A fusion of flavors that stem from his own beginnings – that’s how chef Mario Gaspar describes his menu at FIN restaurant on the outskirts of Culver City.
Located at 12223 West Washington Blvd., the restaurant is open nightly for craft cocktails and imaginative dishes inspired by traditional Asian and American cuisine.
Gaspar has been in the kitchen at FIN since it opened in November 2013. He said owners Gerardo Reyes and Michael Flanagan had approached him about opening an Asian-inspired restaurant together as they had a long standing friendship and work history. He said he jumped at the opportunity.
“I’ve been cooking my whole life,” Gaspar said. “It wasn’t until I got to the U.S. that I started really experimenting with different culinary flavors and styles of cooking. I spent years under the supervision of Gino Angelini of Angelini Osteria (near The Grove).”
After his tenure there he said he felt he needed a change and different style of cooking, so he went to work for Peter Morton at his then well known restaurant Morton’s on Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood.
“While there I noticed a trend happening around L.A. and this was Japanese sushi restaurants started becoming popular,” he said. “Not knowing much about this style of cuisine at the time, it made me want to explore, so I decided to take a job under well known Chef Rodelio Aglibot.”
At FIN he said he enjoyed creating dishes that fuse flavors from his upbringing.
“The Pork Chop Kasai (Japanese for fire) is cooked to perfection and topped with spicy sauce which is derived from a Mexican tomateo salsa,” he said. “I circle the dish with my house made sweet strawberry sauce which helps calm the fire. The two bacon wrapped asparagus that come with the dish are great for dipping in the sauces as well.”
His other favorite dishes include Salmon Sashimi served in a house made truffle ponzu sauce – it’s also topped with thin truffle shavings and a sprinkle of finely chopped chives.
“So far I make changes or additions to the menu as I see fit,” he said. “All in all, I have probably made changes to our menu seasonally, but then again we have not been open a very long time, so I do run specials on a daily basis as well.”
FIN is open daily for dinner at 5 pm (happy hour is 5 pm to 7 pm daily, and Monday through Saturday from 10 pm to 11 pm). The restaurant is also open for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm every Monday through Friday. The FIN lunch menu features salads, Tapas, hand/cut rolls, rice bowls and “build-your-own” FIN Bento Boxes with an extensive list of multiple items to select from.
Looking to have a drink just before dining at FIN, or somewhere to have a nightcap after dinner? FIN also boasts a “secret” bar called Alley Lounge that opened last year at the back of its building. There’s no sign, just follow the dimly lit concrete path on the east side of the restaurant and look for the velvet ropes. Doors at Alley Lounge open 6 pm Monday through Saturday (happy hour is 6 pm to 7 pm Tuesday through Saturday).
Lounge that opened last year at the back of its building.
Alley Lounge bar manager Russell Thomas said it always makes him happy when he watches someone enter for the first time.
“People have this look of surprise on their face – which is almost always followed by: ‘I live right around the corner and had no idea we had anything like this around here,’” Thomas said. “This is very much a ‘locals bar’ and I really enjoy being a part of the community.”
He said the cocktail menu was developed by raiding FIN’s kitchen and working with the ingredients that were on hand.
“We were lucky to have some interesting things available to us being that we are part of an Asian restaurant,” he said. “One of the the things that we do different is the use of a fine mesh strainer to remove the little bits of pulp in our fresh ingredient cocktails. I am big on texture and get annoyed when having a Mojito and feel like I keep getting little mint bits with every sip.”
As for his favorite ingredient found in FIN’s kitchen?
“I love working with ginger,” he said. “I love the questions I get from curious guests when I cut of a healthy slice from the root. The effect it has on the cocktail is that it adds an intense ginger bite that I find more interesting than ginger beer or ginger ale, and then there is the health benefits.
As for his favorite cocktail, he said he’s been a fan of one of his newer cocktails named The London Calling.
“It pairs gin with – you got it – ginger, with a citrus undertone,” he said. “It is complex and it is also an excuse to get people to try more gin cocktails.”
FIN is located at 12223 West Washington Blvd., Culver City. For reservations or more information, call 310.398.8611 or visit finculvercity.com. For more information on Alley Lounge, call 310.398.8611 or visit alleyloungela.com.
