Exotic fish migrate to L.A. plates

WHEN it comes to fish, Los Angeles chefs are cultivating a taste for the exotic.

Have some hebi. Triggerfish, anyone? You can find both at Sona. Japanese ayu graces plates at Providence; aji and kampachi are making waves at Michael’s; and uku, a Hawaiian gray snapper, makes a splash at Lucques.

Lately, fish that might be more at home in a top-notch sushi bar are swimming onto all kinds of menus around town -- and this seems to have opened the floodgates for all kinds of exotic fish. The school of thinking is that the fish migration is a natural phenomenon, given the large Asian population (particularly Japanese) in Southern California.

Because of this, “we have the luxury of having these things available,” says Providence chef Michael Cimarusti. “Since there is such a huge Japanese restaurant scene, there’s a reason for them to bring this stuff in. That really is the driving force of there being so much stuff available in L.A.”

And chefs can’t help but fall for these fish.

John Pettitt, the new chef at Michael’s in Santa Monica, has found that Japanese fish can take well to Western preparations. He pan-sears aji, a small Spanish mackerel, then gets creative. “That fish is very versatile and can go with stewed tomatoes or a nice basil oil,” he says. And even when he serves a fish sashimi-style -- such as kampachi (baby yellowtail) -- he gives it a twist, splashing on a little vinaigrette made with orange oil, orange juice, lemon grass, ginger, habanero and olive oil.

Sona’s David Myers says hebi, a spearfish from Hawaii, is glorious. “It has a steak-like quality and wonderful oils,” he says. He sears the fish to medium-rare, then serves it with a puree of spiced boniato (sweet potato) with cardamom and a spicy pineapple and kaffir lime emulsion.

At Lucques, chef Suzanne Goin is making one fish discovery after another. When her Hawaii-based fish purveyors were out of pomfret, she got uku instead, and it was a hit. Then, while making ceviche, she asked her contact for something “more interesting than yellowtail.”

“That’s when she turned us on to nairagi,” says Goin. “It has a great texture and flavor, and also a really beautiful salmony-orange color.” Now the striped marlin is part of her repertoire.

And the seafood house McCormick & Schmick’s has gotten adventurous too. Regional executive chef Rene van Broekhuizen says that for the 10 restaurants for which he is responsible, he has purchased such exotic additions to the menu as Hawaiian lehi and barramundi from New Zealand.

Until recently, L.A. purveyors such as International Marine Products and True World Foods catered exclusively to Japanese restaurants. Now they’re pursuing non-Japanese restaurant clients and being more active in introducing new fish to chefs.

“We realize a lot of fish we have they are interested in,” says International Marine representative Paul Kimura. “But they don’t know what they are. They need someone to open up the door for them.”

The cool names and the thrill of discovery are surely part of the attraction, but here’s another compelling reason for chefs to look beyond the usual suspects: “Maybe I shouldn’t admit this,” says Christian Shaffer, chef-owner of Chloe in Playa del Rey and Avenue in Manhattan Beach, “but it’s also a pricing issue. There are not a lot of people standing in line for whitebait and yellow-eyed cod.”

Leslee Komaiko

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Small bites

* On Wednesday evenings starting Nov. 2, Il Grano is introducing a bollito misto special. Priced at $49 per person, the meals will star the long-cooked meats. But first, diners will be treated to homemade pasta served in the rich brodo (broth) from the meat. And on this night only, all magnums will be offered at 20% off, “to entice bigger parties to come in,” says chef-owner Sal Marino. Il Grano, 11359 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A.; (310) 477-7886.

* In an effort to woo diners on Sunday evenings, Minibar, the global tapas restaurant near Universal Studios, has introduced “40-a-deuce” night. Forty bucks gets you and a friend a bottle of wine, a selection of small plates -- the offerings change every week -- and dessert to share. Minibar, 3413 Cahuenga Blvd. West, L.A.; (323) 882-6965.

* Roy’s has opened in downtown Los Angeles just a few blocks from the Staples Center. This is the second Roy’s in the L.A. area. (One opened in Woodland Hills earlier this year.) The Hawaiian fusion restaurant, which got its start in Oahu, is open for dinner every night and lunch weekdays. Roy’s, 800 S. Figueroa St., Suite 100, (213) 488-4994.