Earlier this year, chef Jackson Kalb competed in season 19 of Top Chef. He dazzled the judges by making an Italian three-course Italian meal within the 45-minute competition. Kalb made fresh pasta sheets, an eggplant side dish, and chicken salsa verde. Due to post-COVID after effects, he could not smell or taste; somehow, he prepared a Ligurian pesto sauce.
Kalb grew up in LA and worked as an apprentice in the kitchen at Melisse under Josiah Citrin. He later worked for Hillstone Restaurant Group and then at Factory Kitchn as chef de cuisine. With his wife, Melissa, they own and operate Jame Enoteca in El Segundo and Ospi in Venice.
Friends of ours suggested that we get together for dinner at Jame Enoteca. He is a proud Italian and loves Italian food with a passion. In addition, he and his wife have visited Italy, so between the food and our recent travel to Italy, we had a lot to talk about.
Like many restaurant owners, the Kalbs converted a portion of their parking lot into an outdoor dining space. While it lacks a certain ambiance, most people have adapted to the new normal.
We shared many dishes that evening. In addition, our friends brought raided their library and brought some stellar wines to enjoy.
The Beef Tartare ($18) is quite tasty. They include small bits of fried potato chips and shallots to the beef, which nicely flavored the beef tartare. The dish includes toasted garlic bread, which pairs nicely with the beef tartare.
The scarpinocc pasta shape originates from Northern Italy, and the word stems from scarpa, which means shoe, because the pasta resembles an old-fashioned wood shoe. This pasta shape is filled with braised beef cheek, flavorful, and extremely tender. It is priced at $24.
Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe ($19) is a rich pasta dish that’s hard not to love with only three simple ingredients. Pecorino cheese with black pepper unites with pasta (and a hefty dose of the starchy cooking water) to form a rich, creamy sauce that is simple and delicious.
Many ragu sauces contain too much salt. Their Tagliatelle al Ragu ($22) was perfectly seasoned, and the sauce ratio to pasta allowed you to taste the pasta and the ragu sauce.
Heads turned as the Crispy Braised Pork Shank ($34) arrived at our table. The exterior was crispy, and the inside was both tender and flavorful. This dish was my favorite of the evening.
Jackson Kalb is a talented chef, and a visit to Jame Enoteca is worth your time. If you are already of fan of his, you should know that he is opening a new restaurant in Brentwood. It is named Gemma de Mare, and they will specialize in east coast Italian seafood. They will open later this year.
Jame Enoteca, 241 Main St, El Segundo; 310.648.8554; eatjame.com