Commissary in Koreatown: Roy Choi's Latest Celebrates Vegetables in a Great Airy Space with Awesome Potatoes & Tomato Confit, Some Misses

Roy Choi is known for many things but he isn't exactly known for his veggies. So it was a treat to check out his soft opening at his latest venture, Commissary at the ultra-trendy Line Hotel in Koreatown that was started as an ode to vegetables. Like at any opening day, there were hits and misses but if nothing else, I appreciated the bright greenhouse-esque ambiance and celebration of vegetables often shunned by big name chefs. The chef himself apparently went all veggie for some time before reverting back to his old ways.

My favorite: the roasted baby potatoes with fried chilies, parsley and "rainbow sauce" that includes nuts, garlic and more chiles because one can never have enough heat. The perfectly browned potatoes were just delicious and the chilies added a nice crispy texture and heat to the mix.

I started with a nice refreshing cocktail that had a perilla leaf in it but was confused when I saw it described on the menu as shiso leaf, which is decidedly different. I get that one must use familiar references to minimize people's fear of change and new things but this was K-town and I didn't understand why it had to be called something it's not. I almost argued with my white server but held my tongue. Ok, so it will be misrepresented as shiso. 

  

Check out the airy interior. It's a wonderful place to come in the summer and perfect for sunny California. 

                                            

The menu came inside an opened envelope grouped by price points. We got a mix of eight dishes for a party of four and it was very filling. The classic shrimp cocktail hit the spot for a hot summer evening by the pool (which is actually next door if you're feeling like a dip). Fresh, meaty shrimp poached to perfection and daintily placed around the rim of the glass with a tangy tomato sauce to dip away.

Fancy silverware paired with cartoon napkins reminiscent of home meals back in the day.

One of my favorite dishes was the seared scallops in a green garlic sauce. The scallops were nicely browned on the outside and soft and meaty on the inside. The garlicky sauce helped to enhance the flavors further. The only thing was the scallop was a tad oversalted. 

The chef himself hustling to get food on the table on family & friends night.

The most revelatory dish was the tomato confit that came with nectarines, garlic in a red sauce and some kick via what looked and tasted like serrano chiles. It was sweet, spicy and all around an interesting melding of flavors. 

One side of the menu showing the main ingredient by price point.

The broccolini braised in chicken stock and drizzled with garlic butter, green sauce and sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese was interesting but in my opinion, not the best way to cook broccolini. I would have opted for grilled or roasted to bring out the sweetness and produce perfectly charred edges. Another bonus to grilling/roasting vs. braising is the vegetable would have better retained its beautiful bright green color. But I will say I had never had braised broccolini so it was definitely a novelty.

The seared black bass filet served with buttered peas in a brown sauce consisting of chiles and soy sauce was good. The peas were fresh and sweet, the salty seasoning just right but the flesh of the fish had an odd metallic taste that didn't agree with me. I liked the crispy skin but I couldn't have too much of it. 

The grilled ribeye was a throwback dish using nostalgia-inducing A1 sauce as a base and pairing it with tabasco and brown sauce consisting of chiles and soy sauce.  The dish was served room temperature the first time so they redid it, which was nice of them. The only thing was the meat was slightly overcooked the second time but I still give them props for good service nevertheless. The meat was almost like a guilty pleasure, as the familiar sauce with a twist had you wanting to eat more of the sodium-induced addiction. The fresh sliced radishes and greens on top helped to temper the heaviness of the meat. 

The spaghetti with garlic, lemon and chiles was scorching hot when it arrived due to its floating on a sea of hot olive oil. The noodles were a tad overcooked and the seasoning was very mild despite the chiles and garlic, which may have been intentional to enjoy with the strong flavored main dishes such as the salty steak and scallops.

Dessert was a rhubarb and cream number that was good but not memorable. Note the pairing of classic plates with modern takes on classic dishes. 

The Sunny Spot serving his take on Caribbean food has so far been my favorite Roy Choi joint but I may return here to check out other dishes and get his take on veggies. Oh, and there's neighboring POT too, where we spotted Ashton Kutcher and a very pregnant Mila Kunis avoiding the cameras from patrons on their way out.