An Ambitious Start in Silver Lake

The first night I went to Paio, we were the only ones there. True, the tiny Silver Lake restaurant was only a month old and not easy to spot between a video store and a bodybuilding gym on Hyperion Avenue. A friend who lives nearby had noticed the burgundy taffeta banner stenciled with a pear (paio means pair in Italian) while walking her dog and poked her head in to see what restaurant had suddenly sprouted on this unlikely block. After a peek, she reported back that the place looked promising.

Paio may have just 16 tables, but the small storefront is decorated with minimalist panache. A shimmering curtain sweeps across the one window. Blond birch veneer covers two walls, one patterned with shadows cast by a row of single gerbera daisies in bud vases. On the red lacquer tabletops, candles flicker in votive holders wrapped in lacy leaves. The chairs, however, could be more comfortable.

By my second and third visits, Paio had found a following. A glance at the one-page menu reveals that this small contemporary American restaurant has big ambitions--and prices to match. On both the summer and fall menus, I’ve found several dishes I would be happy to order again. (Most nights there are at least two seafood specials, too.)

To start, chef Alisa Reynolds offers a salad of chanterelle mushrooms, freshly sauteed and set on a bed of peppery arugula or baby spinach. Another salad is composed of pretty diced beets, walnuts and watercress and garnished with slices of warm, deliciously caramelized pear. I also like her sauteed crab “tian,” an ethereal cake that tastes of sweet crab and fresh thyme. Other good bets are the crisp pleated wontons with a nicely textured salmon filling and a piquant plum reduction, and her beef tenderloin flautas paired with diced avocado and fresh pineapple salsa.

Tops on the short entree list is Reynolds’ barbecued fried chicken in a crisply fried shaggy coating. It comes with earthy stewed greens and an inspired version of macaroni and cheese made with orecchiette, the ear-shaped pasta from the south of Italy, and an aged cheddar. Better than the roasted quail, which doesn’t have much flavor, are the prime beef tenderloin on home-style mashed potatoes topped with pale onion rings and the sauteed lamb chops with Swiss chard and butternut squash puree. Grilled prawns in coconut curry plays sweetness against sweetness to good effect.

Occasionally, a dish simply doesn’t work. White bean soup with sage is thick as porridge. A cinnamon glaze overpowers a special of seared scallops. Halibut comes wrapped in rice paper that goes soggy in the sauce. And desserts aren’t as sophisticated as the rest of the menu.

Reynolds, it turns out, is self-taught. Some of the best chefs are--three-star chef Marc Meneau of L’Esperance in Burgundy and Thomas Keller of the French Laundry in Napa Valley, to name two. Other than brief stints at Park Avenue Cafe and Restaurant EQ in New York (the latter owned by the father of one of Reynolds’ partners, Natasha Foy) and at Patina, Reynolds’ professional experience is limited. Until she gets her sea legs, she is wise to start small and open only for dinner five nights a week.

Reynolds appears easily overwhelmed when a lot of different orders come in. Because of this, Paio is only for patient sorts right now. One evening, I try to order soup at 7:30 and am told it won’t be done for at least 20 more minutes. And on a night when the sous chef calls in sick, Reynolds bravely soldiers on, cooking for a full house of boistrous diners.

The service isn’t really up to speed yet either. My biggest complaint is that the hostess doesn’t explain to everyone who calls for a reservation that Paio has no beer and wine license, leaving some diners to watch those in the know arrive with their coolers of drinks.

It’s too early to tell whether Silver Lake will support this bright, earnest effort. I certainly hope it does. It’s fledgling neighborhood restaurants like this one, offering more than pizza and pasta, that will revitalize L.A.’s restaurant scene.

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PAIO

Cuisine: Contemporary American. Ambience: Small neighborhood restaurant with smart minimalist decor and fledgling staff. Best Dishes: Pear and watercress salad, tian of crab, grilled prawns in coconut curry, barbecued fried chicken, lamb chops, prime tenderloin. No beer or wine; bring your own. Facts: 2520 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 953-1973. Dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Appetizers, $8 to $14; main courses, $16 to $27. Parking in rear.