Superba Food + Bread in Venice: Top Notch Bread and Frisee Aux Lardon at This Egg-Loving Joint

Appropo to its name, the best thing hands down at Superba Food and Bread was its complimentary bread. Oddly enough, you have to ask for it to get it. It doesn't automatically come out. The baguette was one of the best I've had in LA. Fresh, crusty, soft and warm. Smothered with some good quality butter, the bread was downright addictive. The rest? Not so memorable.

The second best thing we had was also bread. We got the pain au levain toast topped with walnut, pomegranate molasses and pickled radish. The bread was the hearty French crusty bread that I love. The combination of the creamy cheese with the slightly sweet molasses and tart radishes that cut through the potential heaviness worked well. The colors were gorgeous too. 

Every self-respecting chef seems to be doing frisee aux lardon these days. I've seen it one too many menus recently but I'm not to complain when it involves a perfectly poached egg and a piece of lacquered pork belly. It's a salad but feels like a French breakfast for champions. The pork was really well cooked -- nicely browned on the outside and soft on the inside, glistening in its fatty glory. 

The least successful dishes were the rotisserie leg of lamb and the broccolini. While the lamb's presentation was beautiful, one of the lamb slices was overcooked and rubbery. The lamb was rubbed with vadouvan, a blend of spices, and we could dip the meat in a carrot yogurt sauce. It could be said it was Indian inspired. Mark my words: vadouvan is the new condiment. Again, I've seen this used in several new joints these days. Maybe it'll be the next furikake. To be fair, some of the lamb slices that were cooked right (medium rare) and combined with the yogurt sauce worked. Maybe I would have been a lot happier if the special of the day, lamb neck osso buco, had not run out. Next time.

The broccolini side with a poached egg (we like eggs, what) topped with some yellow and red bell pepper strips was far too chewy and tough. It really distracted from the flavors. I don't know whether that's the way they are or they were overcooked. Big thumbs down. 

Otherwise great space, relatively easy parking and nice crowd. I would return for brunch or to pick up that amazing bread. I also want to try its original Superba Snack Bar that has a more extensive dining menu.