Orris

What the hell happened to Orris?! I’m so confused… someone please shed some light! I really enjoyed the food here when it was just «Orris.» They had tasty small plates of j /​f fusion food. Never been to this new reincarnation so the rating is solely for the old one. Bring the original restaurant back please.

This is one of my favorite places in los angeles. I’m devastated by its closure!!!
I have been here tens of times with different groups of friends from any part of the world including Italian fellows and french fellows; Orris delivers always excellent quality food and great service.
My preferred dishes are:
— Ahi tuna lettuce cups
— King Crab legs
— Shrimp Ravioli in mushroom sauce
— Red Snapper Sashimi
— Lobster Spring Roll
Finally the lamb carpaccio is amazing, and Orris is the only place on earth where i eat lamb.
is really sad is going!

Brought a group of my friends here for the $ 26.50 5-​Course Tasting Menu last night because we wanted to try Orris before they shutter their doors on January 31, 2012.
Since this place is known for its small plates, keep in mind the tasting menu offers even smaller plates. Having known that in advance, we didn’t really mind about the portion sizes. The food was, overall, very good and innovative. Unfortunately, the enjoyment of the meal was marred by some flaws.
When I booked same day reservations for large groups and was told that the outdoor patio was heated with heat lamps, I was not told that the one of the heat lamps was broken, leaving only their other heat lamp to keep the entire outside patio warm. So, for those in my group who sat more than 5 feet from the heat lamp, it got pretty cold for them. Secondly, I was told the outdoor patio space can seat up to 16. There were 13 in our party. However, we were not told that the arrangement of our tables would end up have the people at both ends being crowded up against a wall or a hedge. Lastly, they failed to advise me that there is not electrical lighting outside, and that the only thing that illuminted our tables were these small candles.
To add insult to injury, the chef had the night off, so the kitchen was already short-​staffed. A member of the wait staff called in sick, so there would be only 1 waiter to handle the entire restaurant, which was packed (even the waiter was surprised as to how busy it got last night). As such, it took over 90 minutes for those of us who ordered the Tasting Menu to get all 5 small plates. Others in our group, who opted to order 1 or 2 dishes off the regular menu instead, ended up having to wait until the rest of us finished. In addition, there was probably a good 15 minutes in between each course of the 5 course Tasting Menu.
Needless to say, no matter how good the food might have been, if the overall experience was lacking, it takes away from the enjoyment of the meal. In the end, when there was only a few of use left to take care of the bill (the rest left because it was either getting too cold, or getting late), the waiter apologized and explained the circumstances of the evening to us. Although I can sympathize, that should not be the customer’s problem to worry about. Where was the management team and why weren’t they’re around if they knew they were short-​staffed and the restaurant was being slammed with a full house of customers?
I’m going to come back for 1 last visit in January with a small group and hope that the dining experience will be more pleasant by dining indoors rather than out.

* I just dined at the less formal Spaghetti House. It is badly named because this is not a quaint little restaurant. I am a huge fan of Chef Shiro and think he is under acknowledged as one of LA’s super star chefs.
If you want to eat the food of a Cordon Bleu trained Micheline Star chef at an extremely affordable price you need to try this place. Spaghetti House is a fusion of Japanese and Italian. Italianese? Fabulous and amazing!
My review of Orris pre Spaghetti House —
If Unilocal had 10 stars Orriss would be one restaurant that deserves it. I am picky and have traveled the world tasting the arts of various great chefs. Shiro, the master chef owner of this world class small plates restaurant is probably the most creative but rigorous chef of all.
This is light, healthy haute food that has roots in French and Japanese cuisine. It is not necessarily for the hamburger hot dog crowd, but if you love perfection, balance and hyper creativity that is neither flamboyant or fussy, but sublimely prepared and served, this is the end of the rainbow.
After eating at Orriss for many years, I had a soup that was a special. My wife says that when I put the first sip in my mouth I looked like I left the planet. I did. If you remember the moment in «Ratatouille» when the critic tastes the ratatouille and is transported back to his childhood — This was me except I was transported to all the lovely small restaurants I have eaten at in France and Italy.
I also loved the snapper capriccio and the sautéed mushrooms. Finished with flour less chocolate cake and a perfect cup of pressed coffee that put us both under the table.
Chef Shiro is my hero.
If you want a life experience that you can tell your grandchildren about this is the place you will find it. The staff seems to love working there and they are enthusiastic, friendly and really know their food. Now I am going to go dream about that soup!

I’d give this a 3.5. Came here for dinner on a Friday night and, (based on reviews) not surprisingly, it was PACKED. After a reasonable 20 – 25 minute wait, my boyfriend and I were seated at a table outside. (We were offered an inside table but it would’ve been a longer wait, and we we’re staarrrvvinngg.) Not the greatest atmosphere in my opinion, it’s pretty dark and I’m the type of person who likes to look at her food haha. This wasn’t a major issue though. Anyways, what we ordered:
Curry Infused Shrimp Tempura
Shrimp Mousse Ravioli (x2)
Basil Marinated Black Cod
Pork Medallions
Prime Filet Mignon in Skewer
Scallops with Mushroom Mustard Sauce
Apple Tart
The tempura was great — the shrimp was piping hot, juicy, and delicious. The curry flavour gave it a special touch that I really enjoyed.
The ravioli was definitely one of the highlights of the evening — love the sauce and the al dente ravioli was cooked really well. I would’ve liked it if the shrimp mousse had a little more flavour though. it was very subtle. (But that may just be my own personal taste.)
The marinated cod was good, although my heart still belongs to miso marinated cod. I didn’t really care for the little side of mashed potatoes.
Pork medallions — do not get this. Huge disappointment. The texture was awkward, the sauce was just… bleh. My boyfriend didn’t like this at all either.
Filet mignon skewers — sooooo tender and juicy! Cooked to perfection. However, the sauce was a little too strong for my liking and overpowered the awesomeness of the filet mignon, so after the first bite I decided to just not use it (I actually dipped the filet mignon in the mushroom mustard sauce which came with the scallops).
Speaking of which, the scallops were lovely and one of my favourites, as I am a major seafood/​shellfish junkie. The sauce was divine and very different to what is usually served with scallops.
The apple tart was a wonderful finish to an overall good meal and was another favourite of the evening.
The bill was a lot higher than I expected, but I suppose that’s what always happens at tapas bars (if you have a huge appetite like my boyfriend and I do). I would come back here again, but maybe for a light lunch next time to ease up on the wallet. :)

Orris is a quaint bistro, relaxed in a romantic sense that allows lovers to linger. A moment together to sip our wine, talk, flirt and make eyes at each other. I can understand now why the name of the restaurant is called ‘orris’– the root of the iris plant is considered to be an aphrodisiac.
The waitress, Bobbi, so charming and gracious, orchestrated the timing of our dishes, inquiring about the kinds of dishes we ordered, thinking about how to balance the flavors, and so deciding on how they would be served in sequence– all to enhance our dining experience. Dinner began as a gentle pianissimo with the cool bottle of Frog’s Leap Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc nestled into a bucket, along with the arrival of the beautiful arugula salad.
Golden sunlight filtered through our glimmering glasses full with wine. I had never known Sawtelle Boulevard hid such a treasure as this. There had been many a dinner with my three children at my safe ‘family approved’ dining spots nearby, such as Hurry Curry of Tokyo and Chabuya, the ramen place next door. My later obsession with Beard Papa’s cream puffs just a jaunt down the street while pregnant with my third child was also a Sawtelle Boulevard frequent stop. But never before had I discovered the serene patio of Orris.
The arugula salad arrived in its feathery-​leafed beauty– the shaved parmesan mingling with the peppery arugula was delightful in my mouth. The dressing was the perfect amount, neither overly done nor under dressed, pure with a flavorful and light olive oil. I marveled at the way the salad was dressed because it is a rarity that each leaf is well coated with just the right amount of dressing. It did not overpower the arugula, but enhanced its essence. Such simplicity.
The Beet and Basque cheese drizzled with a balsamic dressing– so delicate on the tongue. The Basque cheese was creamy which allowed the musty tang of balsamic to layer and deepen all the textures and flavors so well. We looked at each other knowingly with the pleasure of beets melting their deep garnet stain into our teeth and tongues, the softness of the cheese upon the tongue, barely a sliver, so it yields like a flower petal to the heat of our mouths. My mind was where it needed to be; only with the texture and subtle wonder of the beets and cheese, the hint of balsamic making its suggestion to savor the moment entirely.
The squash blossom tempura was exquisite, stuffed with a seafood mousse and topped with a kalamata olive tapenade. I have had squash blossom tempura done like this before, however, not in this exact way. The flavor combinations of the olives and delicacy of the tempura made this particular version quite exceptional. The seafood mousse inside the pocket of the flower was so light, the crisp tempura ever so faintly there. What flavor, I thought, as I gleaned through my memory of the many times and many ways I had squash blossoms. And fingering through the bulk of such sweet things as squash blossoms at the farmers markets, when I thought I might consider sauteing squash blossoms myself. But how would I make them? Surely this was the way, stuffed with seafood mousse pillowed inside and tempura battered with the thinnest amount, kalamata olive tapenade created with a tomatoey salsa to enhance the fresh taste of the squash. My two front teeth bit into the green of the squash itself and nothing could have made it more delicious than the way it was prepared.
The grilled romaine lettuce. Sigh. The grilled romaine lettuce. What more can I say? This dish was memorable for a reason. It is difficult to imagine how lettuce can be sensual. Before I had tasted this sublime dish I would never have considered romaine lettuce as an aphrodisiac, nor would I have claimed its sensuous qualities as one of the most orgasmic dishes I’ve ever had. I might usually reserve such commentary for say, crème brûlée. The first bite of the grilled romaine lettuce was subtle with the smokiness of the grill. It wasn’t until the third and fourth mouthful that the flavors built upon themselves, and soon the sensual quality of this dish overwhelmed me, a crescendo of ecstasy was undulating through my body. The parmesan cheese added to the punch of the grilled romaine. I was tingling with pleasure. Little sips of my sauvignon blanc here and there, another bite of the grilled romaine.
After the grilled romaine lettuce experience settled into my body, more of our dishes arrived. The wild mushroom sauté and potato Dauphinois, the shrimp mousse ravioli with shiitake mushroom sauce, and the basil marinated black cod with mashed potatoes. To end our beautiful meal we had the cheese plate. A selection of several types of cheese and bread, savored while we finished our bottle of wine.
Sublime. Romantic. Beautiful dinner.

Amazing. My gf. and I went on a friday night, so it was definitely busy and loud. It seemed like most of the crowd that was there are regulars. Patrons drinking wine with the servers, and the chefs fist bumping some of the ppl walking in. Great friendly vibe, and our server, Bobbi P, was so upbeat and pleasant. And not in the cheap fake bubbly way a lot of other servers use to push for a tip. She made it a genuinely fun experience.
We ordered the:
Grilled Romaine with Shaved Parmesan — I didn’t know grilled lettuce with cheese could be so delicious
Potato Dauphinois — Ordered it as a complement to the filet mignon… tasty but forgettable
Salmon Croquette — Perfect flavor in such a tiny bite. I could’ve ordered a second plate.
Seared Ahi with sweet onion soy — Sweet onion soy made this tuna plate better than a lot of seared ahi’s i’ve had.
Prime Filet Mignon with Roquefort Butter — I usually don’t care for much butter, but it was great with such a perfectly tender and seasoned piece of meat

This is one of those places where the food is so good, I can’t bring myself to care about anything like price or ambiance. Yes, you’re probably going to spend close to $ 50/​person, but it’s so worth it. The service and wine list also get an A, so 5 stars it is.
The food is always made with delicious, fresh ingredients that Chef Shiro hunts down at the farmers market himself. He’s truly an artist and professional if I’ve ever met one.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
— Asparagus Salad (with tomatoes and delicious, perfectly-​crispy bruschetta)
— Seared Ahi Sashimi
— Albacore Lettuce Cups
— Shrimp Mousse Ravioli (the creamiest, most amazing, melt-​in-​your-​mouth ravioli you’ll ever have)
They have really great lamb and filet mignon that I tried, too, but I would say that their strength leans a bit towards seafood dishes, so I would definitely recommend those first.

Came here a while back when a friend and I were passing though the Sawtelle area and I got the oysters with ponzu, the asparagus dish and a meat dish I can’t quite remember at the moment… and therein lies the problem. Their food was pretty good but it wasn’t spectacular or especially memorable. Although I won’t say I’m one to come here again (though I will give it a second chance) because I wasn’t super-​in-​love with the dishes… they were crafted well – the Asian fusion was pretty tasty.
I think I will return to give this place another chance before I make final judgement.

Amy B. took me to Orris as a holiday surprise last night and it was one of the loveliest meals I can remember.
Her ordering skill had our excellent servers commenting on its … I suppose the right word is «composition,» but maybe it’s better to call it something else. Artfulness?
What I’m trying to say is that the … hmm … way she composed the meal (starting with beet salad with the perfect Basque cheese and balsamic dressing, and ending with a delicious, perfectly cooked steak with Roquefort mustard dipping sauce, with seafood purée-​stuffed squash-​blossoms, a sashimi with almonds, a special tuna tartar over a sort of pastry … and a viogner) was truly well matched. I don’t think a chef-​designed prix fixe would have jived better. And the portion sizes are neither insultingly teeny nor gimmicky in their hugeness (you know what I mean).
In addition to welcoming service, chefs who take hot plates out of the salamander with neither tongs nor hot pads (which amused Amy to no end), and a casual but understated, elegant setting, Orris has a well curated wine list. I want to go back a LOT.

I don’t think you can go wrong with any dish at Orris. Last night was no exception. As Angela O. has some funky food allergies, we went through the menu looking for things like avocado and mango. We ended up with a very delicious four course meal. I know I have eaten through the entire menu and their seasonal specials and I have never had a dish that didn’t please. Just go. They have very reasonable tasting menus for something like $ 25 at dinner, but I prefer ordering on my own and sharing — it only costs a little more per person if you stick to 4 or 5 dishes.
Orris makes me happy because I like the people and the food. The staff are excellent and the other diners are pleasant. Despite the high quality food and its excellent reputation, the place lacks the pretension of other LA eateries. Orris, you keep feeding me your delicious meals.

Went here at 7:30pm on a Friday night and there was quite a waitlist. The host said an hour plus, but it only took about 30 to 40 minutes. Maybe because there were 2 of us, which meant we were easier to seat than the larger parties. The food consists of small plates. We had:
— cheese plate — good cheese and warm baguette, yum
— scallops — my favorite. well-​cooked and an interesting mustard sauce
— quail — not bad
— lamb carpaccio — very good. Came with some lettuce which could have used a bit more dressing with some acidic flavors in it. But the lamb itself was delicious.
— filet mignon — very tender and tasty, however by this time I was stuffed and only had a small piece
— fig and banana flambé — so good.
We also had a bottle of wine and all in all the meal was very reasonable and the service perfect. They delivered the food one plate after each other, with an adequate break in between which is just how we like it. Too often, tapas-​type places serve all your food at once, which is not enjoyable, especially with small tables.

Sometimes no matter how bad the service is, you would still go for the food.
Sometimes no matter how bad the food is, you would still go for the service (cute servers? *wink*).
Orris has best of BOTH!!! There is no where in the world that has better service than Orris. They DEFINE customer service and raises the bar every time! Their cuisine is one of the best on my list (probably THE best).
Whatever your reason is, visit Orris, and you will NOT be disappointed! The only drawback is that they do not take reservations. But hey, I’ve seen famous people that still had to wait in the line to get into Orris. So why not you?
Plan better, go on a weeknight right when they open.
Lastly, as Josephine H. indicated, price is VERY reasonable. You’d probably be spending twice the amount somewhere else for «almost» comparable service and food.

Thank you to all you Unilocalers who reviewed and took pictures of their food! My bf and I were finally able to go there last week and ordered every single plate recommended by you guys! Every single plate we ordered were delicious, orgasmic, and fantastic!!! The best of the best was shrimp ravioli mousse topped with reduced shrimp bisque sauce and quail served with lamb augu riso! W O W!!! We were so stuffed with food so we didn’t have dessert.
Thumbs up to our waiter, Matthew is probably THE best server I’ve ever come across in a very long time. His is very knowledgeable about the menu and sounds very passionate about each plate that were served to us. I want to take every single one of my friends here.

This is a long overdue review from years ago. I’m catching up on my backlog of Unilocaling. Although this blurb will be scant of details, I have to post it to memorialize my love of this place. I used to work close by and visit occasionally.
The time I spent there always took a couple of even four hours. Always a good time of eating little tapas plates and having some wine. One of my last visits at Orris involved four friends and just a general run down of items from the list. I can’t name all of them from memory because its been awhile. The dishes escape me but the experience of Orris still leaves my mouth watering to this day.
The dish I still vividly remember is the grilled romaine hearts with parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar. A true food orgasm.

Here with friends about a month ago before a movie. I see Veronica R. in the corner while wait for a table, I was thinking to myself if a former CM eats here on a random night this has to be a pretty great place. First order of the night was the sheep cheese, basalmic with beets and it was likely my favorite dish of the evening. Next up lettuce wrap that was not memorable, likely least favorite. Other notable dishes were Warm Snapper Carpaccio, Albacore Lettuce Cups, and deep fried fish sardines stacked. Scallop dish, clam dish, I sure wish I wrote more notes but I at least took photos. A few glasses of Pinot Noir, Walnut City Wineworks and the night was wonderful. Finish it off with two types of ice cream, crème brûlée, and an apple torte. I will post pics and try to look at themintymusings to refresh my memory of the details of each dish for my edit.
4.5 I will be back!!!

4.5 stars!
Impromptu decision to eat on Sawtelle, and we decided on this stop. We chose to sit outside — it was a cute, dark setting. Save for the three obnoxiously loud, drunk girls behind us the entire time (with a random guy who looked like a manager and joined them later, comping drinks), the service was good. Finished shared plates were cleared quickly and we got new clean dishes halfway through.
Wine list was moderately priced, with a couple of good choices. I got a syrah, my friend chose a pinot grigio. Both were great.
Presentation for the food was rustic, focused and well done, considering how fast they’re working. The dishes were also surprisingly well-​timed (minimal wait in between each),
Asparagus with prosciutto and pecorino cheese: My friend said the vegetables were a little dry, but I thought the sharp, grated cheese probably led to that. I liked it, though. It was an interesting party in the mouth with bacon-​like prosciutto, milky sharp cheese and chunks of buttery asparagus.
Smoked salmon croquettes: Ok, first bite and I said — «This makes me think of alaska, or seattle.» The still-​hot smoked salmon was done so well, it evoked memorable food-​based moments (a sign of a great chef in my book). The crème fraîche and salmon caviar really topped it off, no pun intended.
Basil marinated black cod: Mmmm. Sweet and slightly garlicky.
Shrimp mousse ravioli: WOW. Our decided favorite. Four thick raviolis with shiitake mushrooms were awash in this creammmy sauce — not too heavy, but enough to make you sop up every last drop with the accompanying bread, which we did: P
Forewent dessert for Yogurtland.

I adore Orris. I first went here about two years ago with a friend who told me that it was one of his favorite spots in LA. I recently went back with another friend to use a 30% off discount coupon that I received, and again it was another stellar meal. We ordered five of their tapas /​sharing plates as follows:
— FRIED SQUASH BLOSSOMS STUFFED WITH SHRIMP WITH OLIVE TAPENADE ON THE SIDE: The zucchini blossoms were perfectly cooked — firm to the bite, yet soft enough to chew. Very fresh. The olive tapenade was an unusual combo but was delicious. Unlike many olive spreads /​toppings in which the olive dominates the flavor, here the olive was mixed with a lot of sweet onions. There was also an additional sense of freshness, kind of like a tomato salsa, from the use of fresh herbs, etc.
— TEMPURA SHRIMP WITH CURRY SAUCE AND SEA SALT: Wonderful, light and crispy batter and juicy shrimp. The curry sauce was spicy, sweet, and earthy from cumin, chili powder, and other spices. Delightful.
— BASIL MARINATED COD WITH BASIL MASHED POTATOES AND ZUCCHINI: The cod was unbelievably tender and moist and the skin was crispy! The skin even developed a kind of sweet and salty caramelization, which was a perfect with the subtle cod flavor. The basil mashed potatoes were a bit odd, but the braised zucchini was buttery and sweet yet light.
— SHRIMP MOUSSE RAVIOLI WITH SHITAKE MUSHROOM SAUCE: This is the best mushroom sauce on the planet. The cream is given depth with the shitakes, shellfish stock, and a bit of soy. They even provide you with bread to mop up the sauce, and believe me, you won’t want any to go to waste! Plus, the ravioli is tender and melds delicately with the sauce. Amazingly, the shrimp mousse has texture and isn’t gushy the way most ravioli fillings are. To die for.
— FOIS GRAS AND JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH SWEET SOY: This is my favorite fois gras dish ever. The fois gras is lightly seared after being bathed in sweet soy. Super rich and melts in your mouth. The Japanese eggplant is juicy, sweet, and refreshing. In a nutshell, it’s «love on a plate.»
I’d also say that the waitstaff is wonderful. They are very good about answering questions about the dishes, and are attentive without being pesky. I also appreciate how my water glass was constantly refilled without my asking. =)
With tax and tip (no drinks ordered), we each paid only $ 26 for this amazing meal after using my discount and we were quite full. Even before the discount, it would have cost us each about $ 35 a piece. Amazing. Depending on how much you order, I’d expect to pay anywhere from $ 35 — 50, including tax and tip. Not a cheapo place, but given the quality, creativity, and service, it’s a far better deal than other high end restaurants in LA. The two main drawbacks of this place are: 1) no reservations, and you will typically have to wait, especially on Thurs — Sun evenings, and 2) parking on Sawtelle can be frustrating. But all in all, I’d give it a 4.5 stars and it’s definitely a must-​go.

I’ve been fooled…
I underestimated the Mexican Chefs and Arrogant Charismatic Macho Asian Waiters…
Despite their tight black shirts and slightly high waist belt and NO females working in the restaurant… I had an AMAZING dining experience! (You’ll give the second thoughts about the «Boys» being dirty and clumsy!)
This restaurant is by far the BEST recommendation I’ve gotten from a fellow Unilocaler! (Special thanks to Mr. Simonster)
The ambiance, food and service is very different from Furaibo (another Japanese Tapas restaurant down the street)
I cannot beat myself over how long it took me to try this place out!
After a numerous awful experiences from the neighbors of Orris, (Robataya) and (Chabuya) I have been avoiding this particular strip of the mall… (oh why oh why…)
As usual, I went 100% with the waiter’s recommendations… and was very satisfied.
I do have to say the snow king crab was bit salty, but other than that, every dishes were DELICIOUS! and the Australian lamb chop was heavenly!
Super tender, juicy and Scrumpdelicious!
Golly, the food was Delicate and Delightful!!!
The restaurant is Clean and the service is Amazing! (our waiter came and exchanged our plates 6 TIMES!!!, I said it was ok… but he wanted to make sure that the sauce didn’t get mixed up … mad props on his insights!)
They are bit pricy for tapas, but they come in bigger portions.
I absolutely enjoyed the overall dining experience here and I couldn’t resist walking over to personally compliment the chef of his food creations and the awesome staffs!
Bam Bam Bam 5 Stars!

A lot of times you go to a place that already has a good reputations, which high expectations and hopes, and it just fails to deliver. It’s good, but just not THAT good. This isn’t one of those places. Orris is fresh, unique and delicious, all rolled up.
The girl brought me here for a celebration. We got the ravioli with mushroom sauce, braised duck breast, curry infused shrimp tempura, lobster spring roll and marinated block cod.
The mushroom sauce that came with the ravioli was amazing, and they knew it too because they bread extra bread for you to soak it all up. The braised duck was very tender and came with a great sauce. The shrimp tempura was nothing special, just shrimp tempura, but the curry sauce was something else. I’m not usually a huge fan of curry, but this really blew me away. The lobster spring rolls, probably my least favorite, still had great lobster, just overly oily because of the fried roll it was in. Lastly the cod, which was one of the most tender and perfectly cooked cods I have ever had. It came with some small bones in it, so be careful, but otherwise was great.
For dessert we ordered the crispy wantons with berries and poached pears. A lot of times desserts are pretty plain… stuff that most restaurants have and even some stuff that you could either buy at a store or make yourself. This was not it. This was elaborate and probably one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long long time.
Overall, amazing meal! Can’t wait to go back.