Rosaliné executive chef Ricardo Zarate and his chef de cuisine, James Jung, recently opened Pikoh in West L.A. With Pikoh, Zarate leverages his worldwide travel experiences by offering dishes beyond his native Peruvian cuisine.
The restaurant is designed for conversation. Entering Pikoh, you feel like you’re walking into a backyard filled with trees and hanging plants. The abundance of interior light and the music quickly creates a positive vibe. The seats (including the bar seats) are padded and comfortable and the dark teal which is pervasive gives the place an island feel.
Zarate, who has restaurants where dinner can easily cost much more than Pikoh, was intent on creating an affordable neighborhood spot in West L.A. Dinner entrees like hanger steak with roasted potatoes and a sunny side up egg is only $21. A chorizo and lamb ragu pappardelle is extremely reasonable at $18.
Pikoh offers nearly round-the-clock service starting at 7 a.m. weekdays until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. During breakfast and lunch, they are set up as fast casual counter service. During the evenings, servers provide the full dining experience. An impressive bar offers a plethora of craft cocktails, eight different draft selections and many wines by the glass.
I visited them a few times to try out their breakfast experience.
Immediately I noticed and appreciated the fact they use ceramic cups. Not only is the experience more pleasurable; there is an effort to positively affect our environment. I was happy that they didn’t use paper cups and plastic lids. I enjoyed the smooth coffee and the fresh brewed tea.
Asian touches are evident throughout the menu, from pork tonkatsu with shredded cabbage, caramelized lemon and a dash of mustard, to the white Asian sea bass with shimeji, dashi consommé, and an herb crust butter. I enjoyed the pork tonkatsu sandwich made with fresh ciabatta.
Their Shakshuka with Tiger Prawns is a good dish to share. The bread has a unique texture and delicious flavor. It includes a tomato sauce base with fresh chunks of tomato, two eggs, shrimp, and was paired with fresh arugula.
French in origin, tartine literally means “a slice of bread.”. Pikoh’s Salmon Tartine starts with a delicious housemade quinoa bread, yuzu kosho cream cheese, sunny side up egg, with capers and fresh dill. If you enjoy bagels and lox, you will absolutely love this dish.
The bread used on the Salmon Tartine was remarkable and I found out that that they bake their bread in-house. In fact, all of their delicious looking pastries are baked on the premises.
If you want to sample their food and can’t make it for breakfast, Happy Hour is an inexpensive way to experience the food and the vibe. In fact, Pikoh made Eater LA’s list of their Spring hottest LA’s Happy Hours.
Unless you arrive early for breakfast, street parking is rather challenging. Valet parking is available even during the early hours and at $3 it is less than the evening rate of $8.
Pikoh, 11940 W. Pico Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA; 310.928.9344
pikohla.com