Every time I hear myself about to say something is impossible, I really should just shut my mouth. At the very least I should check to see how many witnesses there are so I know whether the eventual chorus of “You were wrong!” will be delivered as a solo or in multi-part harmony.
My latest instance was a conversation about the farm to table idea, and I was responding to a skeptic who implied that it was elitist. He argued that if you’re dropping fifty or seventy-five bucks for a meal then restaurateurs can offer fresh products and change menus regularly, but that couldn’t work at lower price points. I basically conceded the point, saying something very much like, “Well sure, you can’t be price competitive with fast food chains when offering lots of fresh produce and a changing selection.”
That was a big oops, because it’s happening right now at the corner of Artesia and PCH in Hermosa. Rabano opened in February in what had been a Chinese take-out place, and they’re doing exactly what I said couldn’t be done. The menu has something for everyone from vegans to meat-loving omnivores, the veggie selection changes based on availability, and condiments like salad dressings, sauces, and kimchi are made in-house. More amazingly, they do all this at only a small premium over junk food joints.
The menu is a lot more interesting than the typical fast food place, without a burger to be seen. The selection reflects the heritage of owners Roberto and Fernando Chong, Peruvians of Chinese ancestry who also lived in Cuba before coming to the US. There are Asian and South American fusion elements in the list of starters, salads, sandwiches, and bowls, and those who aren’t familiar with those cuisines may find themselves looking up huacatay sauce, gochujang, and aji amarillo. The adventurous can order and pay using the electronic kiosks by the door and see what comes out, while those who want guidance can go to the counter and ask a staff member.
Unlike many places, you can order starters and items you want as a main course here and have them arrive in sequence. Among the starters I have tried the edamame wontons, Rabano fries, and “Gogi” style grilled steak tacos. The tacos straddle Korean and Mexican ideas and besides your choice of meat have roasted corn and cotija cheese as well as mild kimchi and gochujang sauce. They are topped with chopped radishes – and I should note that the restaurant’s name “rabano” means radish in Spanish. The steak was smoky and tender with the flavors blending surprisingly well, and if you order these and a salad or cup of the daily soup you have a nice meal.
The edamame wontons were a more shareable starter, a basket of crisp-fried dough packets containing soybeans, mushrooms, and Romano cheese and drizzled with sriracha sauce sweetened with agave. I would get the sauce on the side next time, because while I liked it there was a bit too much. Drizzling sauce makes a pretty presentation, but the mushroom and soy flavor with cheese accent was fine by itself.
Getting the sauce on the side goes double for the Rabano fries (regular potato French fries rather than fried radishes). Rabano fries arrive topped with mild yellow chili sauce, a dab of green garlic sauce, and a mix of pickled mild jalapenos and carrots. It’s a very good combination of flavors but very messy finger food. I suggested to a manager that this might be better with tater tots or potato wedges so that it is more of a fork item.
I have tried four mains entrees: a pork belly banh mi sandwich, roasted vegetable bowl, “pork belly knockout,” and their “sustainable steelhead” bowl. The bowls can be served over salad, short grain white rice, or a mix of “ancient grains” that includes brown rice and quinoa. I’m a big fan of the ancient grains mix, which has a mild and pleasant nutty flavor and the most interesting texture. It’s a great base for the mix of salad greens and vegetables topped by a portion of grilled steelhead trout. Steelhead, also known as rainbow trout, are a high-nutrient fish with a flavor like mild salmon, and here it is pan-fried with a little spice before being topped with a dab of pesto and a side of mild Huancaina cheese sauce. There are a lot of flavors going on here, and it’s a lot of food – at thirteen dollars it’s the most expensive item on the menu and a very full meal.
I tried the pork belly in the banh mi sandwich and the “knockout” bowl, which includes gochujang, wilted spinach, Asian slaw, and watercress. Though the flavors in both were enjoyable I preferred the bowl, as their sandwiches are served on a chewy, slightly heavy ciabatta bread. I prefer a lighter roll, and recommend that Rabano consider either getting baguettes or something multigrain and a bit less heavy. The pork belly was delicious, crusted with lemongrass and spices and slow cooked so that the fat rendered out and left it tender, and well worth trying.
The vegetable bowl might be expected to be the most predictable item at a place that aims to please a healthy clientele: just toss some roasted greens over rice and you’re done, right? Here it’s a bit more complex and much more interesting. The mix of zucchini, baby asparagus, broccoli, bell pepper, onion, and both red and gold beets was tossed with a light cashew-chipotle glaze and fresh arugula and put over rice with optional Cuban-style black beans. I hadn’t thought about how well the sweetness of beets might go with rich, slightly smoky beans, and it turns out to be excellent. This is a textbook example of how satisfying a healthy vegetarian meal can be, and at ten bucks it’s a bargain. The mix of vegetables might not be the same when you go because they actually do use whatever’s fresh, and though they might not offer the consistent experience of a corporate fast food joint the experience is infinitely superior.
Rabano doesn’t serve alcohol but offers handmade sodas, boba drinks, smoothies, and flavored iced teas. I found the sodas to be a bit sweet but since they are made to order you can ask them to back off on the sugar. When I didn’t like mine on one visit they remade it, which was greatly appreciated.
The Chong Brothers see Rabano as a test of their vision of healthy fast food, and if it’s successful they may open more of them. I don’t know how they’re making money on food this good at these prices, but they’re an artistic success now. They proved me wrong, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Rabano is at 2516 PCH in Hermosa – open daily, except Sunday, at 11 a.m., close 9 p.m. Mo-Thu, 9:30 p.m. Fr-Sa. Parking lot, wheelchair access OK but few low tables, take-out, vegan and GF friendly. Menu at rabano.co, phone 310-318-1998. ER
