Animal UPDATE - Los Angeles

This has to be a different Animal. The Animal I went to five years ago wasn't bad, but it wasn't THIS Animal. The stuff I had this time is like a new species. Conceptually brilliant, expertly prepared, execution flawless. It all lingers on the tongue and burns a new memory. It's like the best what-the-f*** moment EVER.

The only thing I even liked the first time was the Chicken Liver Toast, and the creamy, lightly-biled open-faced fat-sandwich is a still a fave. 

Everything else is new, and the Chicken Hearts is a risk worth taking. A cold plate, thick pomegranate molasses on an elastic heart. A middle eastern spin with yogurt, leafy parsely, and baharat, more of a whispered influence than a blatant takeover. Confident and self-assured. And delicious.

Every meat-meal needs a vegetable, right? The Swiss Chard Welsh Rarebit on rye is not a vegetable. It's the most jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring not-vegetable ever, but don't get this if you're looking for a vegetable. It's a muscle-meat gravy with the a cheesy inclination and a couple of leaves that add a lot of emphasis on the savory wavy-gravy notes.

I usually don't go for the veal, but you don't see a lot of Veal Tongue, and I didn't bite my tongue on this one. The server describes it as a veryveryVERY soft and melty slice of pastrami, and I literally cannot think of anything more accurate. The ikura seems superfluous, but it does add a very interesting texture. The fishy finish almost reminds me of a kosher deli slicing station, where pastrami waits with the lox. By no means not enjoyable, but I assume this combo was for contrast as I don't see the synergy. 

I usually don't go for veal...whatever, judge me, they have tongue, tartare, and Sweetbreads on the same menu and no way self-righteous, gotta draw-the-line somewhere me isn't getting at least two of the three. The sweetbreads are creamy, savory stuff in a crispy shell with brown butter. They steep but they don't sleep in a bed of creamed spinach under a pile of hen of the woods mushrooms.

Foie Gras. Another three options, managed to stop myself at one. There's a flaky, buttery biscuit under a hunk of liver, but no one notices and no one cares. The maple sausage gravy is great stuff, but when those fat globules in the foie start to flavor-burst, the whole world stops. The foie gras is brushed with the thinnest layer of maple syrup sugar, and they've somehow made a better version of what is already the greatest thing ever. 

I'm two-for-two on second chances. Manhattan House went from good to great, and Animal went from whatever to WHOA. I don't know what's changed, I know it wasn't me and my stubborn taste, so either Animal has stepped up its game or if it needs to just serve this menu forever. This time, Animal lived up to its hype, and I am a FAN!