LA diners flock to restaurants that feature their favorite chefs. One such chef riding the wave is “Top Chef” Jackson Kalb. I first became aware of him at Factory Kitchen and later at Jame Enoteca and Ospi. He and his wife, Melissa, recently opened Jemma di Mare, a new Italian-American concept emphasizing seafood.
If you’re unfamiliar with Brentwood, you won’t see their sign from the street because Jemma di Mare is perched on the second floor of a business plaza. The interior is gorgeous: upscale nautical in admiral ocean blue, exposed wood beam ceilings, comfortable booths, and pendant lighting. Best of all, the vibe was a perfect environment to celebrate my daughter’s birthday.
Lunch blends into dinner, with many evening choices available during the day. You can expect sandwiches such as chicken or eggplant parmesan and vegetarian entree-sized salads for lunch. Shakshuka is hot in LA, and during weekend brunch, you can experience a spicy one with charred peppers, eggplant, and shirred eggplant served with focaccia toastettes.
If you lean vegetarian, you will be ecstatic with choices such as spicy eggplant, crispy brussels sprouts, panzanell, beets, and burrata topped with crushed pistachios and various pasta dishes carried over from Jame Enoteca such as mandilli, a silk handkerchief pasta bathed in a delicious almond pine nut pesto.
The cocktail list is extensive, with “generic” cocktails such as a Moscow Mule ($16) and signature cocktails mostly priced at $19, topping out with the Millionaire Martini ($45) with a kaluga caviar bump. Put on your seatbelt when you review the wine list. The least expensive is an extra dry prosecco that will set you back $57. Fortunately, they have about a dozen wines available by the glass.
The calamari in the Frito Misto ($28) was fresh and not gummy, and I favored their housemade remoulade over the tomato sauce. The cauliflower puree surrounding the Crispy Brussels Sprouts was creamy and paired nicely with the cauliflower. Unfortunately, they did not provide enough of the puree for us to appreciate the dish fully.
Kalb is famous for his hand-rolled pasta. The Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka ($21) is the best seller at Jame, and what I should have realized is that here, the pasta dishes are portioned out as primi, which is a bit less than the secondi-sized portions at Jame. The tagliatelle noodles were silky and delightful, but the sauce wasn’t noteworthy.
I almost drooled when I saw Lobster Fettuccine ($95) delivered to a group next to us. Elsewhere it is known as Lobster Fra Diavolo, which translates to “Brother Devil’s Lobster” for the spicy nature of the dish.
It surprised me that Jemma is one of the few Italian restaurants not capitalizing on the popularity of grilled branzino. Instead, they offer a grilled Pacific fish such as cod with salsa verde.
The table-side sundae bar is an excellent way to celebrate a birthday. Heads turn when the cart arrives at your table. The server then puts on a show, preparing the sundae “your way” with your favorite toppings. It’s an entertaining way to end the meal.
Jemma di Mare recently announced another location named Jemma Hollywood, presumable with less focus on seafood. Since it will be steps away from Hollywood & Vine, expect to see a tourist destination.
Jemma di Mare, 11677 San Vicente Blvd, LA 90049; 424.317.0007; jemmadimare.com