all night. As much as I wanted to do just that, I thought it would be best to keep focused. With that in mind, I went through the menu and ordered.arrived to the table.

The first of two plates was the Hamachi Verde ($18). A beautifully simple assembly was comprised of snap pea, serrano, cucumbers, and kaffir lime. Gazing at it before me I loved the color coordination that chef Malone created. A pale pink resting throughout shades of dark and light green against pristine white flatware was eye-catching. However aesthetically pleasing it was, my initial thought was that it would be an ordinary introduction to the dinner. Turns out, I was wrong and I was fine with that. The hamachi verde was a jump-start with a strong kick of spice from the serrano chili peppers. Sitting underneath the fresh hamachi, the beautiful soup was a delightful pairing to the delicate fish. From start to finish, it was beautiful, delicious, and anything but subtle.

Following the hamachi was the Pork Belly and Ahi ($18). The plate was divided into three parts allowing each item to be showcased and appreciated individually. The largest and most noticeable were the mounds of pork belly with deep burgundy colored slices of ahi tuna and yuzu habanero. Following that, the Asian pear compote and sea bean made their own introductions, but were obviously outdone by the pork belly. The separation of each item on the plate directed me to the way I should experience it. One by one I explored the pleasant arrangement. Bite after bite I found that Chef Malone created a dish that was composed of different textures and flavors that were delightful on their own, but unexpectedly delicious altogether.

While the appetizers were a great start to the dinner, the entrees stole the show.

The first was the Salmon ($35) served with beets, blackberries, smoked roe, yogurt, and fresh herbs. The fish on one side of the plate and the vegetables and herbs on the other displayed such a striking entrée. That beauty quickly disappeared as my fork went in to pick up as many pieces of the fish as possible. The fresh salmon separated easily from its shape as my fork gently pressed against it. Each bite introduced a perfectly seasoned and cooked fish that it was almost impossible to enjoy it slowly. I promise I tried. Adding the roe, the yogurt, and the herbs on top of the salmon was the such a delicious combination that it was disappointing to see it gone from the plate.

After the salmon the plate that I missed for so long arrived!

The Wagyu Navel ($39) was plated with ash, charcoal potatoes, soubise, and burnt leeks. As much as I loved everything about this plate (named beef belly at Gargantua) I have to admit that I didn’t love the name here. Two synonyms away from “beef belly” at Gargantua, wagyu navel makes me wince a bit. The pause came when I read ‘navel’ on the menu; my mind automatically thought: bellybutton.  Imagine coming across dish called chicken bellybutton on a menu – odd right? Regardless of what it’s called, the plate far exceeds its name.

Once it arrived I quickly became invested in finding out if it tasted as good as it did before.  A few slices and tastes in and it turns out, it was better. The slices of meat were tender and melted as it was chewed. As each bite dug deeper into the meat, it was undeniable that it was incredibly rich and held in a flavor that was almost intoxicating. The thought would be that four slices wouldn’t be filling, but it’s completely the opposite. Since each cut is so decadent and must be enjoyed as slowly as possible it is more than filling. The dark charcoal potatoes and the light leeks become perfect companions to the plate. From the moment I tasted it all the way to the last bite I all I could think about was that I finally got the opportunity with my favorite dish.  I missed it for so long and now having dinner at Crossings Restaurant I could enjoy it as much as I wanted. At least, until I ate it all.

To end the night in the best way possible, dessert was an obvious decision. The Roasted Banana ($12) was a suggestion by Chef Malone himself and it was a gorgeous one at that. A roasted banana was sprinkled with smoked almonds, sage, and served with vanilla bean ice cream honeycomb. While I loved how artistic he was with the banana, I loved how he made the morning fruit taste so perfect for dinner. The soft banana with small crunchy pieces of almond was nice, the ice cream was silky, but adding in the sticky and sweet honey from the honeycomb made it such a lovely surprise.

If I explained any further just how much I enjoyed dinner at Gargantua and how sad I was when they left, this blog post would run longer than the New Testament being read at a Baptist church on Easter Sunday. With that said, just know I was heartbroken. Those days of longing for such delicious food are now gone as I have Crossings Restaurant. Within the stunning designed space is a team of culinary experts serving plates that look like art and taste like memories I’ve never forgotten. If in the time you’ve been reading this and you can’t seem to understand why I love the beef belly, I mean – wagyu navel, and all of their other plates so much then let it be the single reason you make a reservation at the restaurant today. And when you finally try it, I’m pretty sure you’ll get where I’m coming from.

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Address: 1010 Mission St, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Phone: (626) 799-7001
Hours: Monday through Thursday – 5:30pm to 9:30pm, Friday & Saturday – 5:30pm to 10:00pm, and Sunday – 10:00am to 1:30pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm.
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