We often get emails from PR people when their clients have something to promote. I was excited to get one about The Bower announcing a “Tiki Takeover” of the restaurant this summer. I can’t say I love Polynesian food but I like it and am endlessly intrigued by it. When Jude lived in downtown Los Angeles there was a Trader Vic’s at the Staples Center but it didn’t last long. We went shortly before it closed. To my knowledge, the only remaining trade Vic’s is at the Hilton in Atlanta. The one at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles is now only a tiki bar.
When I got the email about a Tiki takeover at The Bower I was excited to have some Polynesian food, but also maybe more excited to try something we have talked about disproportionately on The Food Show (airs 2-4pm weekdays on 990AM WGSO.) The idea of Spam Musubi, a Hawaiian “delicacy” has intrigued me enough to try it at home. I decided then to leave it in the hands of a competent chef.
But it was not to be. When we arrived for the Tiki Takeover, the food part had already been eliminated. What was available was just a cocktail menu of delicious island drinks. In keeping with my non-adventurous drinking policy, I ordered a half-pour of a Pina Colada from the Happy Hour menu. We specifically went for Happy Hour to try it as well. It was an unusual Happy Hour menu, and there wasn’t much to entice me. As I’ve said often recently, I’m as tired of Whipped Feta on a menu as crispy Brussels sprouts. Labneh had a moment but it’s waning. Brussels sprouts remain but were fortunately not here.
There was of course the requisite Whipped Feta, Bread and Honey, and The Bower Potatoes which I assumed would be housecut fries. The Bower appeared with the closing of Bar Frances which had excellent housecut fries. I assumed wrong. Also on this Happy Hour menu was Cacio e Pepe from the dinner menu as a smaller portion for a reduced price. Tom got the scallops from the dinner menu.
The Bower potatoes were nothing like I expected. They were terrific on their own merits. They were little red potatoes that were first deep-fried and then smashed. In the center of the mass of smashed potato was a wonderful chopped garlic mixture. Alongside this was a marvelous avocado crema aioli. These were better than good. They were delectable.
The same was true for the Cacio e Pepe, which was also great but not traditional. Cacio e Pepe is now as ubiquitous on menus as whipped feta and Brussels sprouts, but I love Cacio e Pepe and get it whenever I see it. It is never true to the Roman original, but it’s a fun game to see how far it strays from that.
The most glaring difference in this one besides the addition of cream that all the imposters adapt to fill in the gaps is the pepper component. A true Cacio e Pepe has coarse chopped black peppercorns. This one employed tricolor peppercorns in their whole state. I loved it anyway.
Tom was busy with his weird dish of scallops in Brodo. A massive amount of peas floated around in the broth.
Interspersed in all this were a few pillows of pasta filled with mint, also in the broth. All of that was puzzling, and there have been a lot of dishes featuring scallops in our experience. The seafood itself was seared perfectly, crusty brown enough to not be softened by the broth. Tom enjoyed this dish, though we were both a little puzzled by the composition.
My Pina Colada half-pour, which was the Happy Hour size was very nice. I was glad we finally made it to the Bower, which is a lovely place. Mindy greeted us and served us, and it was refreshing to see someone at the front door who genuinely wanted to make us comfortable. I felt like a valued customer. That’s the kind of treatment that makes someone want to return.
